TRAINER Bruce Hutchison sends stayer Spirits Bay back to his favoured Happy Valley track and is keeping his fingers crossed for success in tonight's interesting fourth event.
The combined Classes Two and Three, 2,400-metre event is one of the highlights of the turf programme and is unquestionably highly competitive.
''There are probably four or five good chances in the field and I think it will be very difficult,'' said Hutchison. ''But Happy Valley is very much a track where it is horses for courses and at least Spirits Bay has invariably gone well round there.
''I was a bit disappointed with one of his earlier runs but it was on greasy ground and that contributed to it. I am hopeful that he will run a very good race tonight,'' added the trainer, who tasted success with Timah in the Manawatu Racing Club Cup on Saturday at Sha Tin.
Spirits Bay was closest at the finish in a 2,000-metre Sha Tin event last time and did not have a lot of luck in running. The race was won by Miss Piggy in a driving finish but there is little doubt that Spirits Bay can go better than he did on that occasion.
The return to Happy Valley could easily be the key. He won the P & O Challenge cup over this testing trip last year and he could prevail here again.
