Hong Lok Golf could be a season-defining horse for Harry Bentley and the Brit is relishing the chance to hop back aboard in Wednesday’s Class Two Beijing Handicap (1,400m) ahead of a potential Group-race campaign.
The five-year-old was almost perfect in his debut campaign, winning six of his seven starts. The only defeat came when he finished a desperately unlucky second at Sha Tin in February, after being hemmed in at a crucial stage.
Since that Class Three defeat, he has subsequently saluted in a pair of Class Two races, most recently when overcoming a pace bias to prevail at Happy Valley.
Although a tad lazy in his work, he oozes star quality when he hits the track competitively and Bentley thinks the Chris So Wai-yin-trained riser has the world at his feet – provided he passes this handicap test.
“I’m really looking forward to getting back on him for obvious reasons,” said Bentley. “He’s had a couple of trials but he never puts his best foot forward on the all-weather, so I would take them with a pinch of salt.
