The Tony Cruz-trained Good Words put the writing on the wall for a big season at the trials and he can carry that through for an upset win in the season's opening feature, the HKSAR Chief Executive's Cup (1,200m) at Sha Tin today.
If one thing has characterised the Chief Executive's Cup in the past, it has been that lighter-weighted up-and-comers have been the horses to beat and Good Words (Derek Leung Ka-chun) fills that bill.
A winner at four of his 10 starts, Good Words has a nice record and is unlucky not to have an even better one, but it was his trial against top line sprinters Lucky Nine and Green Birdie on August 30 that shone a light on him as a gelding still with some upside.
Leading to the home turn, Good Words was allowed to coast down the straight without his rider, Matthew Chadwick, asking the gelding for a proper effort.
The winner, Lucky Nine was being shoved along by Brett Prebble to make sure he got past Good Words but still only ran out the winner by three-quarters of a length, with Green Birdie more than two lengths away.
The times were sound and they just don't trial much better than Good Words did that morning. The other two placegetters in the trial are going to run boldly in the Group Two Centaur Stakes in Japan under set-weight conditions - a more difficult assignment - while Good Words will carry only 115 pounds under handicap conditions at Sha Tin.
