Lightly weighted Triumphant Feeling may prove too strong for stablemate and topweight Hunting Lad in the featured Japan Racing Association Trophy at Sha Tin today.
A small but select field of nine goes to post for the Class One, 1,800-metre event and it is likely that Hunting Lad, with Basil Marcus up, will start favourite.
And he is a logical public elect as he finished third to shock winner Desert Fox and the excellent Johan Cruyff at his last start. Johan Cruyff, like Hunting Lad and Triumphant Feeling, is in the care of champion trainer David Hayes.
Clearly, Hunting Lad is primed to run extremely well but under the race conditions he is forced to give away weight all around and Triumphant Feeling is one who could benefit.
He finished second to Score course and distance last time and was possibly a little unlucky to go under by the minimum margin. He was ridden then, as today, by claimer Howard Y. T. Cheng who found himself crucially short of room early in the straight.
When clear, Triumphant Feeling came home with a wet sail and only just failed to nail Score.