Victor The Winner eyes a bold resurgence in the upcoming Chairman’s Sprint Prize on April 27 at Hong Kong’s Sha Tin Racecourse. With trainer David Eustace fine-tuning preparations and blinkers boosting trackwork performance, the former G1 hero aims to reclaim his winning form against elite international sprinters. Meanwhile, Eustace’s Warriors Dream also lines up at Happy Valley, offering a glimpse into his promising future on the Hong Kong circuit.
The gelding has traveled to Japan twice in the interim, where he held his own in high-class company but didn’t manage to replicate the form that previously earned him five wins in just eight starts. Eustace remains cautiously optimistic, aware of the caliber of competition and the need for his charge to lift his game against a world-class field.
Earlier this week, the sprinter participated in a barrier trial under regular rider Karis Teetan, showing his usual inclination to take the lead. The run, clocked at 1 minute 10.09 seconds, saw him outpace rivals including Chancheng Glory and Invincible Shield. Eustace noted the importance of the trial for Victor The Winner’s conditioning and was pleased with the gelding’s forward-going style, especially while sporting blinkers—a gear change that has proven effective in training.
The upcoming race will be the horse’s first appearance since a disappointing result in the Centenary Sprint Cup in January, where he failed to make an impact. It also marks only the second start under Eustace’s guidance, adding an element of intrigue as the trainer continues to get to know the horse.
Among the contenders Victor The Winner will face is the formidable Ka Ying Rising, currently rated the top sprinter in the world. Strong international representation will also be present, including four notable entrants from Japan—Satono Reve, Lugal, Danon McKinley, and A Shin Fencer—making for a highly competitive field.
Despite the uphill task, Eustace believes Victor The Winner remains in excellent physical condition and has been showing commitment during his work. While results have not gone their way recently, there’s hope that the horse’s past performances and solid build-up may culminate in a return to competitiveness on race day.
On another front, Eustace has a busy night at Happy Valley with several runners, including Amazing Award, Accolade Start, Without Delay, Majestic Delight, and Warriors Dream. The latter will be competing in the second segment of the Class 3 Violet Handicap, also over 1200 metres, with Karis Teetan booked to ride.
Warriors Dream has already shown ability in his debut for the stable and is being carefully managed to temper his naturally keen demeanor. Eustace has been working on improving the gelding’s ability to relax during races and believes this outing will be an important learning experience, especially around the tricky Happy Valley circuit.
The horse previously found success in the UK under trainer Sean Woods, with victories at Lingfield and Windsor. Eustace sees potential for Warriors Dream to develop into a reliable performer in Hong Kong and possibly handle longer distances down the line, depending on how he adapts to the racing environment here.
Wednesday night’s action kicks off at 6:40 p.m. with the Class 5 Aster Handicap over 1000 metres, promising another evening of competitive racing under the lights at Happy Valley.
