If It Ain’t Broke…

It’s no mistake that trainer John Size has won the trainers’ premiership in Hong Kong no fewer than seven times since his arrival on the local scene in 2001, and he has done so by treating each horse as an individual and sometimes thinking outside the box. It surprised some that Size trained Glorious Days (Aus) (Hussonet) up to last year’s G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile, with no raceday activity since an 11th-place effort behind Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in the G1 Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo some six months and six days earlier.

It was a testament to the respect accorded Size by the Hong Kong betting public that Glorious Days was a 15-2 chance in the Mile despite the lengthy layoff, but the gelding proved his trainer right when rallying from well back in the field to best Gold-Fun (Ire) (Le Vie dei Colori {GB}) by 3/4 of a length and improve on his runner-up effort to Ambitious Dragon (NZ) (Pins {Aus}) as the favorite in 2012. It’ll be a case of deja vu all over again a week from tomorrow when the 7-year-old goes first-up in the world’s richest race at the distance. 

“He seems okay, he’s healthy and well and he’s sound,” said the trainer. “He’s done everything that we’ve wanted him to. It’s always problematical to know exactly where you are with them without racing them, but he’s run well fresh a few times and I’d be happy if he does the same again.” 

Indeed, Glorious Days has a record of 5-3-1-0 off the layoff. 

Size continued, “He looks exactly the same, but he’s a year older and I’ve constantly got that thought in my mind as to if I have to make any adjustment because of that. His energy levels can’t be as high as they were when he was a 4-year-old but he’s still the same horse, it’s just up to me to produce the horse on the day. That’s the most important thing, so I’m trying to make sure everything’s okay with him in general.” 

Glorious Days last faced the starter in this year’s Yasuda Kinen June 8, finishing sixth of 17 and four lengths adrift of G1 Dubai Duty Free romper Just a Way (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}). As he did in 2013, Size has given his charge a pair of serious barrier trials, the latesst of which took place Friday morning over a rain-affected all-weather track at Sha Tin. Whereas Glorious Days quickened home to be second in his final pre-race move last year, Size was taking no chances over the sticky track and connections were pleased enough with a fourth-place effort (video) in which Glorious Days was not asked to do too much by Mirco Demuro. 

“He feels like he’s come on from the last time I trialled him,” said Demuro. “He had a little pressure from the horse inside me, but he did it very comfortably. It looks like he’s ready for the race. I’m happy that John and the owners considered me because he’s a very good ride to have.”