By Alan Carasso
Thewizardofoz (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), the likely favorite for next Sunday's Hong Kong Classic Mile at Sha Tin, was the easy winner of a 1200-meter barrier trial over the all-weather track labeled as wet-slow on a rainy Friday morning in the New Territories.
Drawn gate two, Thewizardofoz was snagged back to a midfield third by Joao Moreira and traveled strongly before being asked a bit exiting the final quarter. He eased alongside the pacesetter with about 300 meters, hit the front under a minimum of effort and galloped home to take it by a handy 1 1/2 lengths. Final time in the day's lone trial was 1:12.32 (video).
[Trainer] John [Size] asked me to give him an easy time, to try to not let him go too hard,” Moreira told South China Morning Post in a post-trial interview. “He gave me such a good feel. He was behind horses, even with the track a bit messy [Friday]. He was very kind and finished off the trial very well. We are where we wanted to be, spot on to perform well next week.”
Last year's champion griffin and unbeaten in three starts, the bay gelding was beaten at long odds-on prices in his first starts this season, but turned it around in no uncertain terms last time, drawing off to a smashing 2 3/4-length victory in a Class 2 going 1400 meters Dec. 27 (video).
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