By Wally Pyrah
RACING is back at Happy Valley in Hong Kong today with another nine-race programme, following a fortnight’s break to let the new summer grass seeds bed in.
Trainer Pierre Ng will have breathed a huge sigh of relief when the wheels of fortune finally turned in his favour, with a winning double at Sha Tin on Sunday putting him narrowly back at the top of the trainers’ title table.
Second season trainer Ng finds himself in a prolonged battle with his former mentor Francis Lui, who he leads by one winner, with just 11 meetings of the season remaining.
Both trainers are set to make an all-out assault at the city track, with Ng saddling seven runners and Lui six, and all their raiders are worth keeping a close eye on during the action.
There is no doubting the Ng-trained Fighting Machine, who lines up in the Cricket Club Valley Stakes (1.40pm), a handicap over the extended mile, is close to a win.
The four-year-old has had little chance to show his true ability in two recent course and distance runs, both times coming from outside draws and getting too far back from the start, but he made stealthy headway in the closing stages of both contests.
This time he has finally drawn an inside gate in two, which should allow him to take up a much more forward position from the off and, with Zac Purton again in the saddle, his chance looks obvious.
He does, however, come up against a worthy rival in DARING PURSUIT from the Caspar Fownes yard, who has only had four starts this season.
Fownes has obviously had to be patient with this talented but fragile galloper, who suffered with leg issues after winning at Sha Tin last season.
The four-year-old has posted some encouraging signs in all his four races, most notably when fifth in his first try over a mile at Sha Tin last month.
Having had only one gallop in a three-week break before that contest and carrying plenty of excess condition, he did well to finish so close and will now strip fully fit, weighing in 32 pounds lighter.
With Hugh Bowman, who has a 19 percent win strike-rate for the stable, doing the steering he can finally reward his trainer’s patience.
Fownes will be looking to double-up half an hour later when he saddles progressive SKY TRUST in the Wong Nai Chung Gap Handicap (2.10pm) over the extended mile.
The son of So You Think got off the mark when finishing strongly in a competitive seven-furlong handicap at Sha Tin last month and is capable of defying a penalty over a trip which should prove his optimum distance.
The Pierre Ng stable once again saddle the principle threat in I Can, who could be rated unlucky when a tardy start cost him valuable lengths before storming home behind Big Red over the course and distance last month.
POINTERS
Daring Pursuit 1.40pm Happy Valley
Sky Trust 2.10pm Happy Valley
