AN intriguing Pearce Memorial Challenge Cup is the feature race at Sha Tin today and it could fall to the smart English import Viva Icta who has bounced back to top form under trainer Geoff Lane. The long-standing Pearce Memorial has been won by some very good horses in the past and it has also produced some stirring tussles and it is difficult not to see today's 12-runner event turning into something of a titanic struggle. Viva Icta, who has overcome problems to return to the fray with Lane after leaving Peter Ng Bik-kuen, must be a tentative selection to win the Class One, 1,800-metre event but his claims are undeniable. An 1,800-metre event at Happy Valley on April 3 could well hold the key to today's trophy race and is certainly worth studying in some depth.
On that occasion, Success Partners beat Super Freighter by two and a quarter lengths with Viva Icta a further neck away in third place with Gaylord just inches away in fourth. All four are involved today, but the handicapper has had a significant say since that Valley race. Success Partners was rated on 92 and is now on a mark of 106 although that does not necessarily rule him out as his performance at the Valley recently showed. The stewards held an inquiry into a 'disappointing' run by Success Partners who finished third to Rajput in the Sassoon Challenge Cup.
Whatever else it may have been, it is impossible to say that Success Partners was disappointing and there are a few judges who would be prepared to state that it was, in fact, the Ivan Allan-trained stayer's best performance to date. Success Partners was squeezed out at the start and was then blocked for room in the run, but came home strongly to snatch third. It underlined that despite his quick rise from Class Five, Success Partners is still very competitive at this exalted level.
But Success Partners is not beneficially treated today in relation to the winning run on April 3. On that occasion, when Viva Icta finished third under two and a half lengths from Success Partners, Allan's rising star was in receipt of 18 pounds.
Today Viva Icta gives Success Partners a much more realistic five pounds and the former has definitely trained on well since that run. He looked on particularly good terms with himself during a recent Sha Tin trial which he won easily, confirming that he could be right back to his best for today's race. On the book alone, it is going to be difficult for Success Partners to confirm form with Viva Icta who is also well placed to reverse the form with Super Freighter, another who has gone well since that Valley run. Gaylord also faces a task to get the better of Viva Icta if the Lane-trained galloper runs up to his best form.
Today Gaylord meets Viva Icta on the same terms for that dead heat but, more importantly, Viva Icta has been going that bit the better since the run. Of course, it is not all facts and figures and Success Partners is arguably the most interesting runner in the field.