Lui's new recruit is Trulli awesome
The trainer syndicates have added a new dimension to racing over the past 12 months and Francis Lui Kin-wai showcased his version when Trulli performed with credit at the barrier trials at Happy Valley on Saturday.
Three-year-old, ridden by Zac Purton, stayed hard on the bridle all the way around the Valley 1,200 metres circuit and was only one length from winner Exploding (Felix Coetzee) at the finish.
Now it could be argued - with a lot of justification - that the form out of the trial is not strong. But Trulli did his work so easily, and looked to have so much on his rivals, that he could progress nicely with the added fitness benefit that this trial should bring.
Trulli raced by the same name in Melbourne for respected young Caulfield horseman Clinton McDonald.
He had six outings for a win, a second and a third, and was sold to Lui's syndicate members after a useful fourth over 1,400m at Caulfield on April 9.
At his previous attempt, Trulli finished third to Let's Migrate, now racing in Hong Kong under his new name Enthused, giving the Caulfield form some added local significance.
Trulli's only victory was in a maiden over 1,200m at Mornington. The Minardi three-year-old has been allocated a domestic rating of 70 and the way he has handled himself in this turf barrier trial suggests he might well have strengthened significantly since his juvenile days.
The winner of the heat, Exploding, has made no marks in four starts - two as a griffin last term and two this season in Class Four.
In the second of the two heats last Saturday, Paul O'Sullivan walked away with the 'quinella' when Speedy defeated stablemate Pearl Halo by a short head.
Speedy, handled by Brett Prebble, is an unraced four-year-old by Towkay, a Group-winning half-brother to Danasinga and sire locally of Armada, Prime Target, Lotzatow and Kowloon Fit.
He began well from barrier three, held the rail while Pearl Halo led in the two-wide position, but warmed to his task in the straight under a gentle hand ride from Prebble. Although beaten, Pearl Halo's effort was full of merit. He was going every bit as strongly as Speedy and arguably better at the finish.
He confirmed the potential he showed when winning a Sha Tin trial over 800m on October 16.
Pearl Halo races in the same colours as the grand galloper Russian Pearl, hero of the 2006 Stewards' Cup and runner-up to Vengeance Of Rain in the 2005 Hong Kong Derby for owner Gary Kam Shing-kan.
Last Friday there was just the one trial over 1,200m on the all-weather at Sha Tin, and it was won handsomely by United Efforts, trained by Peter Ho Leung.
United Efforts, handled by Douglas Whyte, sat six lengths off the pace but rounded up his rivals effortlessly in the straight and won by one and a half lengths from Wei Hai Invincible after being left untouched by the Durban Demon.
