Barrier and burden against Lucky Sweynesse on comeback from HK Sprint defeat

Lucky Sweynesse’s atypically fast exit from the gates contributed to his Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) defeat, but Zac Purton would love Manfred Man Ka-leung’s stable star to make a quick getaway from the outside barrier in Sunday’s Group Three Chinese Club Challenge Cup (1,400m) at Sha Tin.

The Hong Kong Sprint odds-on favourite when the Sha Tin gates opened three weeks ago, Lucky Sweynesse and Purton were boxed in against the fence when the field accelerated off what was nothing like a Group One early tempo, gallopers such as Lim’s Kosciuszko and Stronger blocking the market leader’s path as the winner, Ryan Moore-ridden Wellington, shifted through his gears down the middle of the track and posted his fourth top-level triumph.

“In the end, it probably put us in a spot that cost us the race,” Purton reflected. “It’s the one time you wish he was probably a length slower and in different spot, but he did get out well. For whatever reason, he stood really well in the gates, and that was probably the reason he jumped.”

Lucky Sweynesse is one from one over 1,400m, but on Sunday, the four-year-old speedster must carry 19 pounds more than he did when he won a Class Two contest over the same distance under Matthew Poon Ming-fai at Sha Tin on June 5.

“He’s drawn the outside. It’s always tricky when you’re drawn the outside in these small fields. A couple of the runners generally try and race a little bit out of their comfort zone,” Purton said.

“We’re just going to have to deal with that. Hopefully, we can get across, cruise along, and give him his chance to run the distance with the weight.

“He’s won over the distance before in a lower class, but the way he’s been finishing his races off over 1,200m, I think the distance is OK. It’s just the weight he’s got to carry on his back. It’s always difficult in these Group Three handicap races.

“He’s working really well. He needs to go back to the races. He’s wanted to tag along a bit in his work, so he needs to blow the steam out.”

Only six gallopers are set to line up in the Chinese Club Challenge Cup, with last year’s winner Healthy Happy, last-start victor Blaze Warrior, last week’s Class Two runner-up Fantastic Treasure and a couple of Tony Cruz-trained runners, The Golden Scenery and Beauty Joy, preparing to face Lucky Sweynesse.

Purton’s full book of 11 rides also features Hong Kong debutant Straight Arron in the Class Three Flame Tree Handicap (1,400m), 1,000m winner two weeks ago Ping Hai Galaxy in the Class Two Cherry Handicap (1,200m) and Beauty Eternal, who was a late scratching on November 27 because of lameness, in the Class Three Cotton Tree Handicap (1,200m).

According to Purton, Beauty Eternal is the class of Sunday’s field, but the champion jockey has faced traffic problems on the slow-stepping youngster before, and he is worried he may do so again.

“There’s a lot of rubbish in the race, and there’s a lot of horses, who’ve probably got more speed than him but are no good, going forward, so it’s a case of which horse do I follow,” Purton said.

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“I’m going to be stuck behind a lot of horses I don’t want to be behind, so there’s some concern. Hopefully, we can navigate a way out, and give him his chance to show his best.”

Purton partnered Group One Hong Kong Mile (1,600m) champion California Spangle in his Friday trial win over 1,200m on Sha Tin’s all-weather surface.

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