By Ed Culham
RACING is back at Sha Tin for the third time in a week on Sunday, with the track hosting a 10-race programme featuring plenty of inexperienced but potentially improving gallopers that are likely to do well in the latter stages of the season.
Lightly-raced JUNE PLANET, a £130,000 purchase at the 2020 Magic Million Yearling Sales in Australia, gets his chance to record his first victory when lining-up in division two of the Ng Tung River Handicap (9.10am) over seven furlongs.
With both his two runs catching the eye, and notably when flashing home late behind Call Me Dandy over six furlongs in the middle of last month, his chance looks bright, especially with the step up in distance a plus.
With trainer Caspar Fownes finally snapping a long losing streak (his last winner had been March 1) with a winner on Wednesday, the omens are looking good, and with in-form Vincent Ho aboard, his runner should be hard to beat.
Earlier on the card, top-weight DREAM PURSUER is capable of confirming high expectations in division one of the Ng Tung River Handicap (8.10am) over seven furlongs.
The Australian-bred five-year-old was a winner of two of his three starts before shipping to Hong Kong, but then suffered a leg injury which kept him off the track for 10 months.
Trainer Manfred Man has had to be patient with this son of Moshe, who, after a couple of encouraging efforts, showed something of his true ability when finishing strongly behind useful Golden Express in a competitive handicap last month.
That form is the best on view and, with a recent impressive winning trial suggesting he is now at his peak, it will be disappointing if he doesn’t chalk up his first win.
POINTERS
Dream Pursuer 8.10am Sha Tin
June Planet 9.10am Sha Tin
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