Often the winners are overlooked as horses to follow in favour of the beaten runners, but Peace Combination definitely looked the one to take away from the opening race on Wednesday night at Happy Valley.

Although we saw plenty of Peace Combination last season when he ran 10 times for three placings, he never did look the finished article.

After the midweek win, trainer Caspar Fownes said the five-year-old had strengthened up during his break from racing and he certainly looked a lot tougher with an impressive win in the opening Class Five.

The fact he was down to the bottom grade may have assisted his cause, but Peace Combination still had to carry his weight of 133 pounds chasing lightly weighted leader Golden Choice to the turn and he did it very easily, coming clear to win with plenty in hand.

On this performance, Peace Combination is going to go around very short odds at his next start when he returns to Class Four and he should be able to make it two wins on end.

It will be a while before Red Adventure is worrying about being in Class Four, but down near the tail of Class Five he can certainly add to Almond Lee's win tally.

Red Adventure's career has been plagued by injury - last season, Lee was able to get him to the races only twice - but he has more ability than his rating would suggest.

Lee's team is hitting form and Red Adventure's strong-finishing second to Yeung Sing, and the fact it was his fourth race start in two months, are both indications that his health issues are under control just at the moment and he has his hoof on the till.

He followed the winner through the race in midfield and then closed it out just as fast as him but not fast enough to catch him. Still that's no disgrace as Yeung Sing has won two of four lately and is going as well as he ever has gone.

On Wednesday night, Red Adventure drew the outside barrier but can race much closer to the speed from a kinder draw and should get his chance over the Valley 1,650m again soon.

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