3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Ice House Handicap, HK $875,000,
Class 5 – Turf – Distance 1800m – Track Good
Time: 1:49.83 Standard Time: 1:50.05 Course/Class record: 1:48.33 Success Allstars
Zach Purton took out the opener with race favourite KASA PAPA (NZ 7yo g Savabeel – Ladu Charparral) for the Tony Cruz stable. Proactive from an outside-middle draw, Purton gave the gelding a 10/10 steer to settle behind the leading pair on the fence. Opting to dart back to the inside when straightening, Purton quickly struck the front and dashed clear of his rivals at the 200m and put a length on them. The four-year-old never really looked threatened over the concluding stages and kept finding to score by a 1/2 length and break a 1215-day drought. SMASHING EXPRESS for Hugh Bowman & John Size was the eye-catcher, charging home strongly up the inside to finish second. He sat two pairs back from the winner in transit and had 4 lengths to make up at the turn, which ultimately proved too much. GOLD TACK rounded out the placings in a sound chasing effort.
Race 2 – Lambeth Handicap, HK $1,170,000,
Class 4 – Turf – Distance 1800m – Track Good
Time: 1:49.19 Standard Time: 1:49.85 Course/Class record: 1.48.10 Acclaimed Light
Hugh Bowman didn't have to wait long to go one better, taking out the second event with David Eustace-trained CHARITY GAIN (IRE 5yo g Twilight Son – Stylos Exossais). Taken straight back from an outside draw, Bowman showed no early intent and settled at the rear of the field. Appreciating a solid early tempo, Bowman only started to get busy on his mount passing the 400m. Weaving a smart passage to obtain clear running early in the straight, the five-year-old lengthened nicely down the outside to reel in his rivals and score by 3/4 lengths with a bit up his sleeve on the line. CAN'T GO WONG from the Frankie Lor stable was able to bounce back off a flat effort at Sha Tin to finish second. After settling midfield, the gelding worked into the race nicely when straightening, taking over passing the 200m, only to be collared late. Race favourite ME TIME continued his consistency this campaign when finishing third.
Race 3 – Murray Handicap, HK $1,170,000,
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:40.11 Standard Time: 1:40.20 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
Punters rejoiced in the third when Brenton Avdulla combined with John Size to land good bets for TAKE ACTION (NZ 4yo g Sacred Falls – Pleased). Having not shown tactical speed in his last two races when jumping from outside draws, Avdulla was able to utilise the inside alley and settle just off the early speed on the fence. Getting the A1 run behind the leaders, Avdulla came off heels nicely rounding the bend, racing up to them and quickly taking over at the 200m. In a matter of strides, the gelding put a nice gap to his rivals and maintain a 2 length margin on the line. LUCKY TOUCH for Alexis Badel and Jamie Richards was widest when straightening and closed off solidly from an off-midfield position to finish second. NORTHERN BEAST came from even further back and ran on strongly down the outside to nab third.
Race 4 – Jackson Handicap, HK $2,840,000,
Class 2 – Turf – Distance 1000m – Track Good
Time: 56.43 Standard Time: 0:56.45 Course/Class record: 0:55.89 Whizz Kid
Zac Purton celebrated his second success of the evening when getting the job done on hot-pot BOTTOMUPTOGETHER (AUS 4yo g Shamus Award – Miss Ethics) from the Frankie Lor stable. Away only fairly from the inside draw, Purton urged his mount along in the early stages to hold the fence and settle leader's back. With the leader slipping away at the turn, it took the gelding some convincing from Purton to work through his gears but by the 200m had began to eat into the margin. It wasn't until inside the final 50m the gelding hit the front and held on to score by a 1/2 length. STELLAR EXPRESS was under hard riding a long way out just trying to keep up with the front three but did close off nicely to grab second. YOUTHFUL SPIRITS was game in defeat after setting the favourite a fierce challenge to chase him down, trying hard right to the end to hold third.
Race 5 – The Hong Kong Club Challenge Cup (Handicap), HK $1,170,000,
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good
Time: 57.17 Standard Time: 0:57.20 Course/Class record: 0:56.39 Gentle Breeze
Tony Cruz trained his second winner of the night when Angus Chung piloting PARENTS' LOVE (AUS 4yo g Deep Field – National Anthem) to victory. One of the fastest away, Chung speared across from an outside-middle draw to settle in front on his lonesome. Showing them a clean pair of heels upon straightening, the gelding put a healthy gap to his chasers and while he tired late, he had done enough to score by a 1/2 length. The Danny Shum-trained CHAMPION METHOD tracked the winner throughout sitting on-pace and tried hard in the lane to just miss. HAPPY UNITED sat a further pair back and came with a good finish up the fence.
Race 6 – Club Handicap, HK $1,170,000,
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.15 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Hugh Bowman and John Size brought up their second wins of the night when combining with debutant SKY JEWELLERY (AUS 3yo g The Autumn Sun – Rollout The Carpet). Stepping evenly from barrier five, Bowman didn't pressure his mount early and was happy for him to find his feet and settle just off the early speed. Shuffled back through the middle stages with the pace coming out of the race and runners dropping back in front of him, Bowman found himself midfield at the turn surrounded by runners and waiting for a gap to appear. Said gap would come to fruition passing the 200m and to the gelding's credit he was brave enough to push through and take it. In a promising debut effort, the three-year-old let down nicely over the concluding stages to score softly on the line by a length. VIGOR ELLEGANT raced keenly in the middle stages when tracking the leader in transit but still chased strongly in the lane to finish second. SILVER SPURS dictated for a large portion of the race and tried hard right to the very end to hold on to third.
Race 7 - Club Handicap, HK $1,170,000,
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.12 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
It was somewhat of an upset in the seventh when Andrea Atzeni saluted aboard the Pierre Ng-trained MOTOMAN (AUS 4yo g Super One – Sebeauty) at $23. Settling on pace after jumping evenly from barrier four, the gelding would find himself without cover during the middle stages in a two-wide position. It didn't bother the four-year-old however, striding forward to sit on the hindquarters of the leader when rounding the home-turn. Eyeballing the front-runner early in the straight, MOTOMAN took over at the 150m and pushed clear inside the concluding stages to score by 1-1/4 lengths. YEE CHEONG SPIRIT for Hugh Bowman and Danny Shum got the photo for second, coming with a good finishing effort from back in the field, just under 5 lengths off the leader at the turn. WINNING HEART rounded the turn the pair ahead of YEE CHEONG SPIRIT and fought hard late to finish a close third.
Race 8 – Chater Handicap, HK $2,050,000,
Class 3 - Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:39.57 Standard Time: 1:40.00 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters
It was another blowout in the penultimate event when David Eustace secured a double with DEFINITIVE (NZ 4yo g War Decree – Fascinate Me). Ridden by Karis Teetan, the hoop was proactive on his mount early after jumping evenly from an outside-middle draw, spearing across to find the fence and lead when settling. Making every post a winner in transit, the gelding looked a sitting duck upon straightening with a swarm of horses coming off his back. Headed approaching the 150m, DEFINITIVE dug deep inside the final 100m to fight back on the inside and get the bob on the line to score by a nose. Race favourite SOLEIL FIGHTER for Derek Leung and David Hayes worked into the race nicely from a midfield position and looked set to go straight on by the leader to score, only for DEFINITIVE's lionheart kicking in. BEATO rattled home to grab third after straightening over 5 lengths off the winner.
Race 9 – Connaught Handicap, HK $1,860,000,
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.23 Standard Time: 1:09.75 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
Hugh Bowman brought up the treble with arguably his best steer of the night aboard the Douglas Whyte-trained WINGS OF WAR (IRE 6yo g Dark Angel – Futoon). Jumping fairly from a low draw, Bowman was passive in the early stages, happy to settle off midfield with cover. Awkwardly placed upon straightening with a wall of runners in front of him, Bowman sweated on a gap back towards the inside. Eventuating at the 200m with the leader in sight, WINGS OF WAR worked through his gears stylishly to really get going inside the final 50m and nab the favourite on the line by a short head. AURORA LADY showed good tactical speed for Zac Purton and Pierre Ng and probably thought they had done enough, only to be grabbed late. GALLANT VALOUR finished full of running down the outside to grab third.