Of the 56 horses entered across the four International Day features, there might not be one for whom tomorrow's barrier draw is more important than Hong Kong Sprint contender Eagle Regiment.
"If he draws an inside barrier he will go very close, but if he draws outside that would be a big headache," trainer Manfred Man Ka-leung said yesterday.
Eagle Regiment is an accomplished two-time Group One winner on straight tracks, but until an encouraging third in last month's Group Two Jockey Club Sprint the six-year-old had failed to fire around a bend.
A major factor last start was gate one, from where jockey Olivier Doleuze was able to nurse the big gelding, with cover, into the straight.
"He needs that help to get around the turn," Man said, adding he would send his horse into the race as fresh as possible, with only a light gallop this morning left to complete his work.
"I know him and what he can do. He will just have a blow-out, not too fast."
"My horse can run fresh. In Dubai he missed two days of work and he ran very well. The main thing is that he has a leg problem and I can't push him that hard. If I push him hard he cannot go to the race."
After the Jockey Club Sprint, Doleuze claimed if given the chance he would not choose to ride another local horse.
"He is the best sprinter in Hong Kong over 1,000 metres," Doleuze said.
"Of course he will never be as comfortable around a turn as a top 1,200-metre horse, especially right-handed. But if I can draw inside and have some horses outside me he should be able to give me a dash at the end."
As a Group One winner Eagle Regiment carried five pounds more than all of his rivals in the Jockey Club Sprint and Doleuze's conservative tactics from the low gate revealed more relaxed racing manners.
"He seemed to settle a bit better in the way he travelled and it was very encouraging. The fact we can switch him off a bit now makes it much easier for me," he said.
"I gave him a bit more time at the beginning and he gave me more at the end, and that was what I was looking for."
