California Rad benefitting from Cruz's tinkering

Equipment tinkering appears to have brought out the best in the 4-year-old Australian-bred gelding California Rad, who will be among the favorites in the featured eighth race Wednesday at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong.

Trainer Tony Cruz experimented using cheek pieces last season, then ran California Rad once in cheek pieces and blinkers before removing the cheek pieces and going solely with blinkers and a tongue tie. Seems to have worked. In his last six starts, including one already this Hong Kong season, California Rad has four wins and a pair of second-place finishes. His official rating has risen from 53 all the way up to 86 and California Rad on Wednesday gets his first shot in a Class 2 handicap, starting in a 1,200-meter race for horses rated 100 to 80. He’s seemingly well drawn in post 5 under Karis Teetan, all his recent races have been over this distance at Happy Valley, and California Rad is favorably weighted at 119 pounds.

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The two at the top of the ratings, both at 100, are Amazing Star, who is a one-way speed horse sure to go for the front from post 11, and Waldorf. Amazing Star gets a 10-pound weight break, carrying 123, because of jockey Jerry Chau’s apprentice allowance. Amazing Star came out running at the start of his 2019-20 season, which came in November, winning his first three races, and he ran against Class 1 horses in a comeback run Sept. 6. Waldorf has a seven-pound apprentice, Alfred Chan, and some claims on being a contender. Waldorf was a course and distance winner at the same class level in his final start last season, about 10 weeks ago, and has previous performances to validate that victory, including a Cass 1 win going 1,200 meters at Happy Valley.

Massive Pocket has to be considered. During his 20-race Hong Kong career he’s made three starts going 1,200 meters at Happy Valley and won them all. Twice he tallied in Class 3 handicaps but Massive Pocket also won a Class 2 under these circumstances in June.

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Beauty Applause and Beauty Amigo should force the pace, and neither is without hope.

Post time for the feature is 10:50 a.m. Eastern on a card that starts at 7:15 Eastern. Wagering and live video is available at DRFBets.com.