The John Moore-trained Mr Bogart will be the hunted rather than the hunter in the Panasonic Cup but he has earned his place as favourite and looks the one they all have to beat in the Sha Tin feature.
Mr Bogart (Chad Schofield) had run well without a lot of luck to finish second in his first two runs of the season before he became the first horse to lower the colours of boom three-year-old Pakistan Star last start over 1,400m.
Mr Bogart’s tactical skills proved the difference that day beating the hot favourite over Saturday’s distance, with Schofield camping behind the leader Spicy Sure then getting a big break as he went clear at the 200m mark.
Up in class, he faces a very different scenario in a race where there looks to be very good speed and a much more competitive lead, but that could be where Mr Bogart’s versatility can come into play.
Wah May Friend, Super Lifeline, Twin Delight, Spicy Sure and Almababy all press forward early and the booking of Kei Chiong Ka-kei on Friends Of Ka Ying suggests he might also be seen in an on-pace role as he has at times in the past.
That all spells tempo but Mr Bogart has shown he can finish off from back in the field or sit closer, depending on the speed, so Schofield will have all the options coming out of gate three.
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His main danger does look Blizzard (Zac Purton), who has been without luck himself in two runs this campaign and he is battled hardened at this level while Mr Bogart is rising in class.
Blizzard had a tough run sitting wide behind the top sprinters in town in the race Lucky Bubbles won last month and he should even find this assignment a touch easier despite the top weight.
It’s a year since he won a race but there’s no shame in that as Blizzard has spent most of that year toiling admirably against the best of his age when tried as a Derby horse. Switched back to these sprint distances this season, he looks better suited and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Lower down in the weights, Joao Moreira returns to Racing Supernova, while Apollo’s Choice (Vincent Ho Chak-yiu) and Eroico (Matthew Chadwick) look to have claims.
Racing Supernova is the most interesting of them as he has to bring his 1,000m form to 1,400m. He didn’t look totally convincing at 1,200m last season so it is a query but not out of the question by any means, especially with the opportunity for Moreira to hold him up for a late run.
