Express can give Size and McMonagle a Super day at Sha Tin
TRAINER John Size is the man to follow when racing in Hong Kong gets underway on Sunday morning with an 11-race programme at Sha Tin.
The 13-time champion trainer made his renowned slow start to the current campaign, with just a handful of winners in the first three months of the season, but the ball is beginning to roll for Size and his rivals at the top of the trainers’ leaderboard will be on edge seeing him beginning to hit form.
The master trainer finally bounced back to form with half-a-dozen winners in December and has continued that purple patch with another five successes through the half-way stage of this month.
Although currently sitting 15 wins behind championship leader Mark Newnham, he was seven winners behind the leader at this stage last season and went on to take the title by an eight-win margin.
With the help of the Size stable this could be a red-letter day for the Irish champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle, who is looking to finally break his duck in the city.
The lightly raced but talented FLOW WATER FLOW is on course to get his first victory as he steps up to a mile for the first time in the Triathlon 1600m Handicap (7.35am).
Inexperience has cost the four-year-old dearly in his last couple of runs, but the step up in distance will surely play to his undoubted ability.
McMonagle will also be looking forward to renewing his partnership with smart sprinter LIFELINE EXPRESS, who goes in the Sailing 1200m Handicap (8:05am) over six furlongs.
The Australian import always takes a few runs to reach peak condition, and there was plenty of encouragement from his recent performance when fourth to Loyal Bright. He looks ready to deliver.
SUPER EXPRESS could round off a successful day for the Size stable, when making his seasonal reappearance in division two of the Fencing 1400m Handicap (9:15am) over seven furlongs.
Having won on his debut last season, he subsequently suffered heartache when beaten three times in photo finishes.
Size put that down to inexperience, and the vibes coming from the stable suggest he is a galloper to follow this season.
POINTERS
Flow Water Flow 7.35am Sha Tin
Lifeline Express 8.05am Sha Tin
Super Express 9.15am Sha Tin