Gold to strike with Ho at helm
TALENTED apprentice Peter W. L. Ho outrode his maximum claim at Happy Valley on Wednesday night when getting Great Dancer home and he can start making inroads into his seven-pound allowance with Gold Capture in the seventh event at Sha Tin tonight.
Gold Capture has had a somewhat chequered career but is a winner over 1,900 metres and has been drawn inside in this 11-runner field.
Following the gelding's last start, apprentice Francis K. S. Lam was actually in front of the Stewards for his handling of Gold Capture on the eve of the road accident which tragically claimed his life.
Gold Capture has on several occasions this season not actually enjoyed the best of rides but young Ho is certainly doing everything right at the moment and is full value for his seven pounds.
This is a field where there have to be doubts about some of them running out the distance strongly but that will not be a problem for the Peter Ng Bik-kuen galloper.
For those who maintain that times are of major importance over staying trips, Gold Capture has even got the clock going for him. More significantly, however, he is a stayer with a turn of foot and a very strong finish.
Two others in the field come into immediate contention for quinella and tierce bets.
Fun And Smile will also appreciate the distance and has been in solid form at his last two starts, finishing in the frame over 2,000 metres and going under by a short head over this trip two starts back. On that occasion up-and-coming stayer Cricket Lord proved marginally too strong.
Trainer Wyllie Wong Wai-lit has kept his four-year-old to the mark and he will certainly be ready to run a top race tonight. Apprentice Raymond S. M. Tam has the riding chores but has also been seen to advantage on a number of runners this season.
Trainer Bruce Hutchison has not had a season to remember but Cash Bonus could provide some late campaign comfort in this event.
The five-year-old came from a long way back last time out and ran on solidly over 1,800 metres behind Better Choice, who was showing his best form.
Cash Bonus is also a winner over 1,900 metres and will go very close here. The Australian trainer has called on the services of in-form Eric Legrix and they could actually win without surprising.
Those looking for a couple of rougher chances for the tierce could consider Eminence and Invincible.
but the latter has come a long way up the grades in a relatively short space of time.
