LUCKY EIGHT

Four weeks ago, in a straight-course race, despite finishing among the leaders, this horse was slow to jump and settled towards the rear. He maintained a steady pace but lacked strong acceleration, finishing third beaten two and a half lengths. A subsequent turf trial over 1200m at Sha Tin sees him carrying an additional nine pounds this time with an unfavorable outside draw. His finishing kick was weak in the trial, however, he has three previous wins over this distance, boasts good sectionals within the field, and is expected to track the pace-setters. A clean break and a commitment to follow the leaders are key to a forward showing.