HE may need one more run and he can be a bit of a moody old devil, but Hankow Star showed enough in yesterday's second event won by Esteemed to suggest that he could pop up at good odds in a Class Five contest. The rising seven-year-old is now with Tony P. H. Chan and was making his seasonal reappearance yesterday. He travelled well for much of the way and even looked a chance at the top of the straight until lack of racing condition told in the final 200 metres.
That outing will have done him the power of good, but beware of the second-up syndrome. He may still be best watched next time, but Chan can be relied upon to get to the bottom of Hankow Star. Wylie Wong is having a difficult season with just one winner on the board. His Fairview Star is dropping down to the kind of mark when he will be running in Class Six events. Yesterday, he was noted staying on well behind Esteemed to finish just out of the placings and clearly appreciated the sting out of the ground. Watch out for him if he strikes a rain-affected track or when down into the bottom grade.