Luke Middlebrook
Trainers Frankie Lor and John Size, who are fighting it out for the trainers’ premiership, both play a strong hand at Happy Valley on Wednesday.
Despite having only a handful of runners each, their rich vein of form looks set to continue.
For Lor, progressive three-year-old Gorgeous Vitality is out to score two wins on end when he returns to Happy Valley in Race 7, the Class 4 1000m Handicap.
Gorgeous Vitality hasn't been one to come out and hit the ground running, but he has found peak form in recent starts and now looks on an upward trend.
Two starts ago, as the well-backed 5-2 market elect, he finished a luckless third. He was held up from the 300m until passing the 150m and to end up just 0.75 lengths off the winner.
Gorgeous Vitality was able to put that hapless run behind last time at this track and distance 21 days ago, racing much closer and running out a 3.75-length winner.
He doesn’t have a tougher task but does carry top weight of 60.5kg. Viva Mama, runner-up to him last time will be a chance again from his low draw, while Sergeant Pepper improved last time and gets blinkers on for the first time this week – he is well-rated these days.
Joao Moreira’s ride, Yellowfin, was in the market on the all-weather first-up with Zac Purton in the saddle, but he faded to 10th on that occasion. Improvement can be expected at his second time of asking.
Lor also brings consistent four-year-old En Pointe to Happy Valley for the first time in Race 9, the Class 4 1650m Handicap.
Although making his Happy Valley debut, En Pointe has trialled there twice and his on-pace racing style will hold him in good stead.
En Pointe has been a solid performer for Lor's stable in his short eight-start career, landing three wins and three third placings since debuting in late November last year.
Last seen finishing third to unbeaten three-year-old Galaxy Witness, that's good form for this. His main threat likely comes from Size’s runner Crossford. He gets Moreira in the saddle and barrier No 1, from where he should be getting one of the runs of the race.
He didn’t disgrace into fifth last start, given it was a slowly run race, and rarely he is never far away in a finish.
Luke Middlebrook’s Selections:
Race 1: 4-8-7-3
Race 2: 2-5-8-4
Race 3: 1-3-2-5
Race 4: 7-5-3-2
Race 5: 1-7-5-11
Race 6: 4-7-10-2
Race 7: 1-6-10-7
Race 8: 9-11-1-3
Race 9: 3-2-8-9