WINNERS may have dried up a touch for trainer Jamie Richards recently – he last saddled a winner at Sha Tin 10 days ago – but his stable is still lying seventh in the trainers’ championship table with an impressive 12 precent strike-rate from just 67 runners.
With new arrivals filtering into the yard over the past month, and currently having a stable of just over 50 gallopers, life is looking rosier for the former New Zealand champion trainer now, and he will be hoping to add another success to his current eight-winner tally during the action at Happy Valley.
Richards will surely be confident about a stable transfer he picked-up from Chris So’s yard called THUNDER PRINCE, who seeks to gain compensation in division two of the Kyoto Handicap (1.45pm) over six furlongs.
The five-year-old son of I Am Invincible was in the course commentator’s own words “a tragedy beaten”, having been denied a clear run before bursting through just too late to catch winner King Glorioso over the course and distance last month.
Having always shown some ability for his former stable, he does seem to have found a new lease of life since moving to his new home in the past six weeks.
With track work watchers impressed by his recent gallops and a winning trial, an important inside draw in stall two in his favour and jockey Hugh Bowman desperate to make up for his last defeat, it will be disappointing if he does not get that elusive win on his record.
It may also be worth including the likes of top-weight Charming Babe and improving Rewarding Buddy with Thunder Prince in forecasts on the contest.
POINTERS
Thunder Prince 1.45pm Happy Valley