NOBLE Dancer can repeat his course and distance victory of late last season by taking the final event over a mile on tonight's exceptionally tough dirt meeting at Sha Tin. Such a fixture does not sit easily against the glamour of Sunday's International fixture, but it is upon us and the best has to be made of it. The Lawrie Fownes-trained Noble Dancer has taken a few races to come to peak condition, but he was noted staying on well in a fast-run race over 1,150 metres on the artificial surface two starts ago and he then put the writing firmly on the wall that he was poised to win when a good second to Above All over 1,200 metres on the Happy Valley grass last Wednesday night. Again, he was suited by the fast pace on throughout last week's sprint which allowed the back runners to flash home.
But there is invariably a solid speed on from the jump in these mile races on the dirt with the jockeys keen to get a position going into the first bend. Noble Dancer is drawn on the very wide outside in barrier 14 which won't make things easy for his rider, the multiple New Zealand champion Lance O'Sullivan. When Noble Dancer won over the Sha Tin dirt mile last season he came from off the pace and fairly flew home in the straight. Last Wednesday night's run showed he was returning to that kind of condition and this race is no harder than he won last backend. The most obvious dangers are Diamond Treasure, Mazal, Pine Fame and Amza Glory though the dirt specialist Tim's Joy has to come into the reckoning as does the improving Dolphin who may be up in grade, but he is down in absolute weight carried.
Diamond Treasure has been working really well for his new trainer Andy Leung and rattled home under a vigorous ride from Rambo Tse to run the quinella with Schnitzer over 1,150 metres on the dirt on his seasonal reappearance. The six-year-old has gone on with it since in the mornings and is another who is likely to be staying on strongly to the line. Champion apprentice Simon 'Hong Kong' Yim replaces the suspended Rambo and takes a handy three pounds from Diamond Treasure's back. Mazal's last run is best forgotten, despite a 133/4-length 10th to Mr Judge over a mile at Happy Valley not looking particularly auspicious.
The plain fact of the matter is that he was hampered out of the race as they turned out of the back straight and was trapped very wide after that incident. He has always appealed as the type who could win on the all-weather as he does travel well in his races and he did run a creditable fourth on the dirt when making his reappearance. Pine Fame is another who should handle the artificial very well indeed as he is a very well balanced individual. There is not much too him and his trainer, the astute Wong Tang-ping has not overworked him and has given him plenty of time between his races. Last time out Pine Fame was bumped and checked and blocked for a run yet still only finished 13/4 lengths fourth to Chagall over 1,400 metres on the Sha Tin grass.
In the circumstances it was a good effort and he has the services of Tony Cruz who rides the dirt so brilliantly. Pine Fame's work since that run has given plenty of cause for encouragement and he is probably the main quinella chance with Noble Dancer. Tim's Joy found 1,150 metres too short last time out, but did stay on well and it would be folly to leave him out of tierce wagers as he has one of the best dirt records in the territory. He just loves the stuff. Dolphin won as he liked last time, confirming the trackwork impression that here is a horse who has blossomed physically. He's always been a good looking sort. But he appears to have improved even allowing for that.
Wonderful World is blinkered for the first time, but he did seem to have a reasonable run up on the speed on his most recent outing and it could well be that he's simply not as good as he used to be. David Hill has Amza Glory working really well and he always trials well on the dirt. Cottage View has plenty of ability but his fair share of temperament, too, and is probably best watched. Belarus can benefit from a drop back to sprint distances and take the fifth event.
