HKJC World Pool Handicap (GBBPlus Race)

Marked improvement through three-race 2yo career, beating a fair maiden by 15l when he won a four-runner maiden at 1-7 over C&D (good) final start; that can't be the most solid form but he could hardly have done it more easily and is a Derby entry; fascinating handicap debutant in first-time headgear.

16-1 for novice at Wolverhampton (8.6f, AW) in November but always prominent and led final strides; 14-1 in a hot novice at Newbury (1m2f, good) 16 days ago and made late gains to finish on heels of the leaders in a blanket finish; set for further improvement and likely to prove better than this opening mark at some point soon.

Pretty useful in two of his five efforts as 2yo; second favourite for handicap/seasonal debut over C&D (good) 18 days ago but weakened in the final 1f into fourth of eight; that was creditable but he needs to build on it.

All three runs were on AW, with plenty of promise on debut before he won a novice at Chelmsford (1m2f) in December and seven-runner handicap by a short head at Southwell (1m) in April; return to 1m2f should suit and, although he's been raised 4lb, further improvement is possible.

Well beaten at 50-1 on debut here (7f, good) in October; way better, however, for front-running wins in a Southwell novice (1m) in November and seven-runner handicap at Wolverhampton (9.4f) in January; those wins were AW but with authority last time (8lb higher today) and he could be a useful prospect.