GOOD WORK. Nassa has had two barrier trials and appears to have come back in fine order this season.
Hong Kong – Magic Man (Joao Moreira) teams up with both David Ferraris and Tony Millard at Happy Valley today on the eight race card and both rides are likely to have excellent chances to take the honours on a competitive eight-race card.
Moreira has o en been associated with Ferraris’ gelding, The Sylph, who has not won out of turn in Hong Kong with one win from 37 starts, but Moreira was the only rider to win aboard him. And he rode him first-up this term when finishing second to Bo Duke over 1600m at Happy Valley and it was a sound run in defeat, considering he was hampered at the 300m mark.
He appeals more as an eachway bet, as the win strike-rate is a concern, but he has o en figured in the finish and this event does look a relatively weak contest for this grade.
In the final event Moreira has a very interesting ride aboard Millard’s South African import, Nassa, who finished third in the 2015 Cape Guineas behind Noah From Goa. Moreira has done a lot of pre-season work aboard this horse with two barrier trials and he appears to have come back in fine order this season.
He has worked stylishly, and his efforts from a handful of starts in his rookie season were admirable. The son of Dynasty showed the ability to reel off a terrific finishing burst and although the longer straight at Sha Tin might be more suitable in some respect, the quicker tempo at the city course might allow him to display his best asset.
Swingers should be taken with the main threat in the form of Dr Listening who will strip fitter for his first-up run this term over 1650m. He is be er suited over 1800m and Chad Schofield is likely to land in a good position from a handy barrier. He too ended last season in stellar form and there was plenty to like about that resuming run this term when the lack of pace meant he couldn’t win from a rearward position.
And the best value eachway bet on the card is in Race 2 with Formula Galore, to be ridden by Australian Tommy Berry. The son of Not A Single Doubt is having his third start of the season but has had bad barriers on his other two starts when Purton and Moreira have been booked to ride.
Although Formula Galore was never going to be a factor on his last outing in going back from the draw, he ran on well and has found a particularly weak race. He should be around the 7-1 mark and represents terrific eachway value in the Quarry Bay Handicap.
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