Chadwick can open Valley account with Californiamountain
Apprentice Matthew Chadwick has conquered all before him since beginning his career in December and he is set to make a winning debut at Happy Valley tomorrow night in the final leg of the Triple Trio with Californiamountain.
In a whirlwind nine weeks, Chadwick has ridden 12 winner and 19 placegetters from 75 rides, which includes Sunday's effort of five mounts for two successes and two second placings.
He has been given the green light to begin riding at Happy Valley, which is timely, given Californiamountain showed he was set to get his career back on track with an excellent effort at Sha Tin on February 8.
The Tony Cruz-trained gelding had a slow start to the season, but it was hard not to be impressed with his last effort when holding on to finish fourth to Eyshal after bouncing straight to the lead.
Californiamountain will find this event significantly easier, should be able to find the lead with a minimum of fuss and he gets the ideal opportunity to return to his best.
Winning Reward showed he was coming back to form with a good effort last start, and looks the main danger and an appealing double banker. He is better suited returning to this circuit and is well placed on his best form.
Operation Secret may have managed only one win this season but all his runs have been good and he should be in the action again, while other worthy inclusions are Watch What Happens, Congrats and Rewarding Star.
The opening leg looks wide open, but honest Longwah Rising fits the banker bill, given he will sport blinkers for the first time.
The Andy Leung Ting-wah-trained gelding was a shade disappointing but far from disgraced two starts back, before finishing close up in a blanket finish last time.
He is drawn to get a nice spot on the back of the speed and the blinkers only need to bring about minimal improvement for him to take a lot of beating. Super General hasn't had the best of luck lately and he shapes as a good double banker. His last effort from a wide barrier behind promising Tuscan Spirit was excellent and he's better suited returning to this circuit.
Others capable of getting into the action are Confucius Classic, Ocean Wide, Glenealy Star and Dragon Eye.
In the middle pin, Ankh Morpork looks the best banker option on the evidence of a smart last-start performance and a recent barrier-trial win.
The David Hall-trained gelding failed to beat a runner home behind Romping two starts back when unsuited by a slow tempo, but he put the writing on the wall with a fast-finishing fourth to Watch What Happens last time.
The five-year-old lined up at the Happy Valley trials on February 14 and showed he had come on well from the performance when scoring a narrow win in a 1,200m heat over Bless Us All. With the advantage of barrier one, he should get the run of the race and finish top of his rivals.
Mellifluous has been costly for a long time, but on the evidence of a good effort at his debut for a new stable he might be back in business and looks the main danger,.
Other possibilities are Fluke, Hold Hands, Local Power and Solar Power.
