Luke Ferraris hops back in the saddle for competition this Wednesday night (7 June) with four rides at Happy Valley’s midweek fixture under lights.
Ruled out of Sunday’s (4 June) first twilight programme at Sha Tin due to illness, the 21-year-old is raring to return and chases victories aboard a pair of mounts he knows all too well for trainer David Hall: Joyful Genius and Melbourne Hall.
Victorious atop both horses this season, Ferraris bids for back-to-back wins with Joyful Genius when the pair lines up in the first section of the Class 4 Sheung Hei Handicap (1650m) from barrier five after a first success in the grade last month.
“He’s been a tricky customer. He’s a horse with a lot of quirks, he was perhaps overdue for his second win. He just had a few small issues before that – travelling too hard in races and needing the blinkers but not being ready to put them on as he would over race but he seems to have got over that,” Ferraris said.
Joyful Genius is a two-time winner this season and sports blinkers for the third time tomorrow night when he breaks from barrier five at the city circuit.
“He’s switching off with the blinkers on, so now he’s switching off and concentrating better. His last win was full of merit, he really attacked the line strongly and strode between the other horses confidently, so with that in the back of my mind and going to Happy Valley with a fairly soft draw – it gives me a bit of confidence,” Ferraris said.