The Wong family won't know which way to look at the finish of the Victoria Racing Club Trophy (2,200m) at Happy Valley tonight as father and son could be fighting out the finish but top weight Ensuring might have enough talent to get away with the friendly family feud, reports Racing Post HK.
Ensuring (Joao Moreira) is owned by Ben Wong Chung-mat and his wife and races under those familiar grey and crimson colours which have been a regular in Hong Kong as well as on tracks overseas, and adorned former Group One sprinter, Enthused.
Richard Gibson-trainedEntrusting (Karis Teetan) is raced by Ben's son, Vincent, under his predominantly red and yellow colours, becoming better known in recent seasons and looking the main obstacle to the John Size-trained topweight tonight.
Ensuring was a winner over 1,800m at the Valley in March and that run and his subsequent efforts over that distance suggest that he should cope with 2,200m well and is the horse to beat.
He was unlucky to bump into Renaissance Art and a great Zac Purton ride last time out, with Moreira electing to make what might have been a winning move nine times out of 10.
Passing the 600m, Moreira knew Purton was against the inside rail in midfield with nowhere to go and he made some use of Ensuring to go around the outside of the field and run clear. But Purton threaded the needle up the inside rail, saved all the ground and Renaissance Art finished well to get there just in time. Ensuring put two lengths on the rest despite having to make that long run and the winner looks very promising anyway.
For Entrusting, the key points look to be a return to Happy Valley after two Sha Tin efforts that didn't suggest he is at his best there, a light weight and the stretch out to a distance should suit too. Judged on an excellent 1,650m second to Marvel Tribe in January, Entrusting has the ability and the low draw and light weight should help him produce it.