He's a man on a mission and the way his horses look, the legendary Tony Cruz is set to write another chapter into local racing annals. Cruz exudes determination, it is in his stride as he hurries from Sha Tin's back paddocks to the trainers' stand to watch his horses work. It is even more evident in his stare as he scrutinises their every step. The assembled press corps fire questions at him from all directions but he hears only the call of his horses. This is Cruz MKII. Cruz the trainer rather than Cruz the multiple champion jockey who midway through last season departed the riding ranks on a winning note courtesy of Super Team amid a tumultuous ticker tape farewell the like of which is unlikely ever to be repeated. Cruz, despite his superstar status, always looked forward to a chat after riding work. 'How's the golf? What are the fields looking like for Wednesday? What's that new restaurant like in Lan Kwai Fong?' That kind of thing. Now it's work, work, work and more work. There's much less time for a chat. His eye never leaves his horses as they walk out on to the track in Indian file a la Patrick Biancone's team. The transition from jockey to trainer is not an easy one and history abounds with examples of brilliant riders who didn't make the grade. In Britain, there's been Sir Gordon Richards, John Francome and, arguably, even Lester Piggott. They don't come much bigger than that. Conversely it is often the battling jockey or the talented work rider that progress to become the most successful trainers. They always knew the meaning of hard work. Cruz has clearly embraced the European style of training. His team are immaculately turned out, as are his riding boys. The horses are completely relaxed and the way Cruz rattles off their pedigrees it is clear that here is a trainer who means business, who realises that his prowess in the saddle now counts for very little. See Page 26
