FLYING CHRISTIE

June 26th (Sha Tin turf trial over 1000m: 6-6-6) showed a vigorous early pace but lacked strong acceleration. On June 12th (Sha Tin turf trial over 1000m: 5-8-5), the horse was pushed and challenged but performed acceptably. Six weeks ago, this horse ran disappointingly over a Happy Valley 1200m; it was slow getting out of the gate, stayed towards the back with a steady pace throughout, and finished poorly. After two trial runs, it has not kept up with the progress. A recent short Happy Valley turf trial revealed a mismatch for this distance, with time gaps in the group and unfavorable positioning, resulting in an unideal draw. It was forced to stay back, lacking the finishing kick of its rivals, and the partnership between jockey and trainer has not shown much promise; high expectations are difficult to justify.