From RACING POST HKTony Cruz has got the new season off to a quick start with All Victory's win and three seconds, and doesn't look far off a win with the lightly raced Regency Luck after a cracking performance in the Class Three Drake Handicap (1,200m) on Sunday at Sha Tin. Lining up against some future stars, the five-year-old was unwanted in betting at 126-1 odds, despite showing massive improvement in the mornings, including a positive trial behind Our Pegasus with blinkers applied.Matthew C

From RACING POST HK

Tony Cruz has got the new season off to a quick start with All Victory's win and three seconds, and doesn't look far off a win with the lightly raced Regency Luck after a cracking performance in the Class Three Drake Handicap (1,200m) on Sunday at Sha Tin. Lining up against some future stars, the five-year-old was unwanted in betting at 126-1 odds, despite showing massive improvement in the mornings, including a positive trial behind Our Pegasus with blinkers applied.

Matthew Chadwick had Regency Luck settled worse than midfield and three deep with cover to the outside of Good Luck Win after an even jump from gate six. He hit the head of the straight with only Storm Unicorn wider out and was eating up the ground in a final 23-second split to finish fourth behind the exciting pair of King Mossman and Bear Hero.

It was a much-improved effort off a dead-last performance behind Gift Is Gift on his debut in June. On that occasion, Regency Luck had been fractious in the stalls before settling in the second half of the field. He was under the pump soon after straightening and was struggling to stay in touch at the 300m.

Regency Luck arrived from New Zealand after two runs - a win and a second over the 1,300m on a yielding track with blinkers - racing as Lion Brian for trainer Peter Hurdle at Awapuni racecourse.

The bay appears to have thrived during the break - putting on more than 60 pounds and must be taken seriously when next stepping out.

Regency Luck is a son of the versatile Rahy stallion Howbaddouwantit, a graded sprint winner in the US that has produced eight winners on the local scene - best of whom has been Bullish Cash, who achieved a 112-rating while winning two over 1,800m, and the consistent sprinter Flying Colours, a five-time 1,200m winner at both tracks.

His dam is the double sprint winner in Australia, Northwood Fair, who has produced five winners - making Regency Luck a half-brother to Lunar Reflections, a consistent money spinner for the Ricky Yiu poon-fai stable. According to his pedigree, Regency Luck should thrive over the 1,400m to 1,800m and will be heading higher off his season-opening mark of 65.

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