HK Derby in Senor Toba's sights

HONG KONG • Senor Toba's emergence as a legitimate BMW Hong Kong Derby contender continued at Sha Tin, with the grey's stout victory in the Class 2 Hong Kong Sports Institute 30th Anniversary Cup Handicap over the Derby distance of 2,000m.

Yesterday's success fuelled trainer Caspar Fownes and jockey Joao Moreira's hopes of successive triumphs in the classic.

Fownes and Moreira combined last season with Sky Darci and the pair are optimistic Senor Toba can emulate the feat in the HK$24 million (S$4.18 million) feature on March 20.

"He's one of my Derby horses. He's a lovely horse. It's nice to see them come and do that in their third run in Hong Kong. It was a very pleasing effort," said Fownes.

"He was a little bit like a drunken sailor down the straight - all over the place - so I'll be looking at putting some equipment on him to help him focus a little better.

"He did his job nicely, but he's a horse that will keep improving. You'll probably see the best of him in December.

"But this is his Derby season, so we'll be going forward to try to get a good result there. But this horse, I think once he gets over 2,400 (metres), he's a very good horse and he'll keep improving."

The champion trainer might bypass the HK$12 million Hong Kong Classic Mile over 1,600m at Sha Tin on Jan 30 to avoid a drop in trip.

"It's the Four-Year-Old Classic Series and he's secured his place there now, but he needs a little bit more racing," said Fownes.

"I've just got to tweak his equipment a little bit to sharpen him up, he's a little slow out of the gates. We've got to get that sorted out.

"You can get away with it over a longer distance but, when you come back to a mile, it becomes tough. In saying that, we have to be happy, we've got a nice horse going forward.

"I just wanted to get the points on the board for this horse and then I can worry about training him for the one big race.

"His target is the Derby, so he'll be spot-on for that race, the rest of it will be gravy.

"He's the type of horse who will be better suited with a good speed on and then he'll sustain a long run - which you'll get in the Four-Year-Old Classic Series.

"All in all, we're happy, we've got something really good to work with there, so it's exciting."

Moreira, who now leads Zac Purton in the jockeys' championship 51-49 after erasing a 10-win deficit in the injured Australian's absence, said: "He's a real stayer. He doesn't have early speed, obviously, but we had a smooth run from a good gate.

"He quickened nicely, but I still feel there is more improvement to come. He feels like he is 75-80 per cent. He doesn't need to improve too much more to be competitive in the Hong Kong Derby.

"He has already proven to be a quality stayer. Not too many horses win third-up in Class 2, as he did just now."

Runner-up in the Group 1 Queensland Derby over 2,400m at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Australia on May 29, Senor Toba was trained in Australia by Chris Waller, the handler of superstars Winx and Verry Elleegant.

Fownes and Moreira also scored with Galaxy Witness, a Star Witness first-starter, in the Class 4 Boccia 1,000m Handicap.

"He's a progressive, nice horse," said Fownes. "It's tough to win first-up in Hong Kong and he did it nicely."

Moreira continued his championship surge aboard the lightly raced Sight Spirit, who had three lengths to spare over his rivals in the second section of the Class 4 Table Tennis over 1,400m Handicap for trainer John Size."

HKJC