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Size hitting his stride in time for a dual assault on Sunday��s Jockey Club Mile

18/11/2016

By David Morgan

John Size’s start to this season has been sluggish by his own standards but a treble at Happy Valley on Wednesday night suggested a corner had been turned. After five wins from the past two meetings, Hong Kong’s champion trainer is hoping the recent upsurge will continue into Sunday’s HK$4 million G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile (1600m).

Reigning champion miler Sun Jewellery and G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) hero Contentment will carry the stable banner in the Jockey Club Mile, the prime lead-up race to December’s HK$23 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile. Size is hopeful that one of the talented pair can add to his 11 wins this term, a tally that places him equal sixth in the premiership, nine wins shy of the early pace-setters, Caspar Fownes and Chris So.

“I’ve been too far behind,” Size said. “I’m playing catch-up at the moment, just trying to get a reasonable, respectable score on the board, so the most recent five winners, I needed them very badly to look like I’m somewhere where I should be.

“If you’re optimistic and hopeful, and I suppose we all are, and you have to be in this business, hopefully I can win a few races and the end of November into December and January should be better.”

Size believes Sun Jewellery has taken the benefit from a first-up sixth of 11 in the G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap at the course and distance at his most recent start on 23 October. Last season’s Hong Kong Classic Mile victor raced upsides the leader in that steadily-run affair and was outkicked in the stretch. Since then the five-year-old has impressed with a smart barrier trial (11 November), in which he travelled with contained strength to finish under a hold, a short-head behind rising star sprinter Lucky Bubbles over 1200m.

“Sun Jewellery has been in good shape,” Size said. “He’s just had the one run, his first-up run, and that race was very slowly run - he was joint-leader, which probably didn't suit him much. He’s always been very consistent, whatever he does, so he should be fitter for the race.”

Contentment was a moderate seven and a half lengths 10th in the Sha Tin Trophy and afterwards jockey Brett Prebble suggested the gelding did not feel 100 percent. The Hussonet six-year-old has since trialled well on the all-weather track, finishing a close second to stablemate Amazing Kids over 1200m on 11 November.

“Contentment seems okay,” Size said. “He’s had two runs back and he’s healthy and well. He’s in good shape and his trials have been good; his trackwork’s fine, so I think he’ll run a good race.

“I wouldn’t challenge what (Brett) said, I trust what he says. Probably only when he’s at top speed he’s felt something. After the race we can’t find anything. He’s been sound since and everything’s been good, so all we can do is go back to the races.”

Size is looking forward to seeing Sun Jewellery show what he can do in all-age company, his two biggest successes having been achieved in the first two legs of last season’s 4YO Classic Series, the Hong Kong Classic Mile and Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m).

“I wouldn’t think there’d be very much between the two of them. I haven’t actually seen Sun Jewellery have a fair race against the older horses, he’s always raced against his own age except in handicaps. Now he’s at set weights it’ll be interesting to see how he goes,” Size said.

The BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile is one of three features at Sha Tin on Sunday, the other two being the G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) and the G2 LONGINES Jockey Club Cup (2000m).

The high-class field for the Jockey Club Mile also features G1 Stewards’ Cup winner Giant Treasure, Beauty Only, Helene Paragon, Beauty Flame, Packing Pins, Gun Pit, Joyful Trinity and Romantic Touch.

Sun Jewellery (No. 1) wins last season��s HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Cup.
Photo 1:
Sun Jewellery (No. 1) wins last season��s HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Cup.

 

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