It's only a trial win, so treat Energized with extreme caution

Having beaten only three horses to the line in five Hong Kong starts, cautious optimism is probably the best approach with Irish private purchase Energized, despite his one-length win in the opening heat at last Friday's barrier trials.

Energized, ridden by Howard Cheng Yue-tin, bounced straight to the front in the 1,200m trial on the all-weather track and maintained his ascendancy throughout. He was kept up to the task by Cheng over the final 200m and maintained his momentum without quickening.

In clocking 1:11.89, Energized clearly ran the fastest time of the morning, though comparisons are probably inappropriate because the second heat, won by Golden Ball, was run at a walking pace.

Energized raced 11 times in Ireland for two wins, a maiden on debut as a juvenile and the Tetrarch Stakes over 1,400m on good-to-yielding ground at The Curragh in May last year.

However, his form since being purchased to join the yard of Me Tsui Yu-sak has been disappointing, and even the addition of blinkers failed to smarten his footwork on February 22.

Tom's Six was probably the best from the group. The Caspar Fownes-trained gelding holds an entry over 1,800m at Happy Valley tonight and should get conditions to suit.

He went nicely, travelling three-wide without cover and gave the impression he could have beaten Energized if jockey Douglas Whyte had become more serious with him.