Dinozzo looks to rebound in Tai Hang Handicap

Dinozzo, the 4-year-old Irish-bred gelding, ended the 2016-17 Hong Kong season with a disappointing performance, finishing a troubled fifth in a handicap at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Sha Tin racecourse in July.

Three months later, and one month into the current Hong Kong season, Dinozzo runs in Thursday’s $238,226 Tai Hang Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Happy Valley Racecourse. The Tai Hang Handicap is the last of eight races on the program, which begins at 7:15 a.m. Eastern. The Tai Hang Handicap has a post time of 10:50 a.m. Wagering is available at DRFBets.com.

The conditions of the Tai Hang Handicap should be a better fit for Dinozzo, a maiden-race winner in Ireland as a 2-year-old in 2015.

Dinozzo, trained by John Size, is part of a field of 12 and will be ridden by Sam Clipperton. In the 2016-17 season, Dinozzo won 2 of 11 starts in his first year of racing in Hong Kong. Both wins were at 1 1/8 miles at Happy Valley and Sha Tin.

The Tai Hang Handicap will not have a heavy favorite. Marvel Hero, the winner of a handicap at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Happy Valley in March, has been assigned the top weight of 133 pounds but will carry 126 pounds because of apprentice jockey Matt Poon’s seven-pound allowance.

Packing Dragon will inherit the role of topweight at 128 pounds. Packing Dragon, who is capable of leading, won a handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Happy Valley in May and has since finished sixth twice – in June and in his first start of the current season on Sept. 13.

Leading jockey Joao Moreira rides Nassa, who was winless in his first three starts in Hong Kong in April and May. This will be the 10th start, and longest race, for Nassa, a two-time winner in South Africa in 2015.

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