Brett Prebble begins his abbreviated season Wednesday night with two rides at Happy Valley and Bundle Of Joy looms as a strong winning chance for the Aussie in the middle leg of the Triple Trio.
Prebble was allowed to skip the first six weeks of the season to attend to business matters in his homeland, but kept in shape riding regularly through the busy Melbourne spring carnival.
He returns and reclaims the ride on well-built sprinter Bundle Of Joy, with whom he has formed a strong association. Both of Bundle of Joy's wins have been with Prebble in the saddle and both have been over 1,000m - one at Happy Valley and the other up the Sha Tin straight.
Trainer David Hall now steps the son of underrated sire Magic Albert up to the Valley 1,200m for the first time. Bundle Of Joy has a tricky draw in six, but should get to a one-off position, and the distance remains the biggest query.
Two starts back the four-year-old didn't run out a hard 1,200m on the all-weather track, but was pushed to lead from gate seven and worked in the run. He was then third in what looks a strong form race over 1,000m at Sha Tin, disadvantaged somewhat by sitting more than three horses off the outside rail and beaten 3-1/2 lengths by Access Years.
Bundle Of Joy carries 131 pounds but seems to have a class edge on most of these, and others are badly hindered by poor draws on the B course.
Richard Gibson's Jazzy Feeling (Olivier Doleuze) would be right in this had he not drawn horrendously in 10. He has done all of his racing at the course and distance, has come back in rock solid form with two thirds and should be peaking third run in.
The other danger is the Ricky Yiu Poon-fai-trained Atacx (Neil Callan), who has drawn three and would benefit from gaining some cover.
Atacx's last start seventh over 1,400m at Sha Tin was a total forgive when pushed at the start and then trapped three-deep with no cover. Two starts back he was again clicked up out of the gates and overdid it when sitting outside dominant winner Super Jockey, finishing fifth.
Back to the easier Valley 1,200m with the softer draw, he is a definite chance.
Chris So Wai-yin's Step Faster (Joao Moreira) and Tony Cruz-trained Prolific Champion (Matthew Chadwick) round out the selections.
Cruz sends around the likely favourite, Majestic Anthem (Gerald Mosse), in a Class Four over 1,650m and he stands out as a solid banker in the opening leg.
It's the first start at the Valley under race conditions for the International Sales graduate but Majestic Anthem handled the turns easily when trialling there before his first race start. In fact, the 1,650m looks made to suit for a horse with the versatility to sit up on the speed.
In a race that drops away quickly, take Euro Swiftly (Tye Angland), as application of sheepskin cheek pieces and removal of the hood might sharpen him up a bit, but he is consistent enough regardless.
Caspar Fownes has Young Talent (Zac Purton) backing up seven days after a fighting dead-heat that saw him rise five pounds in the ratings. His best is certainly good enough, but Purton will be forced to go back to near last from gate 12 and there doesn't seem much speed to help the run-on brigade here. Put fellow backmarker Able Magic (Derek Leung Ka-chun) in that bracket too, he goes in but will need luck from gate 11.
Finding a banker in the final leg Cup race (ratings band 85-60) over 1,800m is tough. Instead, play skinny around an in-form trio of Amazingly (Karis Teetan), Turbo Jewellery (Moreira) and Lucky Forever (Purton).
Others to consider are well-drawn lightweight hope Glorious Ryder (Vincent Ho Chak-yiu) and Todos Con Suerte (Mosse). Two horses who have dropped considerably in the ratings and seem set for this are Bubble Chic (Umberto Rispoli) and Beauty Touch (Chadwick).
