Campione seeks HK hat-trick

There is a highly competitive ninerace card at Happy Valley in Hong Kong today but all eyes will be on the final race, the Class 2 1200m Handicap, where thriving threeyear-old Campione will be aiming for a local hat-trick of wins.

The Tony Cruz-trained youngster has hit the ground running in Hong Kong after arriving unbeaten from three starts under the name Windstorm-black in Italy. His final victory in his home country was a five-length romping in a Group 3 1200m after a 14-length demolition job in a Three-Year-Old Handicap, all the while showing brilliant tactical speed on each occasion.

Finishing a good fourth on his debut in Hong Kong in early March, he then went three places better in his second start when winning well by leading from pillar to post in a Class 3 1200m Handicap.

Third-up, he took to the allweather track where he won comfortably by 1.50 lengths, again making all after stepping away from barrier No 12.

Campione has since turned in a solid trial while his early toe will give him every chance to win again this week as he looks the clear leader.

His main adversaries will come from trainer David Hayes’ talented four-year-old Lucky With You who returned to winning ways over this distance at Sha Tin last time, while Mclucky looks a big secondup improver after a wide trip firstup over an unsuitable 1000m but trialling the house down since.

Trainer Frankie Lor’s smart three-year-old Eason is another who can show early speed and he rises to Class 2 for the first time after stringing together two impressive Class 3 victories.

Elsewhere, trainer Danny Shum’s six-year-old Harmony N Home looks poised for a return to the winner’s circle in the Class 4 1200m Handicap (Race 5).