Tony Cruz opened the season with a 'pedal to the metal' first meeting and the dual championship-winning trainer can spring a surprise as the Class One horses resume in the Guangzhou Handicap (1,600m) today at Sha Tin.
A treble on opening day put Cruz straight to the front of the trainers' standings and doubtless signalled his intentions to take back the crown John Size wrested from him last season.
In pursuit of that title, ready and willing Nilometer (apprentice Terry Wong Chi-wai) will have everything to suit him as he attempts to break in to Class One this afternoon.
Nilometer has been an underrated sort of horse because it took quite a while for him to click in Hong Kong after coming from France.
But he won three on end in early 2005 before being lightly raced during last season.
After knee surgery in February this year, however, Nilometer returned with successive wins over the Happy Valley 1,650m, helped by soft ground in May but then turning in a terrific effort at his latest outing.
Few horses race wide and win at the Valley, but Nilometer was able to do it tough in June and still keep coming to win.
