Amazing looks set to have a successful career in Hong Kong after an eye-catching debut performance at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
The Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained three-year-old goes into the black book after flashing home for third, beaten a length and three-quarters, behind Lotus Breeze in the Class Three Harbour View Handicap (1,200m).
Brett Prebble restrained him after the start and settled at the tail of the field before moving through his rivals at the top of the straight and hitting the line in terrific fashion.
Amazing started his career in Australia, racing as Grincheux for Godolphin trainer John O’Shea, winning his last two starts in New South Wales in September before making the move to Sha Tin.
Those wins came at distances further than Wednesday night’s race (1,300m and 1,500m) and importantly, he wore the blinkers in both of them. Therefore, he should be even better over a bit more ground and the addition of shades can take him to another level.
Based on his first run in Hong Kong, he doesn’t need to improve much to be winning, but given there should be natural improvement in fitness he looks very capable of stringing together a couple of victories late in the season.
A step up in distance brought the best out of Eastern Prowess and he is another one worth following.
The Peter Ho Leung-trained four-year-old struggled in his first five starts, run off his feet over as quicker rivals left him their wake over unsuitable trips.
He plugged away fairly over 1,650m at the city track earlier this month, beaten four and a half lengths by Excellence, and then took another big step forward on Wednesday night.
Taking on the 1,800m for the first time, the son of Teofilo was given no favours in the run, trapped three-deep without cover throughout.
Despite the extra work, Eastern Prowess didn’t shirk the issue and kept battling away to finish fourth, three lengths behind Good Choice in the Man Yiu Handicap.
He doesn’t have a turn of foot but he will keep battling away and looks ready to record his maiden victory and, with a rating of 40, Ho has options as Eastern Prowess can run at the top of Class Five or the bottom of Class Four.
