Richard Gibson-trained Travel First may have travelled a little too keenly in blinkers for the first time in the ninth race on Sunday, but there is every reason to think they also switched him on for by far his best effort yet.
Travel First's runs prior for a third and fourth had been sound and hardly eye-catching, but that changed on Sunday. Provided he remains sound, Sky Hero has already shown the ability to be a chance in a race like the Classic Mile this time next year so, receiving 13 pounds off year-older Travel First, he had every right to beat him.
But Travel First stuck to his guns down the straight and came clear of the field as clearly as he was defeated by the winner. Jockey Olivier Doleuze reported that the gelding overdid it in the head gear and perhaps Gibson will switch to something like cheek pieces, or perhaps Travel First will cope better with blinkers now that he has been around in them once.
Either way, the times around the race were strong and this was the performance of a coming winner by Travel First.
Most of the Derby attention around the final race at Sha Tin will centre on the merits of Nash Rawiller's ride on the runner-up Contentment, but back in the field there was a less obvious run with significance going forward.
Whether he can get things together quickly enough to be a Derby hope or not, Tony Cruz-trained Anticipation showed the first signs of life in his Hong Kong career despite finishing ninth.
His trials had been appalling, his first start in the Classic Mile a little better, but Anticipation's effort behind Redkirk Warrior was a considerable improvement.
Settling back in the field, in a race pattern that suited only horses which turned for home in the first couple, Anticipation was unable to make ground in the 22.20-second dash down the straight, but did loom at the 200m to do something before the effort under his topweight of 133 pounds took its toll.
He gave away eight and 11 pounds to the highly rated first two, they were the only runners able to better Anticipation's finishing sectional and improvement looks imminent.
