FLEET-FOOTED Hercules strikes the all-weather surface at Sha Tin for the first time tonight but he looks an ideal type to adapt to the track and could give trainer Ivan Allan his first winner of the season.
The former champion trainer has just returned from Keeneland and is slowly but surely moving his string up a gear. Winners will come soon and Hercules, in a tough race, could be a bonus.
Hercules shows a very good turn of foot from the barriers and has frequently led easily over longer sprints at Sha Tin. Although he is drawn out tonight, there is no reason to suppose he is not going to be very handy indeed to the pace in the 12-runner fifth event.
Hercules has been working along fairly but it is frequently difficult to get a real grasp on the fitness of the Allan horses - but they are invariably to the fore on the racecourse, which is where it matters.
Although he was not far away at his last two runs last season, Hercules may just have gone off the boil. Prior to that he was most consistent and has done well early on in a season in the past.
Arguably the most interesting runner in the race is the grey Glamorous Palace who had only one griffin run but that was in very good company.
The race was won by Winning Spirit with Glamorous Palace touched off for second by Encore. It was an exciting debut and trainer Patrick Biancone put him away until this season.
