TONY P. H. Chan can break through for his first winner of the season with Bumper Star in tonight's second event at Happy Valley.
Chan hasn't had the best of luck with a number of his runners so far this campaign, including Bumper Star who lost his winning chance at the notoriously awkward first bend on his reappearance when third to Cosmolife over 1,400 metres on the equitrack.
The artificial surface is always a trap for these young, inexperienced horses and, in the circumstances, Bumper Star did really well to get back in the race and all but run the quinella.
The way he stayed on to the line suggested he should handle tonight's mile trip on the grass but he may not get much farther as he is by Carmelite House, a son of Diesis.
Bumper Star has always worked like an above average recruit, certainly well up to winning in Class Four.
He was lightly raced last season, including when pitched in against the best of his generation when he was beaten but far from disgraced when seventh of nine to Flirting Dancer in the Kukri Trophy.
