Code to leave Fownes Dancing in Paradise
TRAINER Caspar Fownes was a frustrated figure after the stewards abandoned the last two races at Sha Tin due to an unsafe track last weekend.
He is sitting pretty at the top pf the trainers’ championship with seven wins and was particularly bullish about the chances of DANCING CODE before the stewards pulled the plug on his race.
Luckily, the former four-time champion handler gets a second bite at the cherry with officials rerunning the contest, The Magpie Handicap (10.10am) over six furlongs, on Sunday.
On paper this looks a trappy affair, with the likes of talented Young Champion dropping down in distance, Gorgeous Win, having recently run a stormer when finishing fast behind the world’s top sprinter, Ka Ying Rising, and Tomodachi Kokoroe catching the eye with a couple of encouraging trials.
Dancing Code in the meantime had looked a picture of health in the build-up to last week’s contest, and had produced a scintillating trial, causing Fownes to purr with expectation.
Although regular pilot Ellis Wong misses the ride due to a suspension, Vincent Ho is a more than an able deputy, having won twice on the galloper in the past.
With owner, and superstar singer, Aaron Kwok, likely to be in attendance again, expect a huge roar from his devoted fans when Ho hopefully launches a winning charge inside the final furlong.
It’s a shame the Jamie Richards-trained Young Achiever has drawn the outside gate (14) in the competitive Hwamei Handicap (10.45am) over seven furlongs.
The five-year-old was raring to go for his seasonal reappearance and is considered to have plenty in hand from his current mark in the handicap.
Advice is to keep a close eye on him in the coming weeks when there will be plenty more suitable opportunities.
A safer proposition is to support LITTLE PARADISE who takes his chance in the Cuckoo Handicap (9.05am) over six furlongs.
This Australian import was a two-time winner from four starts last season and was unlucky not to add a third win to his CV, when narrowly beaten after a luckless run on his final outing in July.
Jockey Zac Purton jumps aboard after an impressive recent trial win, and from a favourable gate four, will be hard to beat.
POINTERS
Little Paradise 9.05am Sha Tin
Dancing Code 10.10am Sha Tin