Ring of class about Signet
THE Patrick Biancone revival can gather pace in the opening event at Happy Valley this evening.
Biancone can score with Jade Signet (Nap) who is ideally suited by tonight's 1,235-metre trip as he showed when winning course and distance at the start of the season and when a good third to Humdinger.
His win came against Class Five opposition but he was then placed in Class Four behind Humdinger.
He's now back into Class Five and has Simon ''Hong Kong'' Yim taking a very handy 10 pounds from his back.
Yim was one of the weaker apprentices in seasons past. This campaign he has blossomed and he now looks to be well worth his 10-pound claim.
He's just a guy who was a bit of a slow learner. He excels on horses up on the speed and Jade Signet is likely to be racing on the pace the whole way tonight from his advantageous draw in barrier two.
Jade Signet's recent work suggests that he is returning to something like his best and there is nothing like following a stable in form, particularly Biancone who each season has enjoyed a purple patch.
His purple patch could well be from now until the end of the campaign and it could send our bank balances into the black.
Significantly, when Jade Signet won early on in the season, his then stablemate, Kevpal, scored over the same course and distance in a marginally faster time.
Kevpal also loves the 1,235-metre trip at the Valley and is one of the main quinella hopes.
But he appeared to win a slightly weaker race than Jade Signet and is overlooked from a win point of view.
The other big chance looks to be John Moore's improving Natural Wonder who, like Jade Signet, has drawn very well in barrier one.
The inside barriers should be a help in this first race but thereafter the ground may get a bit chopped up on the inside.
Natural Wonder has progressed well in his races and in his work and has the advantage of a very much in-form Tony Cruz replacing the stable apprentice.
