Duke Wai is spot on

HONG KONG • After watching his charge finish inside the top three 14 times from 26 starts in Hong Kong, trainer Paul O'Sullivan is feeling upbeat about Duke Wai's chances in Saturday's HK$3.7 million ($643,000) Chinese Club Challenge over 1,400m at Sha Tin.

And why not? Six of those 14 placings have been wins and he knows that Duke Wai has still got a lot of good races left in him.

Duke Wai's reliability on the track is beyond question.

"He tries hard and the handicapper has done the right thing by the horse because he is just too consistent, he never goes bad enough to drop points," O'Sullivan said.

O'Sullivan is spot-on there. When he has not won, Duke Wai has never been too far away. He steps into this weekend's test following a luckless fourth in the Class 1 Panasonic Cup Handicap over this course and distance.

"It was a good run," said the trainer. "He just got held up. I was actually going to run him again a bit earlier, but I trialled him and he trialled dreadfully.

"I told the owner that it would be better to get him ready for the Chinese Club Challenge Cup. So I sent him to the trials again and it was much better," O'Sullivan added.

"He is a very competitive horse, it would not matter what you do with him. He always gets out there and does his best."

Because of that, O'Sullivan said his trial on Dec 3 was a head-scratcher. It was like something was really wrong.

Duke Wai finished alongside subsequent two-time G2 winner Lucky Patch, beaten narrowly in the Class 1 HKSAR Chief Executive's Cup Handicap over 1,200m in the season's opening fixture, while Naboo Attack won the race by a length.

"He'll get out there and do his best, that's what he has done all of his life," O'Sullivan said.

The 104-rater displayed immense ability down the straight at Sha Tin early on through his career, notching a trio of wins in succession before extending the streak to four with victory over 1,200m, again at Sha Tin.

"He was winning over 1,000m in Class 4 and 3 but up in this grade it's just too short for him. I've given him a few tries but it's just too short for him. I really think 1,200m is his trip though, because they'll go too fast for him over 1,000m," O'Sullivan said.

Duke Wai faces Champion's Way, Healthy Happy, Buddies, Lucky Express, Excellent Proposal and Master Montaro this weekend.

"It could well play into his hands (Healthy Happy and Buddies setting a strong tempo), but if we forget that one trial and go on what he's done previously, then he should be competitive. I think he's a much better horse coming from off the pace," O'Sullivan said.

Jerry Chau takes the reins this Saturday, having previously partnered the Per Incanto gelding five times for one win.

HKJC