Green Glory may have had the toughest run of the Happy Valley meeting on Wednesday night, but he showed he is a big improver since joining the Tony Cruz stable with his gutsy effort for fourth.
In the market at just under 6-1 for Gerald Mosse, Green Glory pushed forward after breaking from gate 11 to settle three back without cover, was hard ridden to pick up 450m out, circled the final bend five wide but kept on well to finish only a head behind Winning Pal for third and 13/4-lengths off the winner Healthy Manner.
It's not like Cruz to pick up bottom-grade transfers unless he thinks he can get them to the winner's circle. The stable has done well to elevate Star Of Chiu Ton and Value Choice this season, and Multilove is knocking on the door with a second from four runs.
Green Glory had been out of form, recovering from a stress fracture nearly a year ago, but didn't perform too badly in his opening two runs for Cruz's older brother Derek before switching yards.
In his first run for Tony Cruz on February 27, Green Glory was ridden second from the rear before scooting home nicely for a distant fourth behind Watch First.
The five-year-old son of Towkay is a brittle fellow with only 22 runs under his belt for a mile win and three thirds, but appears to be headed the right way and should be followed over a mile to possibly the 2,000m trip and, according to his pedigree, will be looking forward to a wet track as well.