Trials and errors as confusion reigns
A breakdown in communication saw yesterday's barrier trial session at Sha Tin finish in shambles as the last two heats were reduced to three and two runners respectively.
With inclement weather forcing Jockey Club officials to move the scheduled grass trials from Happy Valley to the all-weather track at Sha Tin, it was only to be expected numbers would fall away.
But regular trackwatchers and the Club's own Racing To Win team were left bemused as Tony Cruz's The King Of Cloyne and The Establishment cantered around to the start for the sixth and final heat of the morning. By this stage most had packed up to leave, rightfully assuming that the fifth trial with only three runners was the end of the road.
However, according to reports Cruz had not been advised of the decimation of the entries for the last two heats and sent his horses around to participate in what was nothing more than a glorified gallop.
It is doubtful this arrangement would have been satisfactory to Cruz and it certainly would have been a much more meaningful exercise for all concerned if the last two fields had been combined.
While the session finished on a note of disappointment, Cruz had earlier provided winners of the first two heats in Leisure Island and Gulch Lightning.
And both gallopers went well enough to suggest they will be adding to the stable's tally in the coming weeks.
Leisure Island showed promise as a griffin but failed to do anything last season. As a result the four year-old has plummeted down to a mark where he can run in Class Six and on yesterday's display is a sure-fire winner.
The time for this batch was relatively slow but it was the manner Leisure Island kept going under Eric Saint-Martin's tender riding which impressed.
Gulch Lightning had five runs last term and attracted support at each outing. On face value he was a little disappointing, but he has summered well and looks a lot stronger now.
The American-bred three-year-old matched strides with Grandstand throughout and found plenty in the straight to hold his advantage to the line.
Brett Doyle still has a few meetings to go before he returns to race-riding but he must have been satisfied with Grandstand's performance. The five-year-old did a good job and looked as though the effort would bring him on.
And stablemate Hong Kong Legend clocked the fastest time of the morning in taking the third trial.
He was given a good sound-out by Doyle in the straight to win easily and looks likely to run well when first produced.
Ricky Yiu's Daring Steed was strong in taking the fourth batch but the eye-catching runs came from Jade Lake and Seattle Pride with Sea Pearl also travelling nicely in behind.
On the track there were good pieces of work from God Of Wealth, Commander Charlie and Destination.
SHA TIN DIRT TRIALS First trial _ 1,150m: 1, LEISURE ISLAND (E. Saint-Martin); 2, Nansen (D. Harrison); 3, Gagne Ensemble (K. S. Yu). Others (in finishing order): Your Turn, Crowning Vigors, Five Stars Shining, Planet II, Super Drive. Time: 1:12.7 (24.9). Distances: 2.5 lengths, neck. Winner trained by Tony Cruz.
Second trial _ 1,150m: 1, GULCH LIGHTNING (E. Saint-Martin); 2, Grandstand (B. Doyle); 3, Skystone (K. S. Yu). Others: Made To Figure, Lucky Goal, Hainan Dancer, Winning Luck. Time: 1:10.2 (24.4). Distances: head, 7 lengths. Winner trained by Tony Cruz.
Third trial _ 1,150m: 1, HONG KONG LEGEND (B. Doyle); 2, Shaxi Treasure (K. M. Chin); 3, Summer's Breeze (R. Fradd). Others: Lucky Luck, Flying Medic, Veloce, Hin Yuen's Unicorn. Time: 1:09.3 (23.7). Distances: 8 lengths, .75 length. Winner trained by Andy Leung Ting-wah.
Fourth trial _ 1,150m: 1, DARING STEED (K. M. Chin); 2, Intrepid Star (K. H. Yu); 3, Jade Lake (P. H. Tse). Others: Seattle Sun, Happy Champ, Really Lucky, Healthy Star, Smart Dragon, Turn Coat. Time: 1:10.4 (24.6). Distances: 3.5 lengths, .5 length. Winner trained by Ricky Yiu Poon-fai.
Fifth trial _ 1,150m: 1, COLOURFUL ERA (B. Doyle); 2, Marquee Universal (A. Munro); 3, Winning Glory (K. M. Chin). Time: 1:10.7 (25.4). Distances: 1 lengths, short head. Winner trained by Andy Leung Ting-wah.
Sixth trial _ 1,150m: 1, THE KING OF CLOYNE (E. Saint-Martin), The Establishment (C. W. Choi). Time: 1:12.7 (25.3). Distances: 3 lengths. Winner trained by Tony Cruz.
