The Caspar Fownes-trained Sky Field made a big statement to end last season and picked up this term exactly where he left off, dazzling with a first-up victory.
He goes again in Thursday’s Class 3 Shanghai Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin but his handler is being level-headed about his chances despite his exciting young gun taking on a field of only six opponents.
“He’s a horse with a lot of upside – he’ll carry 133 pounds on the weekend and even though it’s a small field, in this game you still have to respect your opponents because someone can get a soft sectional and pinch it or you can get caught up in traffic,” Fownes said.
“He’s one of the few horses that really excites me - he’s got a big engine and he’s still learning his trade, so there’s a lot of upside with him.”
Fownes could target his charge, who was purchased out of Trelawney Stud’s 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 draft, at the first leg of the three-race Four-Year-Old Classic Series, the HK$12 million Hong Kong Classic Mile on Sunday in January.
“His next race, no matter what, will be a Class 2 race and it’s whether or not I go to 1400 metres, but at this stage I’ve earmarked a contest on the 24th (October) for him to step up in trip and in class, so hopefully he can get the job done for us on Thursday,” Fownes said. -HKJC