Loveisintheair is trending in the right direction and jockey Hugh Bowman hopes John Size’s 3yo gelding can make further headway when he lines up in the Class 4 The France Galop Cup Handicap at Happy Valley on Wednesday.
Hugh Bowman celebrates Group 1 glory with Red Lion last month (Pic – HKJC)
Across three starts, the chestnut has finished sixth, fifth and most recently third, and Bowman – a winner of 58 races in Hong Kong this season – has faith the youngster possesses the right tools to furnish into a quality racer and ascend the city’s handicap.
“Last time I was able to build him through his gears and he was better. I would expect a better performance again this week,” Bowman said. “He’s a nice progressive horse, I think, he’s far from the finished article just yet. He has taken really good progression.”
Slightly slow away last start at Happy Valley on 9 April, Loveisintheair saved ground before rallying late along the inside rail to miss by under a length. Bowman, 44, is second in this season’s jockeys’ championship. He recently won the HK$24 million Gr1 FWD Champions Mile atop Red Lion for Size on FWD Champions Day in April.
“Loveisintheair is a really nice horse. He’s certainly better than Class 4 but he’s still learning. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him move to Sha Tin before the end of the season and perform well over 1400m. I think he’ll get a mile down the track but I’m not suggesting he needs that just yet.
“We haven’t seen the best of him but you can see that he’s improving and I’d like to think that we’ll see a good improvement from last start to this start,” Bowman said.
A two-time Hong Kong Derby-winning jockey, Bowman takes eight rides at the city circuit’s nine-race programme, including course and distance winner Mighty Commander in the Class 4 Saint-Cloud Handicap for trainer Caspar Fownes.
“He’s quite a consistent horse. He can have a few little issues at the start getting into stride but from a good draw (4), it’d be lovely if we could land fourth or fifth somewhere. He always runs well,” Bowman said.
Keith Yeung is aiming to go one better aboard Perfect Pairing for championship-leading trainer Size in the Class 4 The French May Trophy Handicap on Wednesday.
“I just sat behind the field and hugged the rail – Perfect Pairing finished off strongly( at the last start. It was just a bit of bad luck because the winner got going on the outside and we had to wait for a gap to open in the straight. He still finished really nicely,” Yeung said. “It seems like he handles this distance very well.”
Luke Ferraris retains the ride aboard Chateauneuf (124lb) in the Class 3 ParisLongchamp Handicap (1200m) for trainer David Hayes after finishing third on 16 April. The Fastnet Rock gelding led last start before missing by three quarters of a length.
“It was a good run. It wasn’t really the plan to go to the front but he left the gates really well and there was a lack of speed in the race,” Ferraris said. “It was a better run than it looked. He seems to have come through it well.”
Luke Ferraris is in the midst of a career-best campaign in Hong Kong (Pic – HKJC)
Ferraris has 37 wins this term and Chateauneuf faces noted frontrunners Superb Capitalist and Lucky Planet among the 12-runner finale at Happy Valley.
“We have the one draw and the pace in the race should help us. If he can get a nice run in transit and the gaps open at the right time, hopefully he can reproduce it,” Ferraris said.
Fortunate Son turned his form around to grab third on 16 April and jockey Harry Bentley reunites with the gelding in the Class 3 Deauville Handicap.
“That day just went nice and smooth and we’re hoping for much of the same again on Wednesday,” Bentley said. “I think if he can get the right conditions in the race then he’s going to run another big race.”
Wednesday’s nine-race fixture at Happy Valley commences at 12h35 with the Class 5 Auteuil Handicap.
