Access Years was a tragedy beaten last start when a short-priced favourite and jockey Joao Moreira can make amends on the John Size-trained sprinter from another low draw in the opening leg of Sunday's Triple Trio at Sha Tin.
Everything seemed to be going to plan from gate one last start as Moreira sat patiently in the box seat on the odds-on fancy, with 23-1 shot Precision King leading the way.
After turning Precision King appeared to be rolling off the fence, but Moreira was left waiting for a run that never really came. He persisted until the 150m mark, but as Umberto Rispoli rolled back to the rail, Moreira checked off heels and went for home - but it was too late as Precision King gave a kick and stole the race.
Precision King has performed well since, and from gate two over the same 1,200m trip, Access Years can win his way out of Class Three at his sixth start.
Moreira is likely to find himself in the same box seat position in the run, but this time it should be Domineer (Gerald Mosse) crossing to lead. He is a chance, taking the shades off will help him relax and run this trip after he went too fast last start. He will give Access Years something to tag into the straight.
John Moore's import Smart Forward (Tommy Berry) never saw daylight last start and should take a step forward at his third start, while cheek pieces going on Winnie's Horse (Mirco Demuro) looks like a good move. Sparkling B (Tye Angland) and Danewin Tiger (Douglas Whyte) are others that will be in the market and worth considering.
The middle leg is a Class Four over 1,600m and one of the two races on the card with Quartet betting - and picking the first four in order in this even contest should pay a reasonable dividend whatever the result.
The top two here were dealt a dud hand at the draw - Classy Victor (Moreira) and Fantastic Kaka (Whyte) drawing 11 and 12 respectively.
Fantastic Kaka seemed to appreciate the step up to 1,400m when he ran home nicely behind Luger in the Griffin Trophy, and 1,600m will be even more suitable.
Luger looks like a group horse in the making, so a 1 3/4 length defeat reads well for this level of competition.
Classy Victor ran around greenly last start when Moreira pulled clear after a charmed run in transit. That was only his third race start, and blinkers should result in a more focused performance. The dilemma for Moreira now is whether to dig the inexperienced son of Pins out of the gates - he has been ridden forward in his previous starts, but that was from better draws.
There should be some speed to help both Fantastic Kaka and Classy Victor. Thanksgiving (Berry) has drawn widest, but has been sent forward from similar draws recently - he is still a chance. Another that will hunt forward, Dashing Super (Gerald Mosse) is a chance of being trapped deep, but needs to go in. Benno Yung Tin-pang has applied blinkers to Winnam (Purton), but he will go back, so perhaps the wide draw doesn't affect him as badly as other hopes.
In the final leg, a 1,600m Class Three, Richard Gibson's Wayfoong Express got the run of the race last start but is on the improve and has drawn well again in two - lock him in as banker. Also include Red Dancer (Demuro) on the eight-day backup and again drawn well in one - especially if he can make good use of the gate in a race without much speed.
Principal (Brett Prebble), Giggles Forever (Whyte) and Flame Hero (Rispoli) are the others to include.
