NEARLY FINE

Ten days ago (October 10th), during a turf trial at Conghua over 1200m, the horse travelled wide throughout and ran naturally (7-8-9 sections). On September 26th, in another Conghua turf trial over 1000m, he relaxed and competed comfortably, also running naturally (2-7-6 sections). On January 3rd, a further Conghua turf trial over 1200m saw him have his shoes adjusted before the barrier, resulting in a less assertive performance after prompting from the jockey (9-9-7 sections). Returning from a long break, this is his seasonal debut. He has undergone three trials but hasn’t shown enough progress. Another Sha Tin turf trial over 1400m was completed, and now faces a one-pound weight reduction for this race. He's yet to win in three attempts at this distance and the sectionals are unremarkable; drawing an outside barrier suggests a need to settle towards the rear. However, his finishing kick is unlikely to match rivals and the situation appears unfavorable – he doesn’t look competitive."