Rising Star Worth the 'Weight' at Sha Tin

'TDN Rising Star' Nervous Witness (Aus) (Star Witness {Aus}), who has seen his rating soar by 28 points in his first two career trips to the post, carries 133 pounds as the top-weight in Sunday's Suisse Programme H., a Class 3 test over the straight 1000 metres Sunday afternoon at Sha Tin Racecourse.

Owned by Archie, Betty and Teresa Marie da Silva and campaigned in the green-and-black colours of the legendary Silent Witness (Aus) (El Moxie), the 4-year-old gelding was the $13 (3-10) favourite on debut Sept. 5, scoring by three facile lengths in a time of :55.71 (video). The bay was an even shorter-priced proposition in his first Class 3 attempt last time Oct. 1, but the result was the same, an imperious 3 3/4-length success as the $12 (1-5) jolly in :55.24 (video). For good measure, Nervous Witness has since posted a soft 'victory' in a 1050-metre trial over the local dirt track and it's all systems go, despite having to give 12 other rivals anywhere between three and 19 pounds from barrier four.

“I worked him again this morning and every week his attitude to just seems to continually get better, he's relaxing a lot more now, even compared to how he was two or three weeks ago, so he's on the right path,” jockey Zac Purton told the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Declan Schuster. “He has to carry a big weight, he's on drawn the wrong side of the track and there's a couple of horses in the field we don't know much about, so it's an interesting race but I'm looking forward to riding him again,” Purton added.

The Suisse Programme H. goes as race eight (post time 4.40pm local time) on a 10-race card, which features the G3 Sa Sa Ladies' Purse H. (1800mT) at 4.05pm.