Ho to bring home the festive cheer on Dinkum and Warrior
FROM a personal view there was no Christmas cheer at Happy Valley on Wednesday, when both selections finished runner-up, but both should have won!
Hopefully the gods of fortune will smile more kindly when racing at Sha Tin gets underway with a Christmas Eve 10-race programme on Saturday, with eight races on turf, and two on the all-weather surface.
The aptly-named jockey Vincent Ho could be man to follow during the action, especially when he climbs aboard talented but unpredictable ROBOT WARRIOR in the Ivy Handicap (7.35am) over 10-furlongs.
The Ricky Yui-trained gelding finds himself down in class again, despite producing an encouraging effort over an inadequate trip at Happy Valley last month.
With a record of two wins and a place from four runs over the course and distance, and having made the frame nine times, including two wins, against similar company, his chance looks obvious.
Add to that the fact that Ricky Yiu’s stable is in red-hot form, with winners at four of the last five race-meetings, and Robot Warrior is racing from near his last winning mark with Ho aboard, and this looks a recipe for success.
Half-an-hour later, Ho partners the potentially exciting four-year-old DINKUM, who lines-up in the Yan Chai Trophy (8.05am) over six furlongs.
This son of Star Witness cost £110,000 as a yearling, and won two of his three starts in Australia, before being shipped over for a new career in Hong Kong.
There has been plenty of encouragement from his two starts in the territory, notably when running on strongly in the closing stages over the course and distance on his debut last month.
With a favourable inside draw for the first time, he is set for a trouble-free journey, and looks capable of surprising better-fancied rivals.
POINTERS
Robot Warrior (e/w) 7.35am Sha Tin
Dinkum (e/w) 8.05am Sha Tin