Leading Ahead is a star in the making(17 Apr)

MARK YOUR CARD by JOHN BELL

Promising three-year-old Leading Ahead made a very good impression when winning at his local debut at Sha Tin on Saturday and the race should hold up as a strong form reference given several of the beaten brigade turned in excellent efforts.

Leading Ahead switched to the yard of Tony Cruz after failing in the Victoria Derby last November in Melbourne at only his seventh attempt. He looked an outstanding prospect when winning four of his five starts in Western Australia.

The Kevain gelding was badly checked out of the gates on Saturday but recovered to settle three back on the fence before working into the clear and lengthening well to defeat Oriental Magic, whose winning turn is surely near. Leading Ahead is already a winner up to 2,200 metres and, although early days, he looks to have the makings of a genuine Hong Kong Derby contender for next season.

Full Of Joy's performance in running third was outstanding and it appears only a matter of time before the Quest For Fame gelding opens his winning account.

It was announced prior to the event that the four-year-old would be ridden back from gate 14 but Full Of Joy raced keenly in the early stages and Gerald Mosse had little option to slide him forward.

He ended up three wide outside the leaders, made a dash to find the front in the straight before understandably peaking on his run in the closing stages.

Alpha Mail was beaten as favourite but his effort in running fourth, under two lengths from the winner, was full of merit because the moderate speed of the event played against him.

He was taken back from a tricky gate but closed off nicely and it won't be long before he squares the ledger.

He had the blinkers added for the first time and travelled a lot stronger than what he had done in his previous six appearances, which is a big positive.

He arrived with very good credentials from Australia and seems very close to putting it all together.

City Of Troy ran fifth in the event and indicated he was beginning to head in the right direction after failing to impress in his first two appearances.

He was aided by racing forward on a sedate tempo but after being outpaced early in the straight, he was again picking up ground close to home, suggesting he will relish a longer distance.