A PRETTY ordinary meeting coming up on the grass at Happy Valley next Wednesday but a winner is a winner is a winner and Mount Sapphire has an attractive look about him in the local riders' event.
The scheme is arguably ill conceived - its critics argue persuasively that it provides a bounty on incompetence - and these races hardly fit in with the overall policy goal of putting Hongkong racing on the international map.
But for punters these races have worked out really well. They are often weaker, uncompetitive handicaps with a few horses standing out making it possible to get the quinella if not the win as well.
Veteran local jockey Raymond K. L. Tsui is almost certain to take the ride as usual.
He has a good rapport with this confirmed stayer and rode one of his best races ever when Mount Sapphire defeated the Basil Marcus-ridden L'Enjoleur two starts ago.
Tsui kept L'Enjoleur in a pocket from the home bend and managed to get first run on his chief rival.
Mount Sapphire certainly stands out on form in Wednesday's Classes Four and Five 2,230-metre contest.