Asia Latest

HK: Vincent Ho reunites with rising star Hot Delight in Class 2 test

Vincent Ho links up again with Francis Lui’s highly regarded three-year-old Hot Delight (Too Darn Hot) as twilight racing returns to Sha Tin on Sunday. The three-year-old has enjoyed a stellar start, scoring impressively in each of his first three outings. Lui, who also trained Hong Kong legend Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’Oro), has previously drawn comparisons between the two at the same stage of their respective careers. Unable to make the minimum weight requirement for Hot Delight’s first foray into Class 2 company last time out, Ho gave way to Harry Bentley aboard the youngster. Although he wasn’t disgraced in that May 9 run – finishing fourth, a length and a quarter behind subsequent Group 3 winner Patch Of Stars (All Too Hard) – Hot Delight will be looking to get back to winning ways in the Class 2 Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarships Handicap (1200m). Ho is encouraged by the son of Too Darn Hot’s (Dubawi) early progress and already has an eye on his four-year-old campaign. “In the first few races, he won impressively, and I feel like he still has quite some class in hand,” Ho said. “Of course, he’s only three, so we expect him to improve more during the summer. Hopefully, he will mature and improve more next season, too.” Ho says the draw of ten isn’t fatal to Hot Delight’s chances of landing a fourth win of the season. “It is what it is – not the worst. It’s good enough. Let’s see what he can do. Hopefully, he can slot in somewhere easy and he can produce a good run like he did previously,” he added.