Bet looks a sure thing
LAST season's star griffin, You Bet, is alive and well, looking an absolute picture and set to run early next month.
Trainer Patrick Biancone, who prepared You Bet to win all three of his starts last term, culminating in the Kukri Trophy, has painstakingly nursed him back to health after an early-season leg problem.
He has yet to pose You Bet a serious question, but yesterday there could be no mistaking the natural quality the now four-year-old exudes.
Looking across the main work track there was a horse I couldn't remember seeing before, but boy did he look something out of the ordinary.
'Quick, check his number in the book,' is the first reaction on such occasions followed, this time, by a wry smile when the book reminded us that L157 is the Dickson Poon-owned You Bet, the colt who cost a cool $1.5 million plus but looks worth every cent.
Biancone, despite the pressures of leading a tight trainers' championship, has not lost his sense of humour - even if his judgment has begun to go slightly astray as he still feels France have a good chance of finishing ahead of England in the forthcoming rugby World Cup.
When asked his plans for You Bet, he replied with a smile: 'If you know how many days there are in April, I can tell you I would like to run him in 33 days' time.' This means that You Bet has been earmarked for the Class Two 1,600-metre Clague Cup at the Chairman's Prize meeting on May 7, where he will be competing from a rating of 76 according to the current Racing Calendar. Considering his Kukri Trophy victim, Quick Action, is now on a mark of 107, You Bet should give a very good account of himself.
In the meantime expect a bold showing from Biancone's Bumper Star, despite his steadier of 139 pounds in this weekend's feature contest, the 1,400-metre L'Or de Martell Cup.
Biancone revised plans to rest Bumper Star for the remainder of the season, following his solid fourth to Makarpura Star in the Gold Cup, to have a crack at this race.
And yesterday the prolific son of Carmelite House, who Biancone improved out of all recognition to win five in succession before the Gold Cup, worked like a dream on the Sha Tin grass.
Bumper Star was led through his work by stablemate Got It Made until some 200 metres from the post. There Eric Legrix asked Bumper Star to go and the response was that of a top Class One performer.
He strode a comfortable three lengths clear, showing much more dash in his work than prior to his mid-season spell as he clocked his final quarter in a quick 23.0 seconds to complete his 1,200-metre hitout in a most pleasing 1:16.8.
Ivan Allan has a horse going places in Privilege. Yesterday, he impressed in some easy work and should take plenty of beating in Saturday's Class Two 1,900-metre handicap.