THE GOLDEN SCENERY

On March 7th, the horse recorded (Conghua dirt trial 1200m: 3-3-1), making a narrow advance from a trailing position with an open view in the final 200 meters to win by a small margin. Five weeks ago, this horse performed poorly over a Happy Valley mile, jumping slowly and settling towards the rear with a steady pace but lacking a strong finish. A recent barrier trial showed slight improvement. Returning to Sha Tin for a 1600m race this time, he will carry an additional eleven pounds. He has previous form at this distance, and his time is comparable to others in the group, suggesting a hold-up tactic with a potent finishing kick as its strongest asset. The jockey has some understanding of the horse's capabilities; however, despite drawing an unfavorable outside barrier and a less harmonious trainer-jockey relationship, he should not be discounted.