Luke Middlebrook
DRAGON PRIDE looks well-placed to bounce back to winning ways at Happy Valley on Wednesday when he lines up in a Class 4 1650m Handicap (race 6).
The thriving five-year-old has found career-best form this season since moving to trainer Benno Yung’s stables after previously under the care of both Tony Millard and David Hayes, where he failed to impress from nine total starts.
During that time, DRAGON PRIDE slid down the ratings to a mark of 22 at the bottom of Class 5, but Yung has turned the son of Sebring’s form around and secured four wins and three placings from eight starts with him this term, while he now finds himself on a handicap rating of 49 and in the middle of Class 4.
DRAGON PRIDE was last seen checking home an eye-catching second place as the race favourite on a good-to-yielding track over the mile at Sha Tin, but he should relish the switch back to this track and distance on Wednesday as well as stepping away from barrier 1 under Zac Purton.
It’s not the strongest of races for DRAGON PRIDE to contest but there are a few who’ve been knocking on the door, namely Sun of Makfi, who has Moreira onboard from barrier 10, Big Two for the formidable partnership of trainer Douglas Whyte and jockey Lyle Hewitson, while last start winner Toycoon remains a chance from barrier 4.
In the following race, the Class 4 1200m Handicap, premiership-leading trainer Frankie Lor can continue his good form with recent stable acquisition EXCELLENT PEERS.
EXCELLENT PEERS shed his maiden tag at this track and distance two weeks ago, which was just his second start for Lor after six prior runs for Ricky Yiu.
The Jimmy Choux gelding does appear to have points in hand and has been treated kindly by the barrier gods with gate 2, from where he should again map kindly. There are two main rivals he goes up against this week: Purton’s mount See U Again and the well-rated Mighty Valor, who is at his second start back into Class 4 on a mark of 58 and whose last win occurred 605 days on a rating of 57.
Mighty Valor is first-up off a 76-day break and enters Wednesday’s race of a handy trial win at Happy Valley on 28 May, in which he made all in good fashion. He looks the leader and will give his sight, but his perennial lameness is the concern and probably attributes to why he hasn’t won a race for 605 days.
Luke Middlebrook’s Selections:
Race 1: 2-8-3-4
Race 2: 5-8-3-9
Race 3: 3-2-5-1
Race 4: 2-3-1-7
Race 5: 2-1-6-4
Race 6: 7-12-4-1
Race 7: 2-5-1-4
Race 8: 1-7-5-9
Race 9: 4-1-5-6