Top jockey Brett Prebble has given punters the lead they need to find the winner of the Heung Yee Kuk 90th Anniversary Cup (1,200m) at Sha Tin today, albeit with the help of a barrier draw, reports the HK Racing Post (www.racing.scmp.com)
Prebble was aboard John Size-trained Amazing Kids (Ryan Moore) when he won stylishly last start in a similar kind of race just over a month ago, but the Austalian switches back to his regular mount Lucky Bubbles today for Francis Lui Kin-wai.
Prebble has been on Lucky Bubbles at all seven runs and has not been backward in coming forward with his opinion of the four-year-old. He thinks Lucky Bubbles will reach the top echelon of sprinters, and expressed similar sentiments about Amazing Kids after his win last time.
Lui deviated from that path to the top of the sprint ranks by giving Lucky Bubbles his shot in the Classic Mile against his own age last start, but the distance just stretched the gelding at this stage and he had to be content with a very solid fourth to Sun Jewellery.
Back to a sprint today, Lucky Bubbles can justify Prebble's faith but he did get plenty of assistance at the barrier draw.
Prebble would certainly have jumped back on Lucky Bubbles in any case but Amazing Kids going from gate one last time to gate 12 now makes the Size-trained horse's task more difficult and Prebble's switch much sweeter, especially with Lucky Bubbles the one with the pole position today.
The pace looks generous enough with Charity Glory showing speed last week on debut, and Fabulous November and Lovely Delovely usually with the lead, allowing Prebble to take a trail behind them and save Lucky Bubbles for the run home.
His first task will be to get by Peace N Prosperity (Karis Teetan), another on-pace runner likely to sit behind the leaders and issue a challenge at the 300m.
He is something of an unknown at Sha Tin, where his only run down the straight last March didn't pan out and he can't really be judged on that effort. Peace N Prosperity has made his name at Happy Valley so perhaps the big straight won't suit but with 113 pounds he could keep running for a while.
Lucky Bubbles looks too classy for him, and the dangers then look Amazing Kids and Secret Command running on from the back and Key Witness (Douglas Whyte).