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Blinkers do wonders for Gallant Lion

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The addition of blinkers resulted in a stunning turnaround for Gallant Lion, with the former Perth racer looking a transformed animal in the first of two all-weather track trials at Sha Tin yesterday.

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Gallant Lion, winner of four races in West Australia as a two and three-year-old, has just one placing from nine Hong Kong starts but has been a disappointment.

The near-black gelding was recently transferred to the yard of premiership pacesetter Caspar Fownes, who decided on using the vision-reducing equipment after watching him in a quiet turf trial on April 3.

On that occasion, jockey Shane Dye had Gallant Lion in the clear, in the middle of the track, and didn't ask for any effort from the four-year-old in the concluding stages.

With his fitness having been improved by that outing, and fitted with blinkers, Gallant Lion worked to the lead in the first 200m of yesterday's trial and was more than a length in front at the 800m.

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That margin extended to almost three lengths at the 600m and it was soon apparent that Gallant Lion was in a race of his own.

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