Fortune favours Jade in the Pak Sha O Handicap over 1600m at Happy Valley

- There is no silverware on offer at Happy Valley this week but one of the better races on the card is the Pak Sha O Handicap (Race 6) where last start winner Jade Fortune has an excellent chance to win again.

Given the consistent form of Jade Fortune leading up to his win it is quite surprising that it took him 15 starts to break his HK maiden, but did it in fine style and overcame some traffic issues in the process.

What is interesting, however, is that Zac Purton who had been on board for his last three starts now rides key rival Dr Listening, and Umberto Rispoli has picked up the ride. Nonetheless, without looking into the jockey booking too much, Jade Fortune brings the right credentials and should prove hard to beat based on his good win just two weeks ago in this grade.

And the step up to 1600m has to be considered a major positive for Dr Listening who ran very well on his first start for the stable over 1200m earlier this month. He hasn’t won past 1400m in the past but this looks a good move and he appears to have thrived since joining David Hall.

A more patient ride aboard Unicorn could prove more fruitful for connections but his form this season over the Valley 1600m has been solid and with the apprentice’s claim he remains competitively handicapped.

And Land Grant is on the backup from last week and he too looks a sound chance of figuring in the finish.

John Size has broken the winners trained in a season and he can march on toward a century of wins this term with a couple of great chances in Bond Elegance (Race 5) and Big Bang Bong (Race 7).

Bond Elegance was a dominant winner over 1200m a month ago when leading from start to finish on a rain-affected track, and there is no reason why he shouldn’t be just as effective on firmer footing.

He takes a rise in grade but it is not an overly strong line-up and if he can hold the form from his last outing then should prove hard to beat.

Big Bang Bong was gallant in defeat behind key rival Time Warp on his last outing when the track pattern seemed to play in favour of the leader Time Warp. This time, Big Bang Bong will meet Time Warp 3kg better in the weights and has a slight advantage with the barrier draw. It might be enough to turn the tables but either way, these two look as though they will be fighting out the finish once again.