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Kan makes a 'sound' case

Robin Parke

FORMER champion trainer Brian Kan Ping-chee has never lacked confidence and he exudes plenty of it when talking about topweight Sound Print in today's San Miguel Silver Tankard.

On paper the winner of last year's Derby and this season's Stewards' Cup looks almost thrown into the race as so many of the opposition are placed hopelessly against him as far as the handicap is concerned.

However, there is also a school of thought that Sound Print, brilliant though he undoubtedly is, may find today's 140 pounds too much of a burden and one that could thwart his superb, natural change of pace.

But Kan goes into the race with the firm belief that his stable star has the Tankard at his mercy.

''I am not worried about the weight. I am sure that he will carry it and he has a great chance of winning.

''He has improved a lot since his win in the Stewards' Cup and he ran a great race first-up over 1,800 metres.

''I have been getting him just right for this race and I am completely happy with him. The others all have it to do,'' said Kan.

Sound Print will be ridden for the first time in public by former South African champion Felix Coetzee who takes over from Irish champion, Mick Kinane.

It's a change that Kan explains: ''Of course, Kinane is a brilliant rider and he won the Derby Trial, the Derby and the Stewards' Cup.

''But Coetzee is my stable jockey and he is now available to ride the horse and it is only fair to him that he is given the chance.'' It certainly does put Coetzee right in the hot seat as few will be prepared to dispute that it was Kinane who virtually stole the Stewards' Cup with an inspired ride.

Not only that, Kinane knows Sound Print from his earliest days in Ireland and certainly got the absolute best out of the horse at every opportunity.

But Coetzee has made a great impression in his first Hongkong season and has been the regular trackwork rider for the horse since returning after his enforced break from the scene following his Happy Valley accident.

Although it is not in Kan's nature to worry overmuch about anything, when pressed to name a danger to Sound Print today he was quick enough to come up with a horse that will be a number of people's idea of the winner - Motivation.

The John Moore-trained galloper almost ensured himself of a place in the Hongkong foursome for the abandoned Invitation Cup on December 13 with a brilliant victory at his last start before the break.

At his first start of the season on opening day over today's 1,600-metre trip he burst clear inside the final 100 metres to win going away from Endeavour and Busy Win. He then failed in the Sha Tin Trophy but came back with a thundering win in the National Panasonic Cup giving nothing else in the race a ghost of a chance.

That was the win that convinced trainer Moore the horse had earned his place in the Hongkong lineup.

The Argentinian-bred galloper has really blossomed into a top quality racehorse and has been primed for a big run here.

And Kan knows it.

''Motivation is the biggest danger to Sound Print. He looks like a horse who has more improvement left in him and he has worked well. He is quite well weighted and he has shown good form this season. ''But I don't think he is as good as Sound Print,'' stressed Kan.

Although it is not quite so vital at a mile, Motivation is wretchedly drawn in barrier 13. He will have most of the back straight to get into a position and Darren Beadman, eyeing the championship in his first Hongkong season, is unlikely to be making any mistakes.

The Patrick Biancone-trained Mastermind has fared even worse at the barrier draw and will start from the extreme outside in the full field. There seems little doubt that the six-year-old French import will run his best race in a long time as he has been regularly catching the eye in the mornings.

Mastermind has won in dazzling style over this trip before and is nicely weighted against Sound Print - about the only horse in the field that has this benefit.

With Sound Print so obviously at an advantage to virtually all horses with exposed form in the race, those seeking a bit of value and a vicarious thrill might consider the interesting English import, Northern Celadon.

He looked in need of the run on his debut at Happy Valley and most certainly was not disgraced when finishing fourth to Kadbridge. If the five-pound claim of trainer David Hill's apprentice, Raymond S. M. Tam is taken in account, then Northern Celadon is weighted to turn the tables on Kadbridge.

Much more significantly, however, is the fact that Northern Celadon must have improved considerably from his Valley run.

He was a good galloper in England with champion trainer Richard Hannon and now appears to be flourishing for Hill. Interestingly, he is drawn next to the rails and led up in the Valley mile race before weakening in the concluding stages.

With extra fitness and a galloping weight of 111 pounds, Northern Celadon could give a real sight. The danger is, however, that he could be taken on in front by Kan's third runner, Right Way, who has been used in a spoiling role before.

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