Stable changes can bring out best

Changes of trainer are often a source of winners in horse racing, not so much because one trainer is better than another but because of the significance of the change itself.

Sometimes, the change of stable is important as the horse is sparked back into an interest in racing by a fresh routine.

There are two horses having their first runs tonight at Happy Valley for new trainers - Daneprint and Swiss Lad - and both will be strongly fancied in betting.

Daneprint, in Race 2, has moved from the yard of retired trainer Geoff Lane to Dennis Yip Chor-hong. He has done really well over the summer break.

Swiss Lad, also formerly prepared by Lane, has moved to Tony Cruz. But to play devil's advocate, how much improvement is expected from a horse who has already won three races at Happy Valley, and been placed five times, from a career total of 13 starts?

To make matters even trickier, Swiss Lad has been posted as having put on 42 pounds since racing (June 16) and he had already been backed down to a $15 favourite.

At that price, the smart commercial decision would be to oppose him.