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Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Chaozhou Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.22 Standard Time: 1:10.15 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King
Cody Mo and Matthew Chadwick combined to win the opener on the card with SPICY SO SMART (AUS 5yo g Outreach – Bellalicious). From the inside draw Chadwick fired the gelding out of the barriers and rolled to the front heading into the first turn. He was able to lead the field comfortably through the middle stages with not a whole lot of pressure being applied through the middle stages. The two leaders slipped away just a touch around the home turn, but it was at the top of the straight where the five-year-old really put the foot down. Spicy So Smart broke a couple of lengths clear early in the straight, with Chadwick right up against the inside rail. The field was coming after him inside the final 100m, but the son of Outreach had enough gas left in the tank, winning by a neck on the line. SUPER ELITE bounced well from barrier five, though Karis Teetan wasn't all that interested in taking up the running. The Mauritian hoop let the leader's go into the first turn, sliding into the one-out-one-back position throughout the race. After having a dream run in transit, Teetan ducked back to the inside of a tiring horse to make his run with the race his to win if he was good enough. He was strong to the line, but he was unable to reel in Spicy So Smart, finishing a clear second. CHEER FOR SOUTH lobbed into a position on the leader's back from barrier two and was travelling strongly to the turn. He copped some interference at the point of the home turn which halted his momentum a touch, though he was able to rally back along the inside and hold on for third position in a tight photo finish.
Race 2 – Dongguan Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1800m – Track Good
Time: 1:49.06 Standard Time: 1:49.45 Course/Class record: 1:47.91 Leap Of Faith
Karis Teetan was able to go one better in the second event, guiding home SHARPEN BRIGHT (NZ 5yo g Redwood – Wandane) for the David Hall stable. It took the Mauritian hoop a little while to roll across from the wide alley, sitting three-wide down the home straight before rolling forward heading into the first turn. He would settle in second position down the side of the course, sitting just off the leader and one off the fence as they worked through the middle stages. The pace ramped up from the 600m point and Sharpen Bright was under heavy pressure a long way from home as the leader tried to skip away, but he continued to dig in and looked to hit the front at the furlong pole. He and a rival broke away from the rest of the group and fought out the finish over the final 150m, with only a photo finish being able to split them at the post. Sharpen Bright held on to win by a nose in a tough slog. RED MAJESTY raced to the inside of Sharpen Bright throughout the race after jumping well from an inside barrier. He and Sharpen Bright made their runs together turning for home with Red Majesty seemingly travelling the better of the two swinging into the straight. Red Majesty and Sharpen Bright fought out the finish in a two-horse war from the 150m point, with Red Majesty and Keith Yeung falling agonizingly short. WINNING STEPS kept on well from a midfield position to sneak through between two horses and finish in third position, getting the nod in another photo finish.
Race 3 – Foshan Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:40.38 Standard Time: 1:40.20 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
STURDY RUBY (AUS 5yo g Street Boss – Renaka) shed the maiden tag on resumption at start number 17. He was a little slow into stride and had to be dug up by Vincent Ho to hold a spot heading into the first turn. He raced in a midfield position along the inside rail, with the pace even through the middle stages of the race. The leader then began to speed things up from the 600m point with Ho still remaining to the inside until the 400m point. Ho was able to slide away from the inside and into the clear turning for home and he let down powerfully out wide. He stormed to the front midway down the straight and shot away from his rivals, winning comfortably on the line by 1-1/4 lengths as he finally secured that elusive maiden victory. VIVA GRACIOUSNESS slid forward from barrier seven to sit on the outside of the leader heading around the first turn. The pace was good up front and the gelding was travelling comfortably throughout the middle stages for Matthew Chadwick. Coming around the turn, he was already under the pump as the leader quickened the tempo from the 600m point, but Viva Graciousness was still right there to strike. He was quickly overtaken by Sturdy Ruby with around 150m to run, but he held on for second position as a $23 chance. THE AZURE closed off strongly for Derek Leung to run into third place.
Race 4 – Huizhou Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:10.12 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
DENFIELD (AUS 5yo g Deep Field – Bousquet) scored his first win in over a year as he proved far too good for Hugh Bowman and Danny Shum. The gelding jumped on terms, but he wasn't bustled along out of the barriers by Bowman, with the Australian hoop happy to race midfield early on. As the race continued to unfold through the middle stages, Bowman was able to improve onto the back of the leader approaching the 600m point and was right on the leader's tail as they turned for home. He had plenty of horse underneath him turning for home and Denfield sidled up to the leader early in the straight, before putting the race to bed in a matter of strides. He took the lead and got away from the chasing pack, with none of his rivals ever looking like chasing him down, with the gelding winning by 1-1/4 lengths on the line. YOUNG HORIZON was also in a midfield position in the run for Keith Yeung, being only a length of Denfield throughout the event. When the sprint went on, he was left a little flat-footed, though his best work was done inside the final 100m where he knuckled down and really cut the margin back. He closed off well to finish a clear second, with LAKESHORE HERO finishing 2-3/4 lengths further back. He showed good ability on debut as he rocketed home from the tail of the field, hitting the line in eye-catching fashion.
Race 5 – Huizhou Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:10.36 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
SMART FIGHTER (NZ 5yo g Sacred Falls – Do Ra Mi) scored the first win of his career at start number 15, holding on to win narrowly for Ricky Yiu and Luke Ferraris. The gelding showed plenty of early speed to be racing up front heading into the first turn, leading comfortably for Ferraris. Down the back straight, the five-year-old was taken on for the lead and the South African Hoop let that rival go, taking the trail down the back straight. Ferraris switched to the outside as they turned off the back and rolled up to the outside of the leader to apply some pressure 400m from home, eventually taking the lead with ease at the top of the straight. He was some three lengths in front with 200m remaining, but the gelding was beginning to stop at the 100m mark with a wall of horses chasing. He was out on his feet as they hit the line, but he had clung on by a head to secure his maiden victory. TACTICAL COMMAND landed in a midfield position for Alexis Badel following a good piece of riding early doors from barrier nine. He was able to slot in one off the fence and travel sweetly through the middle stages with a solid pace being set up front. Badel moved into the race wider out as they came to the home turn, ending up near the middle of the track on straightening and coming with a strong run. He was sticking on strongly as the leader was tiring, but the gap was too great as he just missed by a head on the line. TELECOM DRAGON had been racing around Tactical Command in the run and remained closer to the inside on straightening. He closed off well to finish just a neck away in third, but he never really looked a winning chance.
Race 6 – Shenzen Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1800m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:49.61 Standard Time: 1:49.85 Course/Class record: 1:48.10 Acclaimed Light
David Eustace picked up the second win of his career in Hong Kong as CHARITY GAIN (IRE 4yo g Twilight Son – Stylos Ecossais) proved far too good at his first try over 1800m. Vincent Ho slid across early in the race to settle in a midfield position one off the fence, getting a nice run in the race with an even tempo being set. Ho was forced to improve three-wide turning off the back as the runner in front of him began to tire, with the local hocket sliding around the outside of the field and to the middle of the track on straightening. He just kept coming out wider, letting rip down the middle of the track with the momentum up, hitting the front with 100m to run and pulling away to win emphatically on the line, scoring by two lengths. ARTHUR'S KINGDOM had set the tempo throughout the event with Karis Teetan leading from the inside barrier. He set an even tempo throughout the race before trying to break the field apart around the home turn by sprinting strongly at the 400m point. He got clear of his rivals turning for home and led by two lengths with a furlong to run, but Charity Gain was bearing down on him out wide. While he was no match for the winner, he finished a clear second with the third horse a further 1-1/4 lengths behind him. That was DRAGON STAR who looked to be paddling around the home turn for Matthew Poon, but he showed good staying ability to rally back into third position.
Race 7 – The Kwangtung Handicap Cup (Handicap), HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 57.42 Standard Time: 57.20 Course/Class record: 56.39 Gentle Breeze
HAPPY TANGO (AUS 9yo g Eavesdropper – Red Dawn) picked up his second win of this season with the veteran galloper holding off a wall of horses. He jumped quickly from barrier six and was part of a strong battle for early supremacy, before Angus Chung eased out of the battle to settle in the one-out-one-back position. He only looked to be plugging away as they entered the straight but was from the furlong pole where he started to make his move. Coming to the 100m point he joined the leaders, and with 50m to go his strength kicked in, bursting out of the pack to hit the front and score by a neck on the line, jumping a $16 chance. Only one length separated the first 7 horses across the line, with CIRCUIT SEVEN sneaking up the inside to run second in a photo finish. Matthew Poon always seemed to be niggling the gelding along in the run as he settled midfield and along the inside. While the field ended up in the middle of the track on straightening, Poon remained back to the inside, slicing through to get his nose down on the wire and steal second position. SUPER SIXTY was just edged out by Circuit Seven. Those two had raced alongside each other in the running and remained tied at the hip right down to the wire with only the judge able to split them at the post.
Race 8 – Zhaoqing Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.79 Standard Time: 1:09.75 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
There was an upset in race eight as $42 chance YOUNG EMPEROR (IRE 3yo g Holy Roman Emperor – Emirate Jewel) made it a winning double for Luke Ferraris and David Eustace in his Hong Kong debut. From barrier eight, Ferraris snagged back to be near the tail of the field on settling down with a solid tempo being set through the early stages. The South African hoop was able to move into the three-wide trail around the home turn and he continued to course wider around the home turn with plenty of horse underneath him. The pair had built up plenty of momentum around the turn and got out toward the middle of the track as they came with their run. He loomed up to the leader with 100m to run before getting clear of his nearest dangers and scoring by a half-length on the line in a great first-up effort. Another newcomer to Hong Kong ROMANTIC SON jumped the race favourite and looked to have every chance for Zac Purton. From an inside barrier, he was able to land in a perfect position on the back of the leader where he did barely any work throughout the race. Purton looked to have plenty to offer as they swung into the straight, with the Australian hoop ducking back to the inside rail to make his run. He hit the front with around 150m to run, but couldn't shake his rivals out wider. Young Emperor was just too strong at the finish, though Romantic Son and Purton did get their head down on the wire to finish in second position. RIGHTEOUS ARION had given Young Emperor a back to follow working into the event. He kept on well to the line, sustaining that strong effort to finish in third, just three quarters of-a-length off the winner.
Race 9 – Zhuhai Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 56.98 Standard Time: 56.70 Course/Class record: 55.85 Stoltz
HORSEPOWER (AUS 4yo g Harry Angel – Romneya) made a winning start to his career in Hong Kong, running over the top for Zac Purton and Frankie Lor. The four-year-old ended up in a midfield position from a sticky alley, being kept out three-wide approaching the first turn, though he did have cover. Despite the wide run, he was travelling well and Purton got right to the outside as they sprinted for the finish. The gelding let down like a good horse, storming over the top inside the final 50m to win by a neck on the line. He was still doing plenty wrong late in the race, but the makings are there of a horse who may be able to work through the grades. ALLGREEKTOME was quickly away from the wide barrier and apprentice hoop Ellis Wong rolled to the lead approaching the first turn. The pace was strong, but not breakneck as they worked through the middle sages, with the leader still under a strong hold on straightening. He kicked well as Wong ended up down the middle of the track, and he was only caught inside the final 50m in what was a very strong effort. ETERNAL FORTUNE had the drop on the leader turning for home after stalking him throughout the event and was there to win if good enough. He was only beaten a half-length on the line in a solid effort.
Race 10 – Guangzhou Handicap, HK $2,840,000
Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.31 Standard Time: 1:09.55 Course/Class record: 1:08.26 Rewarding Together
Zac Purton made it a successful end to the day, bringing up a race-to-race double aboard the Francis Lui-trained COPARTNER PRANCE (AUS 5yo g Epaulette – Woodstock Hussey). Purton bounced well from the inside barrier to hold the lead as they swung around the first turn. He was challenged up front with around 800m remaining, but Purton kicked up to hold his rival out and hold the lead turning off the back. He kicked well turning for home but he was under pressure a long way out from the finish, being taken on from all angles. Purton was throwing everything he had at his mount to fend off the challengers. He held on by the skin of his teeth, getting the nod in a very tight photo finish to win by a nose and return to winning ways. LUCKY ENCOUNTER made it very interesting at the finish, but he just couldn't stick his nose in front. After being on the speed around the first turn, Andrea Atzeni slotting into the one-out-one-back position through the middle stages of the race. He was racing between horses coming to the home turn and was held up for a run momentarily on the point of the home turn, before getting into the clear at the top of the straight. He made his run down the middle of the course and was still strong right to the line, but he just couldn't get his nose down in front. RAGING BLIZZARD loomed as the winner midway down the straight as he tried to duck underneath his rivals, but he may have just peaked on the run first-up for the season. He's worth following going forward.
