ORIENTAL SURPRISE

Eleven days ago, the horse delivered an outstanding performance over a Happy Valley mile, running strongly in the rear. His pace was even throughout, gradually closing in in the final stages to secure second place, beaten by half a length—a very close defeat indicating high caliber. In his subsequent run on the dirt at a mile, he ran reasonably well in company, possessing second-best finishing power among his group and ranking highly in the aggregate scoring for that race. With a well-coordinated jockey and trainer plan, however, he needs to carry three extra pounds this time and faces somewhat unfavorable conditions, but remains in contention for the win.