My Heart can take advantage of barrier one and the booking of Douglas Whyte in this evening's fifth event at Happy Valley. The Andy Leung Ting-wah-trained four-year-old has strong form to his name, relative to tonight's 10 opponents and should get the run of the race from barrier one.
Last time out he was ridden by up-and-coming claimer Vincent S. K. Sit but, as well as Sit has been riding in general terms and he was a thoroughly deserved winner of the most recent Apprentice of the Month award, he has played and missed at a few, such as My Heart last time out and Ambitious prior to his victory at Sha Tin last weekend.
My Heart ran fourth to Magic Hands over the Sha Tin 1,800 metres last time out when wide all the way and hanging out round the bottom turn.
Leung has taken the trouble to change My Heart's gear tonight from blinkers to a visor for the first time so maybe it wasn't all Sit's fault. But it didn't look the best of rides round that bottom corner as his opponents made their runs up his inner and his mount lost ground.
My Heart can be expected to travel better for Whyte tonight, not just because it is Whyte, the top-class senior rider on board rather than the aspiring apprentice, but also because My Heart has drawn barrier one and should have horses on his outside. Their presence, Whyte's presence and the gear change, should all ensure My Heart travels well through the run.
And there was still plenty of merit in My Heart's most recent effort as his close-up fourth came in what will almost certainly work out to be a strong form race. The winner, Magic Hands, is very much on the upgrade and was completing a hat-trick. The runner-up, Lucky Sabre, is a young stayer with a decent future and already progressive form to his name, while the third, Ironic Commander, has already come out and run a close second to stablemate Happy Forever in the final event at the Valley last Wednesday night.
