JUICY DRAGON

On December 18th (Conghua dirt trial 1200m: 5-2-1), the horse showed early competition between horses and jockeys, running smoothly and accelerating in the later stages. Five weeks ago, this horse delivered a poor performance over Happy Valley’s 1200m, with a slow jump out and settling towards the rear. Maintaining a steady pace throughout, he lacked a finishing kick but was beaten by only two and a half lengths, finishing fifth. A subsequent barrier trial showed slight improvement. Switching to dirt over 1200m this time, it’s his first attempt at this distance. He benefits from a one-pound weight reduction, however the distance is not ideal for him and he lacks a strong finishing kick which puts him in a disadvantageous position. Despite these concerns, he appears capable of tracking the leaders and can follow the pace. The trainer and jockey have a reasonable level of trust in each other; if he jumps well and settles to track the speed, there's potential for improvement.