Photon Willie's nemesis missing in Centenary Cup

Photon Willie ended the 2015-16 Hong Kong season the same way he began the current season last month – chasing Sichuan Dar in a handicap at Happy Valley Racecourse.

Photon Willie was fourth in June behind Sichuan Dar, and again on Sept. 28, beaten 4 1/4 lengths in a race at about a mile on turf.

In Sunday’s $225,672 Hong Kong Golf Club Centenary Cup at Happy Valley, Photon Willie will be one of three runners assigned 127 pounds in the race at about a mile. Fortunately for Photon Willie, Sichuan Dar is not on the nine-race program, which begins at 12:45 a.m., Eastern, or 9:45 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.

Photon Willie, a 7-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, has won 6 of 38 starts in his career. He won twice in 11 starts in the 2015-16 Hong Kong season, consecutive wins in handicaps at a mile on turf at Happy Valley last November.

In the Centenary Cup, Photon Willie will share highweight with Cheeky Too and High and Mighty.

Cheeky Too, a 5-year-old Irish-bred gelding, was a troubled 10th in a handicap at Sha Tin Racecourse on Sept. 3, his only start of the current season. Cheeky Too won a seven-furlong handicap at Sha Tin last April.

High and Mighty, a 6-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, was ninth in a seven-furlong handicap at Sha Tin on Oct. 16, his first start since last December. High and Mighty was a three-time winner in Australia in 2013 when racing under the name Cry Havoc.

The Centenary Cup will be the Hong Kong debut for Packing Genius, a 4-year-old Irish-bred gelding. Packing Genius won 4 of 9 starts in England in 2014 and 2015 when racing under the name Great Park. Packing Genius won minor handicaps at Newmarket and Ascot in 2015, and has not raced since July 2015.