Californiatotality scores at Happy Valley in May. Photos: Kenneth Chan
Tony Cruz is optimistic a “better and stronger” Californiatotality can make a big impact on his seasonal return in Wednesday night’s Class Two Shek O Handicap (1,650m) at Happy Valley.
A shining light of Cruz’s stable last term, the son of Zoustar proved his toughness with four wins and a pair of placings while earning a crack at the final two legs of the Classic Series.
Though he could only manage eighth in the Classic Cup (1,800m) and 11th in the Hong Kong Derby (2,000m), Californiatotality was far from disgraced when beaten just under four lengths in both features.
He had excuses in his final two starts of the campaign, having pulled up lame after racing wide throughout on his dirt debut before running seventh to stablemate Beauty Joy in the Group Three Premier Plate (1,800m).
