Thewizardofoz will face the stiffest test of his exciting career when he takes on world class rivals in the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin on 1 May.
The talented four-year-old gave a clear indication this morning that he is in good heart heading into that examination.
John Size’s charge strode out imposingly in a relatively low-key 1200m barrier trial on the all-weather under Joao Moreira. The Brazilian was delighted with how last season’s Champion Griffin cruised through the work-out alongside inferior gallopers to finish a superior second behind the three-year-old Beauty Master, who completed the spin in 1m. 09.22s.
“He felt great, as always,” said Hong Kong’s record breaking Champion Jockey. “He seems well, healthy and striding out freely, which is what we all want to see.”
Thewizardofoz was scratched from his most recent engagement, the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) on 28 February. Prior to that, the Redoute’s Choice gelding scored a classy victory in a 1400m Class 1 to take his Hong Kong tally to five wins from eight starts, having seemingly failed to see out the mile when fifth in the HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile the time before.
“He was scratched a few weeks ago from a race and we didn’t know exactly what was going on with him but from the feeling he gave me in the barrier trial this morning it feels like he is 100 percent recovered,” said Moreira, who has been aboard the bay for all bar one of his Hong Kong starts, but has not yet been officially booked for any horse in the race.
Moreira is also the usual partner of Peniaphobia, winner of the G1 Hong Kong Sprint at the course and distance in December and third in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1000m) at Meydan, Dubai, last month. Thewizardofoz, as exciting as he is, will have to produce a career best to see off that rival, just one among an exceptional field of sprinting talent that is also set to include Hong Kong champion Aerovelocity, Breeders’ Cup victor Mongolian Saturday and the Australian super stars Chautauqua and Buffering, as well the likes of Gold-Fun, Not Listenin’tome, Super Jockey and Lucky Bubbles.
“We know Thewizardofoz is a very nice horse, we just hope he performs to his best on the day. If he does, I believe he’ll be right there fighting for the win,” said Moreira.
