Blocker Dee looks to start season 3 for 3 in Queen’s Road Central Handicap
Blocker Dee, unbeaten in two starts at the current Hong Kong season, will share the topweight of 131 pounds in Wednesday’s $225,634 Queen’s Road Central Handicap at six furlongs on turf at Happy Valley Racecourse.
Trained by Caspar Fownes, Blocker Dee won six-furlong handicaps on turf at Happy Valley on Sept. 7 and Oct. 30. A 5-year-old Australian-bred gelding, Blocker Dee closed from ninth in a field of 12 on Sept. 7 and led throughout the Oct. 30 race, holding on by a head.
As a result of those wins, Blocker Dee’s rating has risen from 81 to 93, leaving him at the top of the ratings for Wednesday’s race along with Golden Harvest. The Queen’s Road Central Handicap is open to horses with ratings ranging from 80 to 100.
Golden Harvest, an 8-year-old Australian-bred gelding, has struggled of late. Golden Harvest was sixth in a Group 3 sprint at Sha Tin Racecourse on Oct. 1 and fifth in a minor handicap on Oct. 16. He is winless in three starts this year and did not win in eight starts during the 2015-16 season.
Flying Tourbillon and Verbinsky have brighter form, having won races this season.
Flying Tourbillon won a six-furlong handicap on turf at Happy Valley on Sept. 21 and was second to Blocker Dee on Oct. 30. Flying Tourbillon, a 5-year-old British-bred gelding, closed along the rail to miss by a head in the latter race. Flying Tourbillon will carry 123 pounds.