Boom three-year-old speedster Amber Sky returns to action at Sha Tin on Sunday, but he faces by far his toughest test in the Victoria Racing Club Trophy.
Amber Sky’s only defeat in five starts was a shock second as 5-1 on favourite at this season’s first meeting, after he contested the lead with a 100-1 outsider which finished tailed out in the race.
The son of Exceed And Excel was back to winning form next time, though, disposing of a handy Class Two field for his fourth win up the Sha Tin straight 1,000m.
Amber Sky is widely tipped to go all the way to the top for trainer Ricky Yiu, former handler of champions Fairy King Prawn and Sacred Kingdom, but with another sharp rise up the ratings, the youngster now goes to the top of the weights against older horses and will find stronger opposition from Straight Gold and Go Baby Go.
Former Sydney-based juvenile winner, Straight Gold has done enough with John Moore in seven starts to suggest he is going to be one of the better sprinters in Hong Kong when he peaks.
The four-year-old’s only win came up the straight second-up last season, ridden by Neil Callan, and his first run this season over 1,200m on international day suggested he will be ready to fire second-up again under Callan this weekend.
United Kingdom-based Callan has spent the last two Northern winters in Hong Kong and ridden his share of winners, and he is one of the lesser lights getting a chance or two this week with both Zac Purton and Douglas Whyte on the suspended list.
Callan has possibilities throughout the day, including Invictus and Sparkling in the Class Five events, honest Fortune Bravo in the Class Four over 1,800m and surprise last-start winner Maroon Prince in the Class Four dirt sprint for Moore.
By Nathan Mody
