3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Li Yuen Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:41.92 Standard Time: 1:40.40 Course/Class record: 1:38.91 All Joyful
DRAGON DELIGHT (AUS 6yo g Wandjina – Pediment) notched up the second win of his career with a gritty victory for Ellis Wong and David Hayes. From barrier seven, the apprentice hoop urged the gelding along to slide across and sit on the outside of the leader on settling down. There wasn't a whole lot of pace early in the event and that theme continued through the middle stages. Passing the 800m point, a mid-race move came to inject some pace into the event, but it didn't phase Dragon Delight who was still poised to strike as they worked around the home turn. After the leader kicked strongly on straightening, Wong got to work aboard the six-year-old as he began to peg back the margin midway down the straight. It was a ding-dong battle all the way to the line with Dragon Delight surging home inside the final 50m to hit the front and score by a head. KASA PAPA missed out narrowly in the run to the line. After sitting in the back half of the field for Hugh Bowman, the Australian took matter into his own hands with around 800m remaining. Bowman shot around the field to hit the front down the back straight, leading the field around the home turn and kicking strongly at the top of the straight. He was in front for a long way down the stretch in a tight tussle with Dragon Delight, though he was unable to keep his nose in front when it mattered most. RIGHT HONOURABLE was slowly away and raced toward the tail of the field throughout the event. Swinging for home though, Matthew Chadwick was able to get off the inside rail and into the clear, with the gelding working home nicely for third.
Race 2 – Man Cheung Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good
Time: 57.51 Standard Time: 57.35 Course/Class record: 56.52 Shanghai Power
Harry Bentley scored his third win of the season aboard the Douglas Whyte-trained DOUBLE SHOW (NZ 5yo g Showcasing – Showus). The gelding jumped on terms but was unable to muster much speed despite Bentley's best efforts, ending up in the second half of the field. He settled well into stride and approaching the 400m point, the Englishman moved into the three-wide trail and began to work into the race around the outside. He was spotting the leader 5 lengths at the top of the straight, but he had plenty of galloping room and he was able to let rip down the outside to hit the front with 100m remaining. Double Show drew clear inside the final 50m to run get the job done by a length on the line. SPEEDY FORTUNE had sat up on the speed throughout for Andrea Atzeni. A good tempo was set through the middle stages and to the gelding's credit, he kicked strongly at the top of the straight to make his presence felt. He drew away from the chasing pack, but Double Show just had too much strength to run over the top of him. PARENTS' LOVE was left racing wide and without cover in the event but stuck on gamely to hold on for third. He's racing well and with a better run in transit next time, he'll go close to winning.
Race 3 – Man Yiu Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:39.60 Standard Time: 1:40.20 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
It was a dominant victory in race three for the Frankie Lor-trained SUPER UNICORN (NZ 5yo g Savabeel – Lovetessa), with Zac Purton guiding him to a whopping 5-3/4 length victory. The $1.4 favourite was able to use the inside draw to his advantage, jumping well and holding a position close to the speed. Purton used the early part of the race to get away from the inside rail, racing in the one-out-one-back position down the side of the course. With a strong tempo being set up front, the gelding travelled sweetly through the middle stages and ambled up strongly on the turn as the leader tried to kick away. He sprinted impressively to hit the front shortly after straightening and he never looked like going under, winning by a whopping 5-3/4 lengths in an impressive win. CHARITY GAIN stormed home well back in the run to finish a distant second as a $42 chance. He didn't have the best of luck in the straight under Vincent Ho as he had to weave through plenty of traffic, but he let rip strongly once clear and hit the line full of running. STRONGEST BOY stuck on well for third form a midfield position, but this race is all about the winner.
Race 4 – Harbour View Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.00 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
It didn't take long for Zac Purton to bring up a winning double on the night, and he did it in equally impressive fashion to his winner in race three as AURORA LADY (AUS 4yo g Star Witness – Cool Snitzel) never gave anything else a chance. From a wide draw, Purton pressed on through the opening stages to slide across and sit on the outside of the leader. The tempo was solid, and the Australian was happy to just stalk the leader through the middle stages, sitting more than a length off the pace setter as they turned off the back. He was still giving the leader a start turning for home, but it didn't really matter as he looked the only danger at the top of the straight. He moved up to take the lead with 150m to run and shot clear to win in fine style, clearing out to score by 4-1/4 lengths. KING ECCELLENTE stuck on gamely from sitting on the speed for Hugh Bowman. He tracked the eventual winner throughout the event and was just off the Aurora Lady turning for home, but he was left in his wake when they turned for home. He clung on gamely down to the line, fending off a wall of horses to finish in third. YEE CHEONG SPIRIT closed off strongly from well back in the pack to claim third in a tight go, but once again, this race was all about Aurora Lady.
Race 5 – The HKEX Cup (Handicap), HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.49 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
GALLANT VALOUR (AUS 5yo g Heroic Valour – Lassila) was the first out of the machine for Hugh Bowman, though the Australian wasn't too keen to take up the running as he slotted into a position just off the speed. The pace was solid down the back straight and Gallant Valour was in a handy position within striking distance. Coming to the 400m point, Bowman moved three-wide and began to improve into the race strongly, ending up near the middle of the track on straightening. He copped a bump when balancing up, but he levelled out well and was coming hard at the leaders. He again got more contact at the 100m point, but to the five-year-old's credit, he dug deep when it mattered most and stuck his neck out on the line to score by a short head. TACTICAL COMMAND was another one who jumped on terms but slid back from the draw, settling in the second half of the field for Alex Badel. He was racing on the back of the eventual winner through the middle stages as he booted up to keep one of his rivals wide and without cover down the back. He came under pressure a long way from home, but he moved into the race well as he remained on the back of the race favourite. The race was there for him to win if he was good enough, and while he did make a late charge at Gallant Valour, he would just miss out in a close photo finish. HAPPY PARK raced on the speed throughout for Andrea Atzeni and was wobbling about late in the race, laying out under pressure and bumping into Gallant Valour. He didn't go down without a fight and was only a neck away at the finish, just missing in a photo finish for second.
Race 6 – Harbour View 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
David Eustace picked up his first win in Hong Kong with SWIFT ASCEND (AUS 5yo g Lord Kanaloa – Believe Yourself) as Zac Purton made it a winning treble on the night. The gelding jumped well from barrier three but the Australian snagged back to settle in the second half of the field between runners. The pace was good up front, and Purton moved into the three-wide trail as they approached the end of the back straight. The Australian commenced his move around the outside with 400m remaining, ending up as the widest runner on straightening as he came with his effort near the centre of the track. He was running around under pressure, but he hit the front with 200m to run and once he straightened out, he burst away for a comfortable victory, winning by 1-1/4 lengths. GIMMY FIVE tracked into the race nicely around the turn despite sitting three-wide and without cover throughout the event. He looked to have plenty to offer as they turned for homne and he quickened well when Vincent Ho asked for an effort. He was no match for the winner in the closing stages, but he finished off well in his own right to finish a clear second. SMART FIGHTER stuck on boldly from sitting close to the speed, ending up in third position.
Race 7 – Pedder Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:40.12 Standard Time: 1:40.00 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters
Andrea Atzeni and Piere Ng combined again with I CAN (NZ 5yo g Iffraaj – Khaseeb) bringing up the second win of his career. From a nice draw, Atzeni was able to put himself in a handy position just off the speed, sitting three pairs back and along the fence as they worked down the side of the course. The pace came out of the race down the back straight and Atzeni was quick to get off the inside rail, moving up between horses so race in the one-out-one-back position as the pace began to improve inside the final 600m. The gelding travelled sweetly coming to the turn and he was able to slice his way between runners at the top of the straight to mount his challenge. He was grinding away to get to the leader in the stretch, but he had a big weight pull in his favour and he was able to sneak underneath the leader to hit the front with 50m remaining. It was a good battle down to the wire with I Can sticking his head in front late in the race and scoring as the $2.60 favourite. STAR CONTACT slid across from a wide barrier to sit on the speed for Karis Teetan, racing on the outside of the leader throughout the event. He looked to have plenty to offer turning into the straight and he kicked strongly when asked for an effort by the Mauritian, quickly moving up to hit the front at the top of the straight. I Can was trying to come through underneath him in the run, but the big gelding wouldn't go down without a fight. It was a close tussle down to the line, but Star Contact just couldn't fend off his challenger who carried 16lbs less. Well back in third was ROCKET SPADE who backed up a good first-up win with another strong performance, running on from midfield.
Race 8 – Pottinger Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.94 Standard Time: 1:09.75 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
David Hayes bookended the card with $2.30 favourite CHATEAUNEUF (AUS 4yo g Fastnet Rock – My Sabeel) with Karis Teetan in the saddle. From the inside barrier, the four-year-old showed plenty of early speed before being headed as they travelled into the first turn. Teetan was happy to sit on the back of the leader in the run with a solid tempo being set throughout the event. He was still within striking distance around the turn and the horse looked to have plenty to offer as the Mauritian pushed his was into the clear on the point of the home turn. The leader kicked strongly at the top of the straight, but Chateauneuf was up to the task, mowing down the leader inside the final 100m and kicking clear to score by 1-3/4 lengths. SCOTCH TYCOON surged forward to take up the running around the home turn and set a solid tempo in front for Lyle Hewitson. He wasn't taken on out in front and despite the good tempo he set, he was still able to produce a good kick on the turn to put a gap on his rivals. The gap narrowed quickly though as Chateauneuf mowed him down in the straight, but he was able to hold on for second position as he tired late in the race. WINGS OF WAR flashed home down the outside to grab third position after sitting a little worse than midfield in the run.
