In-form Harry Bentley handed plum draw for Believing ride
Harry Bentley limbered up for the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin with a double at Happy Valley on Wednesday evening (April 24) and his chances aboard Believing were boosted when the filly secured barrier four for Sunday’s (28 April) HK$22 million feature.
Wednesday’s haul means the British-born jockey, who has been riding in Hong Kong for three years, is on track for his most successful season with 30 victories and he will be hoping his hot run of form continues at Sha Tin this weekend, when he will bid for a breakthrough first top-level success in the city aboard George Boughey’s Believing.
He said: “I’ve been here three years now and this season has been my best so far numerically despite two months on the sidelines and two and a bit months left of the season.
“I’ve had 30 winners and things are going good. I’m getting nice support from various yards and I'm pleased with the trajectory I’m on. I’m very content here and I hope to make it my home and work for a good few years to come.”
Bentley was speaking after partnering Believing in a turf gallop and reported the four-year-old G1 Sprint Cup (1207m) placegetter to be in excellent shape for her first run since the Champions Sprint in October.
“She felt very good,” he said. “It was more to get her used to the environment, we did an easy gallop and nothing too strenuous, it was just to give her a little bit of a leg stretch and me to have a bit of a feel of her. I was very happy with how she felt and she looks really, really well in her coat.”
Like many, the rider is monitoring conditions as persistent rain continues to fall in Hong Kong. While a further downpour on Wednesday was not welcome, Bentley is confident Believing can obtain a strong position from her gate position.
He said: “She’s got some form on softer going but, ideally, we’d have wanted it on the quicker side. The one thing I would say about Sha Tin is that it dries so quickly, if we were to get a dry day beforehand it might just be on the soft side of good.
“Ideally, we’d jump and sit close to the pace, if we can sit in a box-seat position we’d be very happy. Victor The Winner is in stall three and he goes forward so I’d imagine him to be somewhere ahead of us. If we can slot in behind him it would be a good pitch to be in. Hopefully she jumps clean and gets away into a nice position."
Of her chances on Sunday, when she will also face elite performers California Spangle, Mad Cool and Little Brose, Bentley surmised: “It’s obviously a Group 1, so naturally they’re always strong races and hard to win, but she’s Group 1-placed and her form has been solid throughout her career, so I’m hoping for a good performance and she definitely deserves her place in the line-up."
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