Hugh Bowman has supreme confidence in Helios Express capitalising on the absence of superstar Ka Ying Rising and a light weight when the talented sprinter chases a deserved win in Saturday’s Group Three Sha Tin Vase (1,200m).
A brilliant winner of last year’s Classic Mile and Classic Cup (1,800m), Helios Express has had to settle for five seconds and two thirds behind Ka Ying Rising in his seven starts this season.
That streak includes three Group One seconds and a last-start third in the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) when he rocketed home from last.
With Ka Ying Rising sent for a break, the Sha Tin Vase presents a golden opportunity for the John Size-trained Helios Express to break through at Group level.
While Bowman conceded the outside draw in the field of 11 was far from ideal, Helios Express’ top form and weight of 123lbs has the Australian bullish.
“I think he’s very well placed,” Bowman said. “Barrier 11 isn’t really what I was after. In saying that, he settles back and the more he settles and finds his feet, the better he runs anyway.
“He’s been unreal this season. I thought his last run was his best and on his most recent trial, I think he’s in the best form he’s been in all season and he’s got a very attractive set up, despite the wide draw. I’m sure he’ll start a short-priced favourite and deservedly so. I hope he can get it done for us.”
Multiple Group One winner Lucky Sweynesse, who carries top weight of 135lbs, and fellow Group One victors Invincible Sage and Victor The Winner are among Helios Express’ rivals on Saturday.
“If Invincible Sage gets moisture in the ground like he did last time, he’s just a different horse,” said Bowman, who guided the David Hall-trained sprinter to victory in last year’s Chairman’s Sprint Prize.
“There’s some worthy opposition in the race so we won’t discard them, but Helios is in good order, he trialled well last week and with Lucky Sweynesse in the race, he gets the weight advantage as well.”
Bowman will chase a feature double for Size on Saturday when he rides last-start Group One Champions Mile winner Red Lion in the Group Three Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m).
The consistent galloper caused a massive upset when narrowly beating subsequent Triple Crown hero, Voyage Bubble, at $90.8 on Champions Day. However, the elite-level success has thrust him into the role of Lion Rock Trophy top weight.
“That makes it very hard. You’re giving good horses a lot of weight,” Bowman said.
“Barrier one will help him – he’ll have less work to do in the early stages. But I would think he’s probably going to have to run better than he ran last start to win with the weight. That’s my honest opinion.”
Second in the jockeys’ premiership with 64 wins, Bowman will also ride Lucky Man, Straight To Glory, Prestige Hall, Precision Goal, Excel Wongchoy and Size’s promising sprinter Crossborderpegasus at Sha Tin.
“Crossborderpegasus is an exciting young horse who’s progressing well,” Bowman said of the winner at three of four starts.
“He continues to have a habit of laying in, which hasn’t improved and is a little concerning. But if he can start to get his race sense going, he’s got points in hand.”
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