Gold-Fun got out of jail to win his first run back from the break, but the Richard Gibson-trained five-year-old gets circumstances to win again despite top weight in the star-studded Group Two Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy (1,600m) today, reports HK Racing Post.
Gold-Fun (Douglas Whyte) opened last season with wins in the National Day Cup and Sha Tin Trophy and would have been something beaten had he not cleared traffic in time to win the first leg of that double again on October 5.
Whyte was put in a pocket turning for home and, under 130 pounds, Gold-Fun had it all to do to quicken up in the final 100m and grab the lead near the line.
Twelve months on, Gold-Fun was up six pounds in the weights there for last year's win and he is up 10 pounds today on his winning Sha Tin Trophy handicap but looks up to the task, especially with his key advantage.
When Helene Spirit came out of this on Friday so did the clear leader, and we are left without speed. John Moore-trained Same World replaced Helene Spirit and could lead, as could Flagship Shine but Gold-Fun also has speed to get forward.
Whyte went quickly from a wider gate in the Celebration Cup then steadied behind the leaders and there is every chance he will follow that pattern again.
Moore-trained Horse Of The Year, Designs On Rome (Joao Moreira) was an eye-catcher over 1,400m behind Gold-Fun, flashing into third and has the world at his feet this season.
But he doesn't have a walk-up start in this race because he doesn't always begin cleanly, he races back in the field off an inside draw here and probably 1,600m is going to be as short as he wants his races now with the edge off him second-up.
With the speed on, Designs On Rome may be capable of getting to the outside, giving Gold-Fun a start and a beating, but this race doesn't promise speed.