It is close to two years to the day since Stag Knight was purchased as a yearling and after an unlucky debut run the John Moore-trained sprinter can begin to repay his hefty price tag with a win in the final leg of the Triple Trio at Sha Tin on Sunday after an unlucky debut.
Stag Knight cost George Moore Bloodstock A$500,000 (HK$3.6 million) at the Australian Easter Yearling Sales and the son of Lonhro has furnished into a fine individual, who looks capable of winning early in his career.
After some impressive work at the trials, Stag Knight was sent out 2.2 favourite on debut nearly three weeks ago, but after jumping from barrier eight was in trouble from the start over Sunday's course and distance of 1,200m.
When Joao Moreira hunted forward from gate eight on Stag Knight, who possesses decent gate speed, rival jockeys certainly were not doing him any favours - particularly Neil Callan on Happen For Reason, who pushed up on his inside to keep the short-priced fancy three-wide without cover for the trip.
As if being perched on a three wide limb was not bad enough, a solid middle sectional of 22.61s made matters worse and by the time the field turned for home Stag Knight's energy was spent, and his winning chances had evaporated.
He still fought hard to the line though and to be beaten three and a quarter lengths was reasonable.
This time - from the same starting barrier - Moreira will probably go forward again but should not find the same difficulties finding the fence or a one-off spot. From there, with the benefit of fitness and experience after the tough first run, he looks good enough to break his maiden.
If pressure does come it will be from the outside, with debutante Ribot Legacy (Zac Purton) showing speed in an impressive recent trial after he was withdrawn at the start on Derby Day, rearing up in the barriers and getting his leg over the partition. He should be included along with Ever Shiny (Andreas Suborics), who hit the line hard - going past Stag Knight - on debut. Barrier one and a move back to Sha Tin brings Naughty Baby (Douglas Whyte) into the equation, while another first-starter Brilliant Dream (Brett Prebble) trialled better in sheepskin cheek pieces recently.
One to watch is Tony Millard's three-year-old Top Act (Karis Teetan), who returns from a three-month break. He battled lameness after an eye-catching third at big odds in January, and put in an outstanding trial in the lead-up to this.
The opening leg is a Class Five over 1,650m on the dirt, where a low draw gives Andreas Schutz-trained eight-year-old Suisse D'Or his chance to strike. Top weights Champion Ranger (Vincent Ho Chak-yiu) and Surrounded (Prebble) also look worthy of inclusion based on class, even without much all-weather track form.
Consider The Only Kid (Purton) and Infinite Courage (Whyte).
The middle leg is a Class Four over 1,400m where three backmarkers coming off good run-on efforts are hard to split; Star Majestic (Angland), Island Garden (Purton) and Vara Pearl (Teetan) all could serve as banker. Of the others, the application of cheek pieces, a move back to Sha Tin and the booking of Moreira could spark Mr Gourmet back to life and Jolly Posh (Whyte) can be given another chance. Gate one makes El Grande (Ho) a sneaky place chance.
