Second To None looks too good for his rivals in tonight's fifth event on the Happy Valley grass.
The Tony P. H. Chan-trained gelding is still only a four-year-old and could well be one of those late-maturing types. He has always shaped in the mornings as if capable of winning in Class Five at least, but it took him until last time and a Class Six event over tonight's Valley mile trip before he finally opened his account.
It was, though, a very dominant display as he pulled 21/2 lengths clear of Va Vite with the rest of them well strung out behind. The fourth horse home, Something More who disputed the lead early on, has since come out and franked the form by winning on the dirt at Sha Tin last week.
Prior to that winning effort in Class Six, Second To None had run most encouragingly on a number of occasions and it really did look as if it were just a matter of time before he broke through in the bottom grade.
He has been raised 12 pounds by the handicapper which doesn't help his cause, but he has appeared to have really gone on with it at the track since. On Saturday morning he flew in his work, looking much better than the common-or-garden Class Six performer. The main dangers all look to be located in the top half of the handicap with Va Vite probably the one he has to beat yet again.
Last time Va Vite plodded home from the rear of his field, benefitting from the strong pace to run the quinella with Second To None. He is now 10 pounds better off for 21/2 lengths and, thus, strictly on the form book, is entitled to reverse the placings.
