LONG-SERVING trainer Bruce Hutchison should be in line for an end-of-season bonus with stayer Sagar in the sixth event at Happy Valley tonight. The field for the featured Hong Kong Cricket Club Cup has fallen away to just seven runners and on his most recent form, Sagar looks close to a formality here. This is a combined Classes Two and Three race over 2,230 metres and at this advanced stage of the season there are usually a number of tired horses about who would not be ideally suited by this journey. That, in part, has led to the small number of runners and Sagar must have the edge on exposed and most recent form. Sagar stormed home over 1,600 metres at his last start, finishing fourth and a length and a half away from winner Special Warning. In front of him were Lucky Money, another good run on Saturday night at Sha Tin, and Sumotori who has also run well since. The form is sound and Sagar is at home at Happy Valley and there is no doubt that the five-year-old stayer will run out the trip. Trainer Hutchison, who is seeking his 10th winner of the season, said: ''I am pleased with him going into the race and I am sure he will run very well. But I've had that many second placings this season that you certainly don't count your chickens.'' Hutchison has engaged Damien Oliver for the important ride and the crack Melbourne jockey will be better acquainted with the city track the second time around. ''I think it does take a little bit of getting used to and you certainly have to keep your mind on the job,'' said Oliver, intent on putting last Saturday's weighing-in light fiasco behind him. And he does have the material with Sagar to notch another winner as he shapes up to the concluding few meetings of his stint. It's not so easy to come up with the quinella as several of those involved are patently not in top form. Tarnside Turbo does relish the city track but his past two runs - one was on equitrack - gave no encouragement for potential supporters, but he cannot be completely ruled out. Veteran Clear City is another who has done very well at the Valley in the past but the 10-year-old has also been out of sorts while Jogador is better known on equitrack and Sir Barnley has failed to convince. It could leave bottomweight New Airport, with the excellent Greg Childs up, as the pick of the rest. His work has caught the eye and trainer Alex Wong Siu-tan, who has had a bit of success lately, has laid him out for this race.
