Hong Kong: Size, Moreira look to continue roll with Blaze Warrior

Trainer John Size and jockey Joao Moreira teamed to win three races from three runners Wednesday night at Happy Valley and have the likely favorite for the Saturday feature at Sha Tin.

Four-year-old Blaze Warrior has four wins and a second from five career starts, all in Hong Kong, and he’ll take plenty of beating in a Class 2 handicap over 1,400 meters.

Blaze Warrior, a 4-year-old Australian-bred by Sebring, was perfect in three starts last Hong Kong season, capturing a pair of Class 4s and a Class 3. He rallied furiously in his season’s debut to finish second in a Class 3 over this 1,400-meter trip and blasted home a one-length winner making his first Class 2 start on Nov. 28. Blaze Warrior carried 119 pounds in that Sha Tin start and after getting an eight-point rating boost to 89, he totes 125 pounds on Saturday. Blaze Warrior still should have plenty of improvement left and ought to be able to handle the added weight, though this likely is a stronger race than the one Blaze Warrior won last month.

Atop the ratings are two horses with plenty of group stakes experience, Rattan and Not Usual Talent, while Rocket Spade, winner of the Group 1 New Zealand Derby this past March, is set to make his Hong Kong debut. Trained by Caspar Fownes, Rocket Spade hasn’t raced since April and likely needs a longer trip to show his best.

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First post for a solid 10-race card is midnight Eastern. You can catch all the action at DRFBets.com.

* The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced this week that leading New Zealand trainer Jamie Richards will join the Hong Kong training ranks for the 2022-23 season. Training slots are tightly controlled by the Club.