HONEST WITNESS

Three weeks ago, this horse's short-distance run on Happy Valley turf was disappointing; he jumped slowly, tracked from the back with a steady pace, and his run was mediocre. He subsequently ran on Happy Valley turf over 1200m, and in this race he will carry one pound extra. With a time gap to his stablemates, his finishing kick hasn't been outstanding, and the jockey/trainer combination isn't ideal. While his early speed is enough to proactively contest positions, he has won twice in this trip before; it's not surprising that his performance is lacking.