Courier Magic looks ready to deliver a Valley victory

THERE are a number of hot and highly competitive handicaps on the Happy Valley card, and none more so than the finale, the Kyoto Handicap (3.50pm) over six furlongs.

With the likes of Kaholo Angel and last-start winners Beauty Infinity, Romantic Son and Happy Fat Cat lining-up, this will have form book students scratching their heads in despair.

Add the likes of talented gallopers King Miles and Victory Sky – who make their first appearance at the city track – as well as Zac Purton’s mount View Of The World, who is back after a 56-day break, and it all adds up to a difficult puzzle to solve.

If push came to shove, it could pay to support highly regarded King Of Fighters from the Tony Cruz yard, who is drawn to get the run of the race and likely better than his present handicap mark.

It felt like champion jockey Zac Purton had never been away after his seven-week break through injury, when booting home another winning treble at Sha Tin last Sunday.

He will probably start at short odds aboard Viva Graciousness in the second division of the Chukyo Handicap (2.10pm) over the extended mile, especially with his front-running style likely to offer him a soft lead.

Lurking at the bottom of the handicap however is well-treated COURIER MAGIC who has finally drawn a good gate in two and has suggested another success was near after a couple of encouraging runs of late.

A look at past form shows he finished a neck behind Viva Graciousness over the course and distance back in November and is now a valuable eight pounds better off, so he could be capable of reversing the form.

POINTERS

Courier Magic          2.10pm          Happy Valley