Hong Kong: Glorious Dragon a danger second off layoff in Sa Sa Ladies Purse

The last two Hong Kong racing seasons, Glorious Dragon started his campaign with a chilly performance but came out breathing fire second time out. If the pattern holds, he should race competitively Sunday at Sha Tin in the Group 3 Sa Sa Ladies Purse Handicap.

Glorious Dragon, trained by Francis Lui with leading jockey Zac Purton picking up the mount Sunday, is one of just eight in the Sa Sa Ladies Purse, a 1,800-meter contest run around one turn. All but Reliable Team raced Oct. 17 in the Oriental Watch Handicap over 1,600 meters, a slow-paced race with the competitors tightly bunched at the finish.

Glorious Dragon, for instance, checked in eighth but was beaten just two lengths by Panfield, who won, and that after Glorious Dragon’s jockey could do little but hang onto his mount through a traffic-laden final 300 meters. Racing from last while saving ground, Glorious Dragon was able to advance while saving ground from mid-turn to about the 400-meter mark, at which point he was shuffled back and then found himself staring at a wall of horses. He finished with interest, which is especially interesting considering Glorious Dragon’s pattern the last two Hong Kong seasons.

Two years ago, Glorious Dragon finished ninth in his comeback race and then second in his second start, a race similar to the previous one, and last season, he was eighth in a Class 1 handicap at Sha Tin in his campaign launch before finishing a fast-closing second in the Group 3 January Cup at Happy Valley.

Glorious Dragon has a good draw in post 1 and carries 129 pounds, four fewer than top-weighted Southern Legend and three fewer than Ka King Star, the latter an early speed factor along with Reliable Team.

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Tourbillon Diamond placed highest among the Oriental Watch alumni, running third, and while he carried a low weight that day, just 113 pounds, Tourbillon Diamond was caught three paths wide without cover through the turn and persevered admirably to the finish. Columbus County finished neck and neck with him and also stands a good chance of improving Sunday.

The Sa Sa Ladies goes as race 7, immediately followed by a Class 3 handicap over 1,000 meters that drew the highly promising Nervous Witness. Trained by David Hayes, Nervous Witness made his career debut in September, winning a Class 4 by three lengths, and followed that with a 3 3/4-length romp in a Class 3, both races run down Sha Tin’s 1,000-meter straight course, as is Nervous Witness’s race Sunday. Nervous Witness got a 14-point rating rise, to 80, after his recent scintillating showing and so must pack top weight of 133 pounds.

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