Irish jockey Tom Queally hasn't always been given a lot to work with in his rides here, but he has been handed a great chance to take tonight's Hong Kong Football Club Centenary Challenge Cup (1,200m) at Happy Valley on Sea The Pearls.Without the assistance of a worthwhile barrier draw, Sea The Pearls has been running well in five starts this season, but the Dennis Yip Chor-hong-trained five-year-old has finally pulled a gate as he seeks his first local victory.And the timing has been excellent

Irish jockey Tom Queally hasn't always been given a lot to work with in his rides here, but he has been handed a great chance to take tonight's Hong Kong Football Club Centenary Challenge Cup (1,200m) at Happy Valley on Sea The Pearls.

Without the assistance of a worthwhile barrier draw, Sea The Pearls has been running well in five starts this season, but the Dennis Yip Chor-hong-trained five-year-old has finally pulled a gate as he seeks his first local victory.

And the timing has been excellent as the "C+3" rail placement usually makes an inside draw important for success.

At his latest outing, Sea The Pearls had barrier 10 and was taken back early, standing the leaders more than seven lengths coming to the home straight. Although his run looked to be finished in the last 50m, Sea The Pearls made up almost five lengths on the front runners, closing off in 22.66.

That has been his pattern in his last three performances at the Valley, but he has shown previously that he can race closer from a low draw and he has barrier four this time for Queally.

Yip has also gone for blinkers on gelding - a double-edged sword at times as first-time blinker horses can sometimes be hesitant at the start - but, if Queally can get him out of the starting gates cleanly, Sea The Pearls should be handier to the leaders at the home turn without having to burn much gas to be there.

Sunday's Group One result would have been encouraging for supporters of Gold Ball (Olivier Doleuze), a solid danger who worked home solidly over 1,000m at the Valley in his first run for trainer Richard Gibson. (www.racing.scmp.com)