Trainers' championship aspirant Tony Cruz is likely to have just two runners at Thursday's Happy Valley meeting and admits his stable has a gaping void in the vital lower grades, but after the last-race win of Blazing Speed kept his title chances alive the trainer was still talking up his title chances.
"We're in there with a fighting chance - I'm not giving up - but if Blazing Speed hadn't won, it might have been all over," said Cruz, who moved to within two of leader Dennis Yip Chor-hong and stayed equal with John Size on 63 wins.
"I think it is between me and John Size, but I'm not going to rule Caspar Fownes out yet though," he continued, Yip's name again conspicuous in its absence from Cruz's list of contenders, as it has been before. Cruz also noted the horse closing for second was Yip's Travel Brand, who was unable to haul in the leader.
"I knew it was his horse coming, so I'm glad we were able to hang on," he said. "I am still hoping, but I am at a disadvantage in that I don't have a lot of horses and the ammunition in Class Four or Five at this time of year, but I think it's about whether you can keep your horses going and I can do that."
Matthew Chadwick had a double, winning earlier on Real Champion for Michael Chang Chun-wai, but his front-running ride on Blazing Speed brought back memories for Cruz - of himself. "That's exactly how I would have ridden him - Matthew rode the perfect race," he said.
While only Winnie's Horse and Beauty Sparkle are assured of runs for Cruz at the Valley, he holds what could be a crucial advantage of having the most seconds out of the top four contenders - with most runner-ups acting as a tie-breaker if win totals are level at the end of the season.
"It's worth an extra win really, because it is so close," Cruz said.
Chadwick, who is booked to ride Beauty Sparkle, isn't giving up on his former boss. "They are both winning chances on Thursday, but I think they are the key - if the boss wants to win it, both of those horses need to win," he said.
If Cruz falls just short of what would be his third trainers' championship, he may look back and rue a missed opportunity with Rocket Let Win in the Hong Kong Reunification Cup. Chadwick had the South African-bred travelling nicely before he was sent flying, interference caused by Richard Fourie on Masquerader.
