3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Racing on a good-to-firm racing surface, we witnessed the first dead-heat of the season with Caspar Fownes and Frankie Lor's charges unable to be split on the line. Both Fownes and Lor ended up with a double on the night, while Zac Purton rode a treble on the card and regained the lead in the Jockeys title.
Race 1 – Heung Yip Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:39.39 Standard Time: 1:40.30 Course/Class record: 1:38.91 All Joyful
Derek Leung kicked things off as VIVA A LA (NZ 5yo g Showcasing – Zafrenzy) upset the favourite in a close finish. The gelding jumped well from his middle draw and rolled forward to lead the field on settling down. Leung was able to do as he pleased out in front, dictating the tempo which was only fair through the first half of the race. The field was bunched heading down the back and passed the 600m point where the local jockey began to ramp things up again, breaking clear by over a length around the home turn. He cornered nearly 2 lengths in front, and it looked as though they were struggling to catch him down the stretch. The five-year-old was getting tired inside the final 50m but clung on to win in a photo finish as YEE CHEONG WARRIOR flew at him late. Hugh bowman had settled about midfield on the second placegetter in running but was shuffled back when the field bunched turning off the back straight. He made a big dive at the leader close to the finish but couldn't reel him in. TSUEN WAN GLORY crossed the line third, a further 1-3/4 lengths off the winner.
Race 2 – Island Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.41 Standard Time: 1:10.05 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King
Matthew Chadwick brought up his third winner of the season as MY INTELLIGENT (AUS 6yo g Holy Roman Emperor – Tequilakoko) ran over the top. The gelding jumped well but didn't have the speed to go with the leaders early on, landing in fourth position down the back straight. They ran along up front, and the field was strung out down the back, but Chadwick and the six-year-old were in a handy enough position to feature. The local hoop burrowed through along the inside to improve his position turning for home, before crossing off heels and getting into the clear in the middle of the track. He loomed up to the leaders strongly, eventually taking the lead inside the final 100m and pulling away for a half-length victory. MIRACLES led around the first turn before being passed down the back stretch and was a reason why the field was strung out in the run. Zac Purton hit the front shortly after turning for home but was unable to hold off the winner who had the beautiful run throughout. VAMOS tried hard back to the inside after settling in a midfield position but could only manage third.
Race 3 – Nam Fung Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good to Firm
Time: 56.36 Standard Time: 56.60 Course/Class record: 55.85 Stoltz
The 1000m race was taken out by Frankie Lor and Karis Teetan as they teamed up with HEROIC MASTER (AUS 5yo g Not A Single Doubt – Jacquetta) to salute in the third race. The gelding jumped well and as expected over the short course, the pace was right on up front and Teetan sat just off them on settling down. He was in a stalking position around the turn and was creeping closer to the leading division as they swung for home, peeling out toward the centre of the track to mount his challenge. He edged in front with 100m to run and drew clear close to home, scoring by three-quarters of-a-length. MAJESTIC KNIGHT was a gutsy run in second position. After being only fairly into stride, Lyle Hewitson pushed the gelding along to find his position, eventually landing in second place just off the leader. As they turned for home, the South African hoop took the lead, but he was unable to fend off the winner in the final stages. HUMBLE STAR jumped the race favourite but was just too far back on the hot speed, running on well from near the tail to finish in third position.
Race 4 – Shum Wan Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:39.68 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
JUNE PLANET (AUS 5yo g Not A Single Doubt – Spy Catcher) helped Hugh Bowman extend his lead in the jockey title, bringing up back-to-back wins in the fourth event. The five-year-old got away on terms and wasn't asked to do a whole lot as they sorted their order out, landing just worse than midfield and away from the rail. The pace was genuine throughout which set it up nicely for the son of Not A Single Doubt. He got a lovely cart into the race around the home turn and came wide on the track to let down strongly. He took the lead 100m from the finish and was far too strong through the line, winning by a length. FEARLESS FIRE was the one who took the winner into the race, settling just in front of him and providing cover as he began to improve around the home turn. He stuck on well to finish second but was no match for the winner. BEAUTY MISSION was the 'flashing light' run into third. He stormed home from the rear of the field to round out the placings. Race favourite DURHAM STAR was fourth but didn't have the best of luck at a crucial stage in the race.
Race 5 – The Hong Kong Country Club Challenge Cup (Handicap), HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.00 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
The first dead heat of the season came up in the feature event of the night, with CAPITAL DELIGHT (AUS 4yo g Capitalist – Eiffel Tower) and LUCKY ARCHANGEL (AUS 6yo g Deep Field – Chik Chik Boom) unable to be split. Capital Delight missed the start and settled at the tail of the field while Lucky Archangel settled just off the leader, eventually landing in the one-out-one-back position. There was no real change to the order through the middle stages, with Angus Chung pulling out wider on Lucky Archangel while Vincent Ho stuck to the inside aboard Capital Delight. Ho had to weave his way through traffic in the straight as he tried to chase Lucky Archangel who hit the front with 100m left to run. They were wide apart as they hit the line locked together, but the judge was unable to find a gap between the two, with a dead heat called. Vincent Ho was suspended following this race as stewards believed he failed to ride his mount out all the way to the line. EXCELLENT PEERS crossed the line in third position after sticking on well along the inside of the track.
Race 6 – Tai Shue Wan Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.00 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
He'd been around the mark most of the night, but it took until race 6 and the $1.60 favourite DENFIELD (AUS 4yo g Deep Field – Bousquet) for Zac Purton to hit the board. He jumped on terms from a wide barrier and Purton took luck out of the equation early on, rolling around the field to take the lead down the back straight. They weren't hanging around early on as the field strung out, but Purton was able to catch his breath at the end of the back straight, before letting rip from the 400m point once again. He continued to hold his rivals at bay down the straight, holding on close to the line to score by a neck. GOLDEN LINK made a sustained run up along the inside to really test the winner in the straight, but despite the best efforts of Derek Leung, he was unable to stick his nose in front. HIGH PERCENTAGE made a strong run from the tail of the field to run into third position in an eye-catching run.
Race 7 – Tai Shue Wan Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.26 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Zac Purton then made it a race-to-race double as COPARTNER AMBITION (AUS 6yo g Starspangledbanner – Porcellanus) also led all the way. He pinged out of the barriers and went straight to the front under the champion jockey, leading into the back straight and holding out his rivals. The pace was good throughout, as indicated by the overall time relative to the standard, but the gelding was still travelling comfortably around the turn and into the straight. He quickened well turning for home to open up a break on his rivals, and that gap wouldn't be narrowed in the run to the line, scoring by a length over LYRICAL MOTION. Harry Bentley had his mount positioned in the one-out-one-back position throughout the race and chased the leader hard in the run to the line but was unable to catch him close to home. RIGHTEOUS ARION was just too far back in the run. He made up plenty of ground in the run to the line to finish in third.
Race 8 – Wong Chuk Hang Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:38.85 Standard Time: 1:39.85 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters
Hong Kong has a new Jockeys Premiership leader as Zac Purton took out the final three races on the card. ROMANTIC LAOS (NZ 5yo g Pins – Zaburn) also provided new trainer Cody Mo with his first win. From the widest barrier, the gelding jumped well and was speared across in the opening stages by Purton, getting him into a beautiful position just off the speed. The pace was good through the first half of the race as the field was strung out heading into the back straight. Purton found himself in a perfect position coming up to the 600m point and began to make his move with about 450m left to run. The champion hoop moved three-wide turning for home and built plenty of momentum as he got out near the centre of the course. He took the lead with 200m to run, and it was all over from that point as Romantic Laos went on to win by 1-1/4 lengths. SILVER SONIC ran into second position after settling on the inside of the winner throughout and squeezing his way up the rail. INTREPID WINNER showed some good signs for when he steps out in distance, running on well from midfield to finish in third position.
