It is not common to see a top-class galloper racing one week before participating in a Group 1 event but trainer Francis Lui hopes it will work for his stable’s star sprinter Copartner Prance.
The prolific winning son of Epaulette is among the 14 selected runners for the HK$22 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday week, 27 April and Lui has decided to run him in the Class 2 Kowloon Bay Handicap (1200m, dirt) this Sunday, 20 April at Sha Tin in preparation.
Lui explained his decision: “There won’t be many suitable races for him near the end of the season and therefore I entered him for both races.
“As long as he runs well this Sunday and pulls up well after the race, I will let him to have a quick back up and run him in the Group 1 next week.