Frankie Lor is hopeful Sword Point can ease the frustrations stemming from a string of minor placings with success in the Hong Kong Reunification Cup Handicap (2000m) at Sha Tin on Saturday as five-time Hong Kong champion jockey Zac Purton reunites with the talented stayer.
Runner-up in the Group 3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap (2400m), Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) and the Class 2 Wan Chai Gap Handicap (1800m), Sword Point has competed strongly throughout his four-year-old season while winning only once so far in a Class 3 contest over 1800m at Sha Tin on 8 January.
To jump from barrier four, Sword Point will face 13 rivals in the HK$2.9 million contest after overcoming lameness in his nearside hind leg.
“He’s good. After his last race, he had a little bit of a problem with his left hind leg, but he’s fine now,” Lor, last season’s Hong Kong champion trainer, said. “I think he’ll be okay over 2000 metres. With Zac on, I think it should be good.
“I know he has won once already, but sometimes also not so lucky, so I hope this Saturday he can win again.”
Among the talented opposition facing Sword Point is Jamie Richards-trained Alacrity, who starts from gate 11 for jockey Harry Bentley.
A Group 1 victor over 2000m in his Chile, Alacrity has gradually adjusted to his new surroundings with a Class 3 win over 1800m with seemingly the promise of more to come over longer trips.
“He’s an improving horse. We checked out his wind after his last start (sixth to Meaningful Star on 31 May) and we got the A-OK there, so he’s very much a horse I would think for next season,” Richards said.
“He’s got another run up to what his probably his near to his best distance, so that will be beneficial and it will toughen him up a little bit more for the off-season.
“Hopefully, he’s going to be a progressive horse for next season. We’re still learning about him. He’s very eager to please at home and he does everything we want him to do but, again, he’s a PP (Privately Purchased) horse that came here and they take time to acclimatise.
“I’m sure that he’s got his best racing in front of him.”
Richards will also saddle Rise Brethren in Saturday’s feature race. The French-bred begins from gate five for jockey Michael Dee.
“He’s going well. He was a victim of a slow pace at his last start and it was hard for him to make ground but hopefully on Saturday with a horse like Sword Point in there – and a couple of other pace influences – they’ll go along a little bit more,” Richards said.
“He’s a horse that’s probably on his rating but he needs a genuinely-run race to show his best.”
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