TRAINER Kenny Kam rarely supplies the banker for the Double Trio, but smart sprinter Hainan Dragon fills the bill in the first leg of the exotic bet at Sha Tin tomorrow. The key to probably success for Hainan Dragon lies in the straight 1,000-metre trip, rather than his limited Hong Kong form. He ran once last year over 1,200 metres and reappeared over the inappropriate distance of 1,400 metres first-up this campaign before being switched to Happy Valley and the longer sprint there last week.
On that occasion he ran creditably behind shock winner Speedstar - but going round corners is not Hainan Dragon's winning game. His most significant win in Ireland came down the straight five furlong course at Tipperary when he absolutely bolted in. He then took a similar Listed Race at San Siro in Milan to give himself excellent European credentials. As we have seen in Hong Kong time after time, horses that win down the straight course just keep on repeating.
Hainan Dragon faces the straight course for the first time and has drawn ideally in barrier three. Trainer Kam has also engaged local riding ace Tony Cruz in an important switch and Cruz is a past master of the sometimes tricky straight course. Hainan Dragon has also run a top trial behind good recent winner China Cruise and it all points to a top performance from the Irish import. But he will tangle with another top Irish import in champion jockey Mick Kinane, fresh from an opening night double on Wednesday. Kinane resumes his acquaintance with straight course specialist Tiger's Spirit and they cannot be ruled out.
The stable that matters most at the moment is that of Wong Tang-ping and he has engaged leading rider Eric Legrix for My Silvero who will also go very close. He has good form at the trip, beating Classabove at the first of his two starts last season over 1,000 metres.
The second leg of the DT is the featured Chinese Recreation Challenge Cup which is a local riders' race and a tentative banker here is topweight Fortune Basin. Overall, the Irish sprinter has been a bit disappointing and he did not really get warm at his seasonal debut down the straight 1,000 metres. He will be ridden by claimer Raymond S. M. Tam and will be better suited by this 1,200-metre trip.
