Winning Dreamer (NZ) (Deep Field) will attempt to upstage the upper echelon of Hong Kong’s sprint division when he contests a hot Class 1 Lantau Island Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin this Saturday as trainer Frankie Lor plots a path toward next month’s Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) on FWD Champions Day (25 April) with the youngster.
“It’s a good test to see where he is at, he has a light weight so we will know more after tomorrow,” Lor said. “He is rated 102, so if it all goes well we will look towards the Group 2 Sprint Cup (1200m) at the start of April and then towards the Chairman’s Sprint Prize.”
The New Zealand-bred has been a revelation since his arrival as PPG (Privately Purchased Griffin) with six wins from seven starts and a 50-point rise in the ratings after kicking off his career rated 52 in Class 4 last May.
“We have a light weight and good draw but we are against Hot King Prawn – he’s a very good sprinter,” Lor said.
Following his first defeat last start in January’s Gr.3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup Handicap (1400m), the bay was found to have blood in his trachea and his interrupted run in transit resulted in a weakening sixth.
“He looks more like a sprinter, so we’ll keep him to 1200 metres,” Lor said. “He’s come back much better from Conghua – he looks fresh, I trialled him once and after the trial Vincent (Ho) told me he was fresh and ready for this race.”
Winning Dreamer will be partnered with Matthew Chadwick this weekend while regular rider Ho is unable to make the allotted weight.
“He’s continued to improve, last start we stepped him up to 1400 metres and he was found to have blood – that’s why I gave him a break, he looks ok now that he’s come back,” Lor said.
“Vincent (Ho) can’t do the weight,” he added.
Lor is expecting further improvement from his gifted bay moving forward.
“He’s still not in top form because had a break and he has only had the one trial but he did trial well – he should improve after this race,” the handler said.
