Champion’s Way toting much less weight in Lion Rock Trophy Handicap

Champion’s Way is the rare 3-year-old with a chance at a group stakes win in Hong Kong, and the handicap system used in the jurisdiction helps his cause Sunday in the Group 3, $414,619 Lion Rock Trophy Handicap.

Australian import Champion’s Way, trained by John Size, made his Hong Kong debut in late January and reeled off five straight wins (the last four by at least 1 1/4 lengths) while rising from Class 4 handicaps to Class 2 and gaining nearly 40 points in his official rating. On May 18, in a Class 2 handicap over the Lion Rock Trophy’s 1,600-meter trip at Sha Tin, Champion’s Way finally lost, finishing a close second to stablemate (and Lion Rock entrant) Red Warrior, who stormed home on the far outside as Champion’s Way chugged along near the inner rail.

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Champion’s Way carried 132 pounds in that race, four more than Red Warrior, but on Sunday gets into the Lion Rock at 118 (including jockey Joao Moreira), the second-lowest weight in the race and as much as 15 pounds fewer than top-rated Simply Brilliant. There aren’t many active 3-year-olds in Hong Kong generally, and far fewer get a chance in a race at this level. The ill-fated Rapper Dragon won the 2016 Lion Rock before sweeping the 4-year-old Classic Series the following season.

Champion’s Way, however, faces a solid field for the level. Simply Brilliant carries the top weight because he most recently finished third behind Hong Kong’s best horse, Beauty Generation, in the Group 1 Champions Mile. The 4-year-old Ka Ying Star, who likes to lead, failed to get the increasing distances of the Classic Series this season after finishing a creditable third in the Hong Kong Classic Mile.

Citron Spirit might be more of a Happy Valley-type of horse than one to hit a peak at Sha Tin, but at age 7, he has raised his ceiling markedly through the 2018-19 season. Red Warrior, Champion’s Way’s conqueror, is back at an even lighter weight than his stablemate, while the 5-year-old Good Standing has improved recently after trainer John Moore made two equipment changes, adding a tongue tie two back and a crossed noseband in Good Standing’s most recent race, a blowout 1,400-meter win over the Sha Tin course, the highest mark Good Standing has hit during his Hong Kong career.

The Lion Rock is the 11th of 13 races, with post time scheduled for 4:40 a.m. Eastern.