Hill puts faith in his little battler
Maiden Projectstar is poised to spring a minor surprise in the final event at Sha Tin's mixed meeting tonight and continue the good recent run of the David Hill stable.
Hill and claimer Eddy W. M. Lai captured the National Day Cup on Sunday at the same venue with Bumper Storm and the trainer returns with a horse that has little to fear from those he met and beat home last time.
There is not a lot to Projectstar but what there is would seem to be mostly heart because he does battle on - and for a few strides actually looked the winner on his debut in the race that went to Ovation who has certainly boosted that form in no uncertain fashion.
The Lawrie Fownes-trained sprinter came out and beat Red Zone by a nostril at Happy Valley last Wednesday night.
Projectstar was actually three-quarters of a length away from Ovation at the line and it looked a case of simply running out of puff first-up - a view with which his trainer agrees.
'I thought he was going to win. For more than a few strides he just kept coming and he's a real little battler. But then his fitness gave out and I have to say that to finish third was a pretty good effort,' said Hill who holds out at least quinella hopes for Projectstar tonight.
'He's very honest and tough and fights on. I am not normally a big fan of small horses but sometimes they are what you need here. This fellow is one of them.'
The three-year-old gelding only had a couple of runs with Richard Hannon in England before export and has not been knocked about here.
There is also an important riding change in that Corey Brown, who is doing plenty of riding for the Hill stable, takes over from apprentice Patrick C. H. Tse.
Brown is rapidly becoming one of the real success stories and clearly adopts a very professional approach to his business. Projectstar has also drawn seven in a field of 11 so Brown is not going to be inconvenienced. He is in a near perfect position.
The obvious danger must be the Geoff Lane-trained Kev Bushido who is reunited with Eric Legrix, suspended when Douglas Whyte took over on the beaten odds-on favourite last time.
That was in Ovation's race and he has a length and a half to find on Projectstar. Given that both needed that last race, there are simply no guarantees that he will do that - particularly from the extreme outside draw.
But few would doubt the credentials of Kev Bushido who did look the part in blitzing two fields last season. He had also been trialling and working well before his seasonal debut.
Whyte will ride the David Oughton-trained Espresso on his seasonal reappearance, reunited with a gelding on whom he won over 1,400 metres at his penultimate run last campaign. Bottomweight Dr More turned in a quality trial at Happy Valley on Saturday morning, but runs with expectations of a forward showing. Jockey Weichong Marwing is aboard for trainer Ricky P. F. Yiu and it would be no surprise to see Dr More in the carve-up. He has shown in the past just what he is capable of and could be the one to matter most outside Projectstar.
Shane Dye, enjoying a very good start to his Hong Kong career, partners topweight Victory Mount for John Moore and the horse, known these days over slightly longer trips than 1,200 metres, is still sure to give a decent sight.
Graphic: s1200glo
