There's no doubting the John Moore-trained Military Attack is the horse to beat in the Happy Valley Vase (1,800m) tonight, but his supporters at short odds could get a healthy taste of their hearts in their mouths. Not for the first time will the punting public be relying on champion jockey Douglas Whyte to find a way, and the likely tempo isn't going to make his job easy.Happy Guys looks the most likely leader, with Familists forward and perhaps outsider Oracle will be prominent with a light we
There's no doubting the John Moore-trained Military Attack is the horse to beat in the Happy Valley Vase (1,800m) tonight, but his supporters at short odds could get a healthy taste of their hearts in their mouths.
Not for the first time will the punting public be relying on champion jockey Douglas Whyte to find a way, and the likely tempo isn't going to make his job easy.
Happy Guys looks the most likely leader, with Familists forward and perhaps outsider Oracle will be prominent with a light weight and quick step up in trip - but whatever goes on, it is tough to see how this will be run at pace unless someone has a brain snap.
Military Attack comes off a brilliant win at Sha Tin, closing out the 1,600m in an impressive 22.63 seconds to sweep by the entire field from last and carrying 133 pounds to do it like a future Group One winner. And therein lies the issue.
What we seem to have found out is Military Attack needs to be left alone early in races to finish them off like that, which is fine at Sha Tin but the Valley and the tempo could make it a recipe for trouble.
Perhaps Whyte will try to replicate Darren Beadman's winning ride from midfield on the rails when Military Attack debuted in February, but he'll be hoping for somebody to run out with a big lead mid-race like Fortune Red Pepper did then. Barring that, or some Whyte magic, Military Attack risks being strung up behind horses when the serious work starts. Heart in the mouth stuff, but he looks the one to beat all the same.
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