Cheung pair come through on grass
THERE used to be one trackwatcher who really knew his stuff - yet somehow contrived to leave the territory with his tail between his legs so he'd better be nameless - who made a special point of attending trackwork on racedays at Sha Tin.
The reason? To watch the pair who galloped on the track to test the grass.
So often these horses are the ones the trainers are preparing for a particular race or, if they don't have a specific target in mind, believe they are their young, up-and-comers.
Those who made it to the track yesterday morning, despite having to go there again in the evening, saw Chris Cheung Ting-pong send out Snip Pour Roi and Great Chivalry for a strong hitout on the grass.
They came through 1,200-metres in a testing one minute 13.8 seconds with Cheung putting his useful young claimer Martin C.K. Tsang on Snip Pour Roi and the visiting Australian jockey Steven King on Great Chivalry.
They both went well enough with Snip Pour Roi looking to have that much more in reserve. Snip Pour Roi won like a good thing first time out over a mile, cantering to the line from Grand Prize, Shining Winner and Red Star.
He was then made a short price to complete back-to-back successes but was no match for Daiquiri.
But Snip Pour Roi's was checked and hampered early on in the run and that seemed to lead to him losing his action and over-racing.
Yesterday's strong work suggests he should be kept very safe for those intending a wager in next Wednesday night's Kowloon Cricket Club Challenge Cup for which he is second reserve.
There was a heap of money for Great Chivalry at big odds last time but he cut little ice and only beat home Leadership, who bled, in the modest contest won by Jolly Good Winner.
The way Great Chivalry has progressed since that outing in the middle of last month indicates that those who took all prices down to 10-1 will be recovering their losses at a future date.
