Fresh off his 400th career win at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, Frankie Lor Fu-chuen is aiming high in 2023-24, and a second trainer’s title is certainly not where the handler’s lofty targets end.
Youthful Deal returns to the all-weather surface in Sunday’s Class Two Tsuen Fu Handicap (1,200m), and Lor hopes the result will allow him to be ambitious with the five-year-old this campaign.
“If he can win two on the dirt, I’ll think about Dubai for this horse. There’s not much for him on the dirt in Hong Kong,” Lor said.
A winner of four of his six starts over Sha Tin’s all-weather 1,200m, a race like the Group One Dubai Golden Shaheen (1,200m) on the Meydan dirt at March’s World Cup meeting could come into play for Youthful Deal should everything unfold impeccably from here.
This is IMPRESSIVE! 🤯 @Vincenthocy hardly moves a muscle as Youthful Deal trounces his rivals... @FCLOR_RACING | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/CsIJZKc0F9
— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 4, 2023
Youthful Deal resumed in the Class One HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup (1,200m) on September 10, finishing last, but Lor is not at all concerned by that showing.
“He’s a totally different horse on the dirt – he’s much, much better,” Lor said. “He’s trialled well. Vincent [Ho Chak-yiu] knows the horse well, and he’s worked really well lately. Hopefully, we get a good result on Sunday.”
Lor also sends round a couple of last-start winners on Sunday’s card, with Ready To Win stepping up in grade for the Class Three Yeung Uk Handicap (1,200m) and Happy Together looking to continue his good form in the Class Three Tsuen Lok Handicap (1,600m).
After beginning his career with Richard Gibson, Happy Together delivered on his first start for Lor on September 24 and will look to win his way into Class Two this weekend.
Impressive stuff, Happy Together! 🌟
— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) September 24, 2023
The Irish-bred son of Dragon Pulse sweeps to a very smart first-up win for @AlexisBadel and Frankie Lor. @FCLOR_RACING | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/OOFJa837i9
“This time, he needs to carry a big weight, but the horse still looks to be in form,” Lor said of Happy Together, who carries 135 pounds under jockey Alexis Badel. “I think he’s got potential – he looks like a Class Two horse.”
On the opposite end of the form scale to Ready To Win and Happy Together is Keefy, Lor’s Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) fourth placegetter who could manage only a pair of lasts following the Classic Series finale.
He had genuine excuses in the second of those, however, suffering a heart irregularity, and Lor is hopeful the son of All Too Hard – who has a Class One win to his name – can return to somewhere near his best this season.
“He’s trialled twice already. The first time, he wasn’t really good, but last time was better. Both times, the jockey has said after he jumps, he’s a little bit keen, and in the straight when you ask him, there’s not much there,” Lor said.
“I’ve put the tongue tie on to make him more relaxed, and I hope he can finish it off in the straight. The 1,400m to 1,600m is his best distance, and hopefully, he can get back to his best.”
Keefy meets a strong field in Sunday’s Class Two Yan Chai Trophy (1,400m) on the turf, with The Golden Scenery stepping back from Group Three grade and Find My Love, Dancing Code and Supreme Lucky boasting good form.
Lor also saddles Sauvestre and Eason in the Yan Chai Trophy, while Stand Up rounds out his Sha Tin hand.