Euro Swiftly ready to put best foot forward again at Happy Valley
Old stager has a great opportunity to get back into the winner's circle and help Triple Trio players chasing a pool expected to reach HK$9 million
A low draw in a race full of deadwood - plus the Joao Moreira factor - makes Euro Swiftly the best banker in the middle leg of Wednesday night's jackpot-infused Triple Trio at Happy Valley.
The first thing you might notice about Euro Swiftly is that he has not won in nearly 20 months, which might be alarming had he not dropped a massive 34 points in the ratings and down into the middle of Class Four.
It was not that long ago - April last year - that Manfred Man Ka-leung's eight-year-old finished three lengths behind Helene Spirit and Military Attack in an extended band Class One over Wednesday night's course and distance.
Since then, Helene Spirit and Military Attack have gone on to bigger things, each notching Group race victories, but Euro Swiftly has struggled, as the severe ratings drop would indicate.
The wear and tear on his front fetlocks after 63 starts is starting to tell, but his last three runs in the grade, including two this term, have been sound efforts.
There looks to be another win in the old stager, and when it comes there is little doubt it will be over the 1,650m in the city, with a good draw and in Class Four - four of the gelding's five wins have been over the course and distance.
The key is barrier three, from where Moreira can find a one-off spot, possibly a touch closer than midfield given what looks a lack of speed in the race. Moreira had a tough initiation on Sunday, but broke through in the last and will be hungry to repay the early faith owners and trainers are showing in him.