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Relieved Yip stable has winners in the making

Dennis Yip Chor-hong has yet to salute from his 33 starters during the first four meetings, but Sea The Pearls and Industrial Hero stamped themselves as future winners following their sound performances on Wednesday night at Happy Valley.

Sea The Pearls was never in the mood last term, but down in grade following a rating reshuffle of seven points and going under the knife in a gelding operation, the three-year-old was prepped for his first-up task with nine fast gallops.

The gelding lost ground when crowded between Moneymaker and Solar Up, had to hunt along third from the rear, was taken out as a consequence of some scrimmaging up front making the home turn, eventually lined up four deep upon straightening and got going to clock a final split of 22.97 seconds to grab second behind Touch Go, beaten 11/4 lengths, in the Class Three Beech Handicap.

It was a giant step forward in the acclimatisation stage for the British import. He was a seasoned performer as a two-year-old in Britain for trainer Mick Channon - picking up wins as Galtymore Lad over a 1,000m straight at Beverley, 1,200m left-hand bend at Pontefract, and a two-runner 1,200m straight course win at Salisbury on a soft track. He also chipped in with four placings, two at Listed level up to 1,400m.

With this confidence-building run tucked away, the son of the fresh-faced Danehill Dancer stallion Indesatchel, a double European Group winner over 1,400m; and the sprint winning Lujain mare Right Answer, appears to have built a base in Class Three to work with off his 79-rating.

Industrial Hero has taken some time to find his legs as a 2009-10 import, earning only minor prize money in four of 14 starts.

Backing up quickly off a last-to-fifth dash behind Master Key over 1,400m at Sha Tin on opening day, Industrial Hero was sent out a co-third pick with Survey Survey at just under 7-1 in the Willow Handicap (1,650m).

Industrial Hero was taken a hold of after jumping from gate nine by Howard Cheng Yu-tin, shifted out making the final bend with only the eventual winner Nordic Star wider out at the 300m and came home nicely to go under by 21/4 lengths in third, a length off Billion for second.

With possibility a combination of maturity and a rating bottom in place off a competitive mark of 43, the five-year-old son of Montjeu should be able to serve it up to his opposition over the mile and further according to his pedigree and past overseas form. It's worth noting that he was successful over 2,019m, 2,055m and 2,400m in Britain.

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