SOME of the best handicapped horses and consequently the best bets are to be found lurking at the bottom of Class Six.
Highway Patrol, who worked strongly through 1,200 metres under local jockey Johnny K. S. Ho, could become one such wager the way this veteran handicapper has plummeted down the weights since the back end of last season.
Last season Highway Patrol opened up by running to mark around 29 according to my private handicap when just over a length fourth of 14 to Vive Longtemps over Sha Tin's 1,400 metres.
He ended the campaign running to something like an 18 from a rating of 16 when failing by just a neck to hold Fortune Collect over 1,400 metres on the equitrack.
Since then he has been dropped to a mark of just eight in Class Six which should see him have every chance of winning.
He has also changed stables during the close season, moving from Peter Tse Yan-sid to Chris Cheung Ting-pong, and it has been seen so many times in the past how a stable change can revitalise these ageing handicappers.
Yesterday morning Highway Patrol looked on good terms with himself as he completed his workout in one minute 19.3 with stablemate Optic Style. They picked up nicely throughout, steadily raising the tempo to come home in 24.8 seconds for their final quarter.