Ricky Yiu Poon-fai-trained Packing Pins has long been pegged as a horse headed to a high rating and the four-year-old can continue to climb through the grades as banker in the final leg of the Triple Trio on Sunday at Sha Tin.
When the New Zealand-bred Packing Pins won impressively on debut as a 1.8 favourite, Yiu joked that "everyone in Matamata would have backed him" - referring to the racing town where the gelding was purchased after an eye-catching trial at nearby Te Rapa.
The early boom might have been justified, but what followed the impressive debut were three straight defeats as odds-on favourite - all with varying degrees of difficulty, but with justifiable excuses nonetheless.
Packing Pins bounced back over 1,400m just over a month ago with a comfortable win carrying 122 pounds in Class Three, which saw him go up to a rating of 75.
Still on a mark well short of where he was expected to be by now, Packing Pins (Joao Moreira) will again be top pick despite drawing barrier 11, and should have something in hand against what appears a talented field.
The draw does pose some issues for Moreira, in a race lacking obvious pacesetters, but the two horses that look his main dangers also came up with difficult barriers - Chris So Wai-yin's Let Me Do (Zac Purton) and Tony Millard-trained Soul Achiever (Douglas Whyte), both four-year-olds that look to have scope for improvement, drew gates nine and 10, respectively.
Let Me Do seems suited by a step back up to 1,400m, with a win now on his résumé and as a more seasoned competitor - although it appears Soul Achiever's form has flatlined - he still has plenty to offer.
An in-form pair that did draw well and must go in are Ultimate Glory (Derek Leung Ka-chun) and Too Fast (Tommy Berry).
Finding a banker in the middle pin is not difficult, with Danny Shum Chap-shing's four-year-old Supreme Profit (Zac Purton) standing out as he steps back up to 1,800m with gate one in Class Four - it's where to look after that which is the tricky part.
Consider Sergeant Titanium (Joao Moreira) as a double banker in a race with a long tail. Monsieur Mogok (Whyte) and Admiral Lord (Andreas Suborics) go in, and take a punt on lightweight Ambassadorship as he comes back to a more suitable trip with Karis Teetan back aboard.
The opening leg is a Class Four sprint over 1,200m full of young and talented runners, where Benno Yung Tin-pang's Sensation has drawn wide after consecutive defeats as favourite.
In a very competitive race, Sensation will again start as one of the favourites with Zac Purton back aboard, but go with the well-drawn and improving three-year-old Diamond Mysterious (Nash Rawiller) as banker.
Yo-Yo Da (Brett Prebble), Unbeatable Guts (Ben So Tik-hung) and first-starter Thors Bolt (Whyte) all have claims. Top Bonus (Moreira) is a chance on form, but could be a risk from his wide draw.
