TONY Cruz’s stable have found Happy Valley a happy hunting ground this season, with 15 of the yard’s 25 winners coming at the city circuit.
Legendary figure Cruz, who made a slow start to the current campaign, has been a regular visitor to the winners’ circle since the New Year picking up half-a-dozen winners last month, and more importantly, landing winning doubles at the last two Valley meetings.
The stable send seven raiders to the inner-city track, and although none can be considered leading fancies, a few are capable of outrunning their odds and could surprise.
The Trans-Island Chinalink Handicap (11.40am) over the extended mile may only have nine runners but it looks an exceptionally tight and competitive contest, where luck could play an important part in determining the result.
The likes of M Unicorn, Glorious Success and Aestheticism all love to swoop late, but on the narrowest C+3 track – under 20 metres in width – and with a likely slow early pace, they are going to need some luck when negotiating a passage down the home straight.
Super Unicorn bounced back to form when narrowly defeated a fortnight ago, but has struggled off his present mark, while promising Excellent Value tries his luck for the first time at the track.
It is a long time since the Cruz contender BEATO last tasted success, but the six-year-old has run well on numerous occasions and now drops to his lowest handicap mark for over a year.
Likely to be ridden cold from the start, he is guaranteed to make his bid for glory wide down the home straight, and with his strong finishing burst will surely go close.
POINTERS
Beato e/w 11.40am Happy Valley