REALITY returns for regular racegoers in Hong Kong when they arrive for a nine-race programme at Happy Valley on Wednesday.
The many thousands of racing fans from all over the globe have now headed home following a hugely successful International Jockeys’ Championship at the city track last week, and normal service resumes.
Despite incessant media coverage about an impending return to form for 13-time champion trainer John Size, racing fans are still waiting.
The ‘Master Trainer’ is renowned for making slow starts every season, but with just eight wins from nearly 200 runners after three months of racing, even the staunchest of Size supporters must be wondering when the reigning champion is going to catch fire and start churning out winners again.
There is a chance however, with the Size stable sending half-a-dozen raiders to the Valley and a number of them holding winning chances, it could pay to keep a close eye on his stable gallopers during the action, particularly if their odds shorten near race time.
There is no doubt Perfect Pairing is close to a win in the Heron Handicap (10.40am) over 11 furlongs, having had no luck over the course and distance a fortnight ago but now being dropped into basement Class Five company, and racing off his last winning handicap mark.
Class Five contests, however, are never good betting mediums and it is a similar scenario with stable companion, the recently returned to form Noble Deluxe in the Class Five Robin Handicap (11.10am) over five furlongs.
His latest form when third to Lucky Generations is the best on view, but he never runs two races alike and an awkward draw tempers enthusiasm.
There are no such worries about the Size-trained FLOW WATER FLOW who made a big impression on his debut, when beaten a whisker over the course and distance last month.
His closing sectional times were some of the quickest during the meeting, and with a favourable gate, and Hugh Bowman aboard, he is hard to oppose in division one of the Albatross Handicap (11.40am) over six furlongs.
One trainer who can’t stop training winners at present is Caspar Fownes, with the ‘King of the Valley’ having fired in half-a-dozen winners in the past fortnight, including a treble at the city track last week.
Currently joint-top of the Trainers’ Championship table alongside Mark Newnham with 24 wins, he is way out on his own with 16 victories at the city track and likely to improve on that tally by the end of the action.
With a raiding party of seven gallopers, his best chance of success must be progressive youngster LOVE TOGETHER, who takes his chance in the Nightjar Handicap (2.15pm) over five furlongs.
This well-bred son of Capitalist, who was a winner as a juvenile in Australia, came home with a late rattle in the closing stages behind rival Blue Illusion a fortnight ago and should gain his revenge.
With Vincent Ho doing the steering, and gate five a bonus, he should be hard to stop recording his first win.
POINTERS
Flow Water Flow 11.40am Happy Valley
Love Together 2.15pm Happy Valley