Jamie Richards cautious as Seasons Wit bids for Happy Valley five-timer

Jamie Richards admits progressive galloper Seasons Wit will face an uphill battle when he bids for a fifth consecutive win in Wednesday night’s Class Two Eilean Castle Handicap (1,200m) at Happy Valley.

Aiming to become the first speedster to record five successive victories at the city circuit since Fa Fa completed the feat in December 2021, Seasons Wit will need to defy the combination of a 135-pound impost and the outside gate as he stretches out from five furlongs to six.

“It’s going to be really difficult for him,” Richards said. “He’s got to carry 135 pounds and it’s his first time at 1,200m, so he’s got a few things against him.”

A winner over 1,000m on the last of five pre-import starts in Australia, Seasons Wit was narrowly denied when he flashed home to finish second at Happy Valley on his Hong Kong debut in March.

Following his only outing at Sha Tin in April, where the four-year-old made little impression back in fourth, Seasons Wit returned to the city circuit and picked up another runner-up finish in April.

The penny dropped for the son of Capitalist on his next outing, when Seasons Wit got to the lead in the dying stages of the Class Three French May Trophy (1,000m) to justify his $1.8 starting price.

After signing off for the 2022-23 campaign with a quick-fire hat-trick, any doubts that Seasons Wit may be lacking in fitness when he resumed last month were emphatically dispelled.

Making his first foray into Class Two company in the Kwangtung Handicap Cup (1,000m), Seasons Wit put daylight between himself and his nearest rival with consummate ease, pulling three lengths clear of Reward Smile in second.

“He won well. He had everything to suit – there was a bit of carnage back in the field – and the handicapper has hammered him,” Richards said.

“It’s unknown whether he’ll handle the distance, but there are no more 1,000m races for him. We’ve got to try and hope that he handles it. We’ll find out on Wednesday.”

Seasons Wit’s rating has rocketed from 68 to 97 since he opened his account in May, and the handicappers have taken no chances after handing him an 11-pound hike for his recent success.

Seasons Wit will have the assistance of champion jockey Zac Purton and, with no Class Two contest over the minimum trip scheduled at Happy Valley until at least February next year, Richards hopes keeping his charge at the city circuit will be enough to allow him to keep winning.

“I’d prefer to be keeping him at 1,000m but, unfortunately, there are no suitable races for him,” Richards said. “I only wanted to change one thing rather than change the course and the distance. He’s been so effective at the Valley so we thought we’d leave him here.”

Among Seasons Wit’s 11 opponents are Howdeepisyourlove, who makes his first appearance since being crowned last season’s Champion Griffin, and fellow Happy Valley specialist Son Pak Fu.