David Hall hopes Invincible Sage can again contend for Hong Kong’s elite sprint contests this season, but believes lower-weighted rivals in the HK$4.2 million Group 3 National Day Cup Handicap (1000m) at Sha Tin on Tuesday are better suited by the race conditions.
Invincible Sage will carry 135lb under Hugh Bowman and will concede 20lb to six of his eight rivals – Whizz Kid, Nervous Witness, Beauty Waves, Call Me Glorious, Magic Control and Baby Crystal, who are all assigned 115lb.
Last season’s National Day Cup winner Stolz returns with 130lb, while Majestic Knight will carry 120lb.
With three wins and two seconds over the straight 1000m course, Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) winner Invincible Sage resumes from a spell, having finished eighth in the Group 3 Sha Tin Vase Handicap (1200m) behind Ka Ying Rising on June 2.
“I’m really happy with his progress but Tuesday is just a starting point for him. It’s a handicap race – it ticks a lot of boxes for a few others more so than it does for him. Tuesday is just a starting point,” Hall said.
“He’s not going to be 110 percent fit on Tuesday, but it’s a good place for him to kick off.
“I could go and trial him again but he loves the straight track. There’s a race there for him which will bring him on for where he needs to be and he’s done really well in the off-season. It will be interesting to see with a big weight on a fast track.”
Hall plans to target the Group 2 Premier Bowl Handicap (1200m) on October 20 and Group 2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) before tackling the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin on December 8.
Beyond that, Hall might consider a tilt at the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m), won last season by California Spangle, at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai in April.
“If he can just improve a little bit on last year’s form – he shows he’s competitive with those horses – and he’s a good straight horse, so there might be a Dubai option for him later in the season if his form stands up,” Hall said.
“But, of course, we want to be here on our home ground in the premier races.”
Hall’s fellow Melbourne Cup-winning trainer David Eustace will have his first starters at Sha Tin when Noble Win and Jumbo Fortune debut for the city’s newest handler.
“I’ve taken my time and waited until the horses are ready and now they are, so I’m looking forward to it. I certainly wasn’t in a rush or felt pressured to run horses but, of course, we all want to compete. It’s nice to be able to put a saddle back on one in a competitive environment for the first time in a long time,” Eustace said.
“I’m happy with both of the horses and of the two, you’d have to favour (Jumbo Fortune). He’s certainly down the weights compared to what he’s won off and he’s trialled up well.
“We’ve kept him reasonably fresh and Karis (Teetan) rode him in his trial. He quickened well, showed plenty of enthusiasm and I was keen to get Karis because he’s the only rider to have won on him. He’s probably not the most straightforward, and he gets a good tune out of him.”
Eustace is Jumbo Fortune’s fourth trainer in Hong Kong after the gelding’s former stints with Tony Cruz, Caspar Fownes and Pierre Ng, while Noble Win transferred from John Size’s yard.
“He (Noble Win) done nothing wrong and his first trial was pleasing and probably caught me by surprise a little bit with how forward he was,” Eustace said.
“He was caught a bit flat-footed in his second trial so I think you can’t read too much into that. I’ve been happy with him and his work was good with Jumbo Fortune on Monday.”
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