Improving Le Terroir likely favorite in Sea Eagle Handicap
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Le Terroir has won four of his last five starts in six-furlong races at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong, rising rapidly through the handicap ratings utilized on that circuit.
Back in April, when Le Terroir won for the first time in his 10th start, he raced at a modest ratings mark of 47. When Le Terroir starts in Wednesday’s $185,234 Sea Eagle Handicap, he will race from a level of 79.
The higher the ratings, the better class of races for runners such as Le Terroir. A higher rating also equates to a heavier weight assignment. In the Sea Eagle Handicap at six furlongs, for horses rated 60 to 80, Le Terroir will carry 132 pounds, one less than topweight Cue the Music in a field of 12.
The Sea Eagle Handicap is the final race on a nine-race program.
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Le Terroir, a 4-year-old Australian-bred gelding, has won 4 of 15 starts, all in Hong Kong. Trained by Peter Ho, Le Terroir will break from post 10 and will be ridden by leading jockey Joao Moreira. Le Terroir is likely to go favored.
Since the Hong Kong season began in September, Le Terroir has won both of his starts – on Sept. 25 and Oct. 10. He broke from the rail in those races and led throughout.
Wednesday, Le Terroir could face early pressure from My Darling, who will carry 130 pounds, but has not shown the same level of success. My Darling is winless in 19 starts since May 2017.
Cue the Music is a more serious threat. The 4-year-old gelding races as a stalker and is taking a drop in class, having previously raced against horses with ratings ranging from 80 to 100.
The Sea Eagle Handicap will be the Hong Kong debut of Transcendent, an Italian-bred 3-year-old who raced in Europe earlier this year. Now trained by Tony Cruz, Transcedent was a five-time winner in France and England in 2018 and earlier this year and was second in the Group 3 Prix Paul de Moussac at a mile on turf at Chantilly, France, in June.
Transcedent raced under the name Pizzicato in Europe. Horses typically have their names changed when they are send to Hong Kong.