PROGRESSIVE stayer Good Dividend returns to the scene of his last convincing triumph just nine days later and looks a solid banker bet in the first leg of the Easter Monday Double Trio at Happy Valley. Not that connections of the Wong Siu-tan galloper are likely to be toasting the handicapping department of the Royal Hongkong Jockey Club. Good Dividend stormed home at the Happy Valley night meeting which featured the Grand National that never was - winning in grand fashion by four-and-a-half lengths. It was an excellent win as he accounted for Beat Them Up and a reasonable field of Class Four gallopers but he has certainly paid the price. Despite the handicapper's obvious attentions, however, Good Dividend is still very much the one to beat in this race and the event has fallen very tidily for trainer Wong and jockey Nigel Tiley. Good Dividend won so comfortably at his last outing that it is difficult to suggest the run took that much out of him. He was shaken up before the corner and within a couple of strides was upsides and then well away in the home straight. Good Dividend will now carry 134 pounds which should not be enough to stop him recording his second success in a short space of time and continue Tiley's recent good strike rate. While Good Dividend clearly makes a solid, logical banker for the DT, there are several other chances in this quite interesting Class Four, 1,800-metre event. It has been very much an in-and-out season for trainer Brian Kan Ping-chee and jockey Felix Coetzee but topweight Va Vite ran encouragingly last time and looks a chance here despite the hefty 138 pounds impost. Va Vite chased home handy youngster Fat Cityon rain-affected ground at Sha Tin last time over 1,600 metres and looks well suited by the step up in distance here. They came well clear of the third horse in that event and he looks well able to reach the frame in this field. Trainer Eddie Lo Kwok-chow legs up Club jockey John Marshall on Lucky Treasure who disappointed behind Good Dividend last time. Backed into 3-1 favouritism with Greg Childs up, he gave supporters no encouragement in the run and finished well adrift of theeasy winner. On that run he has an enormous task ahead even though he is now 12 pounds better off. The other progressive runner in the field would have to be Wong Tang-ping's Mount Sapphire, who won readily at this course last time but in weaker company. But he must still be accorded plenty of respect as he does have clear room for improvement. And trainer Bruce Hutchison starts useful stayer Lucky Pal who will appreciate the trip and has no qualms about the track either. He is handily drawn here and has the services of Darren Beadman which guarantees he gets every chance and it would be foolhardy to leave him out of calculations. There will be interest surrounding the filly River Serein, full sister to champion River Verdon, whose last run certainly showed promise. Trainer David Hill said: ''It was encouraging and she has been really getting better all the time. She is never going to be like the other fellow, of course, but I do think she will be capable of picking up a race or two.'' The David Oughton stable is in demonstrably better form and Thor Win, who is at no disadvantage at Happy Valley, is another worth considering as a leg for the DT. He has won at the course, seems to be in good heart and is a free-striding type who could overcome the bad draw (12) by being able to get across. The eye-catching run of Just Delight last time at Happy Valley suggests he will be at short odds to win the Sassoon Challenge Cup which is the second leg of the DT on Easter Monday. Accorded the Nap when last produced on March 24, Just Delight came from a hopeless position in a 1,235-metre event at the Valley to finish fourth to Make It Happen. There was only just over a length-and-a-half between winner and fourth and Just Delight, under K. H. Hung, made up a ton of ground in the short Valley straight. He will be ideally suited by this step up in distance to 1,650 metres and is a very good ride for defending champion jockey, Basil Marcus. While Just Delight, well drawn in barrier two, should follow up on that very promising last start effort, he could face stiff competition from the Hutchison-trained Perkyman. He was given no sort of ride in the Derby but this is very much easier and he has handled Happy Valley well before. His first run in Hongkong produced a win at the city track. There does not seem a lot of depth to this 10-runner event but Diamond Forever, from the Patrick Biancone stable, can run a worthwhile race while some value could be added to this leg by including Irish import Village Bard, who could be substantially improved from his first outing.
