When Morluc finished second to Falvelon in the 2000 edition of the Hong Kong Sprint, he did so while running on tender feet. "That's not going to be the case this year," said trainer Randy Morse. "We've had Morluc on bar shoes ever since he arrived in Hong Kong. The shoes provide him with just the elevation he needs. Morluc's in much better condition for this year's race."

Throughout 2001, Morse has been pointing Morluc towards a return engagement in Hong Kong. "Last year, we missed winning by about this much," Morse said, holding his hands about a half-metre apart.

Morluc has won a pair of Stakes races in 2001 - the Grade 3 Aegon Turf at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 4 (his first triumph ever in graded or group company) and the Nureyev Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, on October 5.

Morluc has not started since his Nureyev effort. "We entered him in an allowance race at Churchill in mid-November, but then scratched him," said Morse. "The reason is we wanted to come to Hong Kong absolutely fresh. I'm not sure what our future plans are for Morluc. We take his races one at a time, and, right now, our entire focus is on the Hong Kong Sprint."

Morluc was scheduled to canter around Sha Tin's all-weather track this morning, but Morse elected to put him on the main turf course instead. Although his horse has been here for a week, Morse, himself, didn't arrive in Hong Kong until last night. Perhaps he wanted to see how Morluc was responding to the bar shoes.