Eastern Express gets new rider for Sapphire Handicap

Eastern Express ended a 10-race losing streak with a front-running win in a minor handicap at a mile at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong on Feb. 25.

The 7-year-old Eastern Express could be right back in the winner’s circle after Sunday’s $237,081 Sapphire Handicap at the same distance at Sha Tin. Eastern Express will be an easy target. He tends to run near the front.

One significant difference for Sunday’s race is a new rider. Leading rider Joao Moreira, who rode Eastern Express on Feb. 25, is booked to ride Easy Go Easy Win. Olivier Doleuze will ride Eastern Express on Sunday. Doleuze was aboard Eastern Express when the gelding finished fifth in a handicap at a mile on turf at Sha Tin on Feb. 10.

Eastern Express, the 129-pound highweight, is part of a field of 11 and could face pressure from the well-regarded Sergeant Titanium, who led throughout a handicap at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Sha Tin on Jan. 28. On March 3, Sergeant Titanium was second by a short head in a handicap at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Sha Tin, leading in the stretch before losing narrowly to Ruthven.

Sergeant Titanium and Eastern Express are trained by John Size.

Easy Go Easy Win was fourth behind Eastern Express on Feb. 25, beaten a half-length as the 9-5 favorite. The presence of Moreira ensures that Easy Go Easy Win will be well backed. A 3-year-old gelding, Easy Go Easy Win won his Hong Kong debut in December in a six-furlong race at Sha Tin.

The Sapphire Handicap will be a class test for Simply Brilliant, a 4-year-old gelding by Frankel. Simply Brilliant won a handicap against a lesser class of runners at seven furlongs on Feb. 18. In 2016, Simply Brilliant won two minor races in England before he was gelded later that year.

For Sunday’s race, Simply Brilliant will carry 122 pounds.