Howard Cheng Yue-tin is enjoying a great run of form with 15 winners for the season, and the talented rider can claim the Jockey Challenge and accelerate to the head of the premiership if things go his way tonight at Happy Valley.
Cheng was last night posted $2.80 favourite, ahead of Keith Yeung Ming-lun ($4.60), Gerald Mosse ($6) and Olivier Doleuze ($12).
Interestingly, premiership leader Brett Prebble looks the best value at $15, and his claims were bolstered after picking up the ride on Upgrading in the final event from Doleuze, who will be flying back to France to attend to a personal family matter.
Cheng will prove hard to gun down and top-rated mounts Lotus Love and Ottimo look sure to give him an excellent chance at a double.
Grandway Flyer can get Cheng off to a flyer in the first and looks a solid each-way chance, while Lucky Photo Frame, Caga Boy, Super Plus and Caga Spirit can keep the points rolling through the middle of the card, and Cheer can cap his night with further points in the last.
By that time the Challenge points may be academic, and if Cheng can lift Lotus Love to a well-deserved win in race two, and extend Ottimo's great season with another win in race seven, then it would take some surprise results for another rider to topple him.