John Moore-trained People's Knight comes back to his own age in the Griffin Trophy (1,400m) at Sha Tin today and the benefit of a run under his belt this season should see him the one to beat.
People's Knight (Joao Moreira) looked a nice horse on the rise last season, winning two of his three starts in good style and, when he resumed his career on international day, many punters were happy to put their faith in his returning in the same vein.
By one line of thinking, though, the colt was not perfectly placed in that race, giving weight away to a talented and race fit older horse in Jolly Jolly, and he had to make do with second to him in the Class Three over today's trip.
But that run should have tidied him up fitness-wise and People's Knight is opposed to his own age group today, which is all in his favour.
Having said that, this is quite a talented line-up, with a number of horses which have already performed well in Class Three - a nice indication that they have good futures considering they are still young horses.
The race shapes to be only modestly run, with Diego Kosta or Happy Chappy the most likely leaders and the majority of the main players racing handy, including People's Knight, who sat in the first four when resuming and should probably be in much the same place today.
That leaves Moreira in the right spot to be issuing a challenge turning for home, as he was last start, but this time with a fitter, better-handicapped horse underneath him.
His danger should be the horse in the box seat run, New Asia Sunrise (Brett Prebble), who has not been able to win yet in Class Three but has gone desperately close behind older horses Secret Command and Brilliant Dream, then ran into the juggernaut Fabulous One last time out.
Untried at 1,400m, New Asia Sunrise has given the impression all campaign so far that he will appreciate having things happen a little more slowly in his races, so the step up in distance should be ideal.
It doesn't end there, with General Of Patch (Zac Purton) a chance but certainly hampered by a wide draw and the likely slow tempo, while much the same applies to the maiden galloper Amazing Feeling (Chad Schofield). They could both find themselves looking for a position with cover on the other's back, which obviously both of them can't get and the other is probably going to have a difficult run.
The other to have serious claims is Classic Emperor (Douglas Whyte), an impressive winner last time out over 1,600m with a light weight but he now goes to the top of the weights and comes back in distance.
