Bank on Purton and Prosperous
Zac Purton is the new punters' pal after booting home his treble on Sunday, including wins on two long-odds on hopes, and Triple Trio players can bank on him creating a far more healthy return on Prosperous in the middle leg at Happy Valley tomorrow night.
Purton will give the aptly named Me Tsui Yu-sak-trained runner a cosy run from an ideal barrier, and Prosperous looks the most likely candidate for a banking role in what promises to be a mad scramble over the 1,000m short course.
With the speedy Our Pegasus and Ever Beauty driving forward to set the pace from gates eight and seven respectively, Purton should be able to drop in behind the speed from barrier two, and the Blackfriars gelding should take care of the rest with his strong turn of foot.
Diamond Knight may also spear forward from a wide alley early, but that won't bother Prosperous, who will be smoking his pipe on their backs as they turn for home.
Secret Of Winning should also get a lovely trail from gate four and, if the leaders over cook the early tempo, he may well prove the danger sneaking along the rail late.
Those searching for a value shot should take note of the David Ferraris-trained Supreme De Union, who races in the blinkers for the first time and is in the trustworthy hands of Greg Cheyne.
The opening leg looks much tougher and early tactics from a few key runners will play a major role in the final outcome.
Fun And Fast appears well placed but, from gate nine, may not get the easiest of trips unless Alex Lai Hoi-wing can grab some semblance of cover behind Flashing Guy and Lucky Tycoon, who will need to motor early to be any chance from gates eight and 11 respectively.
Douglas Whyte's mount Same Same is an interesting entrant, who was in the market at his first two starts before failing miserably on both occasions. Whyte has done plenty of work with the five-year-old and he appeared more settled wearing the shadow roll in a Valley trial.
Caspar Fownes has added blinkers to Headsiwin, who drops back from three Sha Tin 1,600m starts, presumably in search of a better tempo over the short course.
Go Stitch has drawn well for Cheyne second-up and should get a more comfortable trip than he did last time when he worked hard on the speed.
The final event over the 1,650m course looks tailor-made for Lotus Love, who is a big, free-rolling galloper suited by both the step up in distance and the rail position. Ben So Tik-hung will have early pace challengers like Vincent Ho Chak-yiu on Jolly Wongchoy, but if he allows him to stride from gate four without going crazy, the Peter Ho Leung-trained runner will prove hard to catch.
Whyte takes over the ride on My Way from the suspended Brett Prebble, and the Fownes-trained runner should be right in the mix.
Unique Speed had a great record over this trip at the end of last season and will strip fitter for his resuming effort, while Romancing Tamar should be included, despite his poor draw of gate nine.