But he is going to get a very bold run out of Fairy King Prawn at his first outing.

The trial was over 1,200 metres and Fairy King Prawn was content to run along in fourth behind early leader Expedient before moving up on the turn.

A shake of the reins was all it took to have Fairy King Prawn past Expedient and he cruised to the line three and a half lengths to the good of Gonlargo with Chiu Shan Glory a half length further back just ahead of the weakening Expedient who has usually been most effective over the minimum trip.

There were plenty of good horses going around in the trials run on the C+6 course and Tony Millard had every reason to be pleased with the performance of last year's Derby winner, Keen Winner, in the opening hit-out.

The top trainer provided the quinella for the 1,700-metre trial as his South African import Happy Momentum, Group Two placed at Turffontein in Johannesburg and fourth twice from four starts last season, finished a half length off Keen Winner but it was classy stuff from the pair.

Said Millard: 'I am happy when I see them pull themselves through and go to the line like that. It's not a race, but it is almost as good as one when they do it right.

'I have no definite plans for Keen Winner, I'll be looking out for a nice little race for him soon over a suitable trip - probably a mile.'

Decouvert, ridden by Eric Legrix, was third with Legitimate and Granite knocking up.

The French jockey took two of the trials, winning the second on Perfect Fun for Geoff Lane and the last, on Solid Contact, for Derek Cruz.

On ratings, Perfect Fun had this 1,200-metre trial bang in his sights and so it proved as he moved away smoothly in the straight to win by a length from Dynamic Winnings, representing Tony Cruz and Felix Coetzee.

Solid Contact's win over 1,000 metres had plenty of merit to it as he short-headed Dr More, under Weichong Marwing.

Solid Contact is a definite star of the Cruz stable but Dr More has had plenty of admirers since running away with a griffin race by six lengths. It has not been quite so easy since but he is clearly going along the right lines and this effort suggests a race at the city track might be in the offing.

Unraced griffin Super Fast, in the care of champion trainer Tony Cruz, gave a fair indication that he could make his presence felt in former Class Four company with a short-head but exciting success from Sallian Express in the penultimate trial of the morning.

Super Fast, under Coetzee, stepped out smartly and looked like making a total one-act affair of the trial. But the Ricky P. F. Yiu-trained runner-up, under Roger K. H. Yu, came on the scene in the straight and, although never really looking like taking the trial, did get closest at the finish.

Arriba-Arriba is one to keep an eye on from this trial while Flirting Star, a well-bred unraced griffin from last season with John Moore, has ability.

Yesterday's Happy Valley trials

First trial - 1,700m: 1, HAPPY MOMENTUN (F. Coetzee); 2, Keen Winner (W. C. Marwing); 3, Decouvert (E. Legrix). Others (in finishing order): Wonderful Winners, A023, Legitimate, Forest Spring, Granite, Energetic Prince, Supreme Champion. Time: 1:48.1 (23.3). Distances: .5 length, .75 length. Winner trained by Tony Millard.

Second trial - 1,200m: 1, PERFECT FUN (E. Legrix); 2, Dynamic Winnings (F. Coetzee); 3, Winwin Combination (W. Woods). Others: Bonanza, Blue Imperial, Nazakat II, A Prosperity, A031, Inca. Time: 1:12.5 (24.2). Distance: 1 length, .75 length. Winner trained by Geoff Lane.

Third trial - 1,200m: 1, REAL GOOD (R. Fradd); 2, Trader Joe (C. Brown); 3, Horse Of Healthy (C. P. Ting). Others: Born Smart, Huge Hope, Successful Spirit, Universal Glory, Albela. Time: 1:11.6 (23.6). Distances: short-head, 4 lengths. Winner trained by John Moore.

Fourth trial - 1,200m: 1, FAIRY KING PRAWN (R. Fradd); 2, Gonlargo (C. Brown); 3, Chiu Shan Glory (K. H. Yu). Others: Expedient, The Greatest, The Establishment, Danzig Continental, Terrific Spirit, Prime Vain. Time: 1:09.8 (22.8). Distances: 3.5 lengths, .5 length. Winner trained by Ivan Allan.

Fifth trial - 1,000m: 1, SUPER FAST (F. Coetzee); 2, Sallian Express (K. H. Yu); 3, Sterling Chance (Y. T. Cheng). Others: Arriba-Arriba, Flirting Star, A038, Danriva, Tim's Tonic. Time: 0:59.1 (23.9). Distances: short-head, 2 lengths. Winner trained by Tony Cruz.

Sixth trial - 1,000M: 1, SOLID CONTACT (E. Legrix); 2, Dr More (W. C. Marwing); 3, Legend Of Wei Hai (C. P. Ting). Others: Saintly Partners, Kowloon Pride, Honest Steed, I Deliver, Magic Win. Time: 0:58.2 (23.4). Distances: short-head, 4 lengths. Winner trained by Derek Cruz.