Lui’s impressive Hot Delight compared to Golden Sixty
Vincent Ho links up again with Francis Lui’s highly regarded three-year-old Hot Delight as twilight racing returns to Sha Tin on Sunday.
The three-year-old has enjoyed a stellar start, scoring impressively in each of his first three outings. Lui, who also trained Hong Kong racing legend Golden Sixty, has previously drawn comparisons between the two at the same stage of their respective careers.
Unable to make the minimum weight requirement for Hot Delight’s first foray into Class 2 company last time out, Ho gave way to Harry Bentley aboard the youngster. Although he wasn’t disgraced in that May 9 run – finishing fourth, a length and a quarter behind subsequent Group 3 winner Patch Of Stars – Hot Delight will be looking to get back to his winning ways in the Class 2 Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarships Handicap (1200m).
Ho is encouraged by the son of Too Darn Hot’s early progress and already has an eye on his four-year-old campaign.
“In the first few races, he won impressively, and I feel like he still has quite some class in hand,” Ho said.
“Of course, he’s only three, so we expect him to improve more during the summer. Hopefully, he will mature and improve more next season, too.”
Class 2 is a notoriously difficult proving ground for rising stars, and Hot Delight (119lb) goes into Sunday’s feature as the only three-year-old in a field of talented sprinters. Runners include Ricky Yiu’s Rising Force (123lb), who has finished in the top two in eight of his nine career starts, Group 3-winner Storm Rider (135lb) and 2024 Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) conqueror Victor The Winner (127lb), who will be ridden by champion jockey Zac Purton after claiming his first win in over two years last time out.
Ho says the draw of 10 isn’t fatal to Hot Delight’s chances of landing a fourth win of the season.
“It is what it is – not the worst. It’s good enough. Let’s see what he can do. Hopefully, he can slot in somewhere easy and he can produce a good run like he did previously,” he said.
Mega Mastermind is another three-year-old laying the groundwork for a big four-year-old season, but trainer Jamie Richards is hoping the Deep Field gelding can recover quickly from a disappointing outing over 1650m at Happy Valley last month.
“It was a pretty painful watch, but that happens from time to time; just turn the page and get on with it,” Richards said. “I sent him back up to Conghua for a bit of a refresher and just gave him a very easy tick-over trial to try and build a bit of confidence back last Friday, and he trialled well. So, he heads into the race in good order, and we’ll take him off his Sha Tin form.”
Purton takes the ride on Mega Mastermind (132lb) in the Class 4 HKU Heritage Handicap (1600m) over a course and distance where the gelding has shown his best this term, with a win, a second and a third from three runs.
“He seems to get in a good rhythm. Unfortunately, he’s drawn a bit wide (13). But it’s a nice run into the first corner, so hopefully Zac can get across without having to do too much, and hopefully he can run well again,” Richards added.
Sunday’s (June 7) 11-race ‘Summer Series’ fixture at Sha Tin starts at 4pm with the Class 5 HKU Faculties Of Arts And Education Handicap (1800m).
