Cruz has found a Golden opportunity for Scenery

RACING in Hong Kong returns to Sha Tin on Saturday with a 10-race programme, including two races on the all-weather surface and featuring the Hong Kong China Rugby Cup (9.05am), a handicap over a mile.

With rain forecast once again in the territory – a regular occurrence in the past couple of months – it has paid to follow the trend of gallopers who race up with the pace from the off.

Trainer Tony Cruz sets a poser in the main event (9.05am) by saddling three of the 10 runners lining up for the £310,000 prize.

With his stable in sparkling form at present with half a dozen winners since the beginning of the month, all three are worth a second look, including top-weight THE GOLDEN SCENERY, who appears primed and ready for this contest.

The trainer has booked his go-to jockey Brenton Avdulla for the six-year-old – the partnership have a 22 percent win strike-rate already this season – and the former course and distance winner is well-handicapped on his best form.

There will be plenty of support for four-year-olds Helene Feeling and four-time course and distance winner Chancheng Glory, but both will need to break a worrying record of horses who ran in the HK Derby in March.

Nine of the 14 gallopers who lined up in Hong Kong’s premier local race have subsequently raced again, including winner Massive Sovereign, but all have sunk without trace.

Front-running Flaming Rabbit is back racing over his optimum distance and looked good winning over a mile in March.

He will, however, face opposition for the lead from rivals Outgate and Chancheng Glory, who are both at their best when dictating from the front, and all three could be vulnerable to strong finishers, including The Golden Scenery, in the closing stages.

POINTERS

The Golden Scenery                 9.05am          Sha Tin