THE ALL OUT

On June 27th, a turf trial over 1000m at Conghua saw the horse move smoothly and comfortably. Recent winner; four weeks ago, he performed exceptionally well in a straight-course race. He jumped slowly but finished strongly in the final two sections to win. A recent barrier trial didn’t quite match expected progress. Switching to a Happy Valley sprint for his first attempt at this distance, he benefits from a 13lb weight reduction and is expected to handle the trip well, with potential to track the pace. The draw is reasonable, suggesting a hold-up tactic. He possesses the strongest finishing kick in the group and has a favorable situation overall. Based on relative ability, he’s the leading contender in this race. Ben Thompson takes the ride, having some familiarity with the horse's capabilities, though trainer-jockey synergy isn’t ideal; a slow start is anticipated.