Last year's Sha Tin Vase stamped Silent Witness as a future champion and there is plenty of evidence to suggest David Hayes' rising sprint sensation Always Flying can emulate the unbeaten Hong Kong Sprint winner and take out the 1,000 metres dash this afternoon. Like Silent Witness, Always Flying is a son of El Moxie and goes into this contest, the third on today's card, unbeaten. Admittedly, he has only competed twice locally but each victory was highly impressive for a number of reasons. The bay gelding has clocked sub-56-second times on both occasion down the straight course, including a hard-fought win in 55.2 on April 11. On times alone he has proved to be worthy of competing in the Premier grade. The fastest time recorded by any of his rivals today is the 56.1 seconds clocked by Able Prince down the straight on April 3. In addition, Always Flying comes into this contest very well weighted with 113 pounds, the same weight carried by Silent Witness last year. It is not often that Douglas Whyte takes a ride on any horse with the bottom weight, which indicates what the champion jockey thinks of Always Flying. Always Flying displayed a true champion's quality last time out when pulling away from Triumphant Unicorn under top weight of 131 pounds. Though he won by just a neck on the wire, the pair drew more then five lengths clear of the rest in a ding-dong battle. Handicapper Ciaran Kennelly issued a 16-point penalty for the success, showing how highly he regarded the performance. On the negative side, he is racing 10 pounds out of the handicap. He looks destined to rise higher in the ratings, however, and this event looks the perfect platform from which to do so. Since his last start, Always Flying hasn't missed a beat in trackwork and looks primed to take all the beating today in what promises to be an absorbing contest. One of the obvious threats is Able Prince, who has a perfect record in two races down the straight course. On a good-to-yielding surface, he bolted home by 41/2 lengths. His affinity for the straight cannot be underestimated and he should be right in the finish. Ivan Allan-trained Special King Prawn has gone from strength to strength this season, having won two of five starts. He almost made it three from five when caught in the shadow of the post by Town Of Fionn in the ATV Cup over 1,400 metres on May 16. The form out of that event has been boosted with the victory of third-placed High Intelligent, who won the Pearce Memorial Challenge Cup (1,600 metres) at the end of May. Special King Prawn has a little to find on the form as Able Prince, who beat him by 51/2 lengths the last time they met and under the same terms as today. Grand Delight finished third in this race last year but the former champion sprinter and 2003 Horse of the Year hasn't managed to hit the frame since, being soundly beaten in four starts this season. His all-weather trial on May 21 was encouraging but he has shown promise in previous trials this season and failed to deliver on raceday. John Size would need to be at his best to conjure a place out of him, and the reality is that with top weight of 133 pounds he has a very tough task. Hayes' Celestial Magic (rated 113) is the second-highest rated runner in the line up and his form for most of the season has been excellent. He has won twice over 1,000 metres at Sha Tin and finished a creditable fifth to Silent Witness in the Bauhinia Sprint Trophy at this trip on February 1. He was only a length off runner-up Firebolt which is good enough form to prove competitive under handicap conditions today. If there is to be an upset, he could provide it. Hayes' third entry is debutant Asset, an Argentinian import with Group One winning form in the Estrellas Junior Sprint over 1,000 metres. He won five of seven starts and has clocked 55.1 seconds when winning a Group three race at this distance. However, on the strength of his recent work and three trials, it would be a surprise if he figured. After a brilliant first season, Tony Cruz's Super Brose has gone winless this term and has only placed once from seven starts. He finished eighth in the Bauhinia Sprint Trophy before finishing second last in the final leg of the Sprint Series. He is a multiple winner over the trip but his recent form suggests he has at his limit in the ratings. He is hard to recommend. Whyte is expected to creep closer to 100 winners for the season today with outstanding rides like Triumphant Unicorn and Scintillation later in the day. He may even crack the century this afternoon.
