3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Big Wave Bay Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.96 Standard Time: 1:10.05 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King
Pierre Ng kept his hot start to the season going as he teamed up with Antoine Hamelin to score with SPICY SO SMART (AUS 4yo g Outreach – Bellalicious). The gelding burst out of the barriers from gate5 and was over a length in front within the first 100m of the race. He was a clear leader around the first turn and led by 1-3/4 lengths at the 800m point. The field crept closer to him as they turned off the back, but Hamelin had done no real work up front and had plenty of horse underneath him as they turned into the straight. He had all his rivals off the bit and chasing as they turned for home and none of them could make any inroads on the leader. He was strong to the line and never looked like being run down, scoring by 1-1/4 lengths in a brilliant front running ride. CHARMING STEED had settled third in the run and was only 2-3/4 lengths off the leader as they turned into the straight. Despite being well positioned, he was unable to reel in the leader as he was doing his best work close to the line. RATTAN WORLD was a long way back in the run and snuck up the inside for Keagan De Melo. He stormed home over the closing stages in a very eye-catching effort, rounding out the placings.
Race 2 – Chung Hom Kok Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.91 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
HAPPY TRIO (AUS 5yo g Dawn Approach – Cross Stitched) showed plenty of toughness to get the job done in race two for Luke Ferraris and Douglas Whyte. He was away on terms and a line of 8 runners all pushed forward early doors, with Ferraris urging the gelding along early to settle close to the speed. He ended up drifting back as they rounded the first turn, slotting in three-wide with cover in a midfield position through the middle stages. He had a nice cart into the race, moving wider at the 400m point and building the momentum around the turn. He was still a length off the leader with 100m left to run but kept on coming under the urgings of Ferraris, levelling up to the leader inside the final 50m and inching away to score by a neck. EXUBERANT was coming home with a wet sail down the outside to run into second. He was last in the run under Jerry Chau and was the widest runner in the straight, showing good speed late in the race to finish a neck away. Race leader REGENT GLORY tired late in the race but managed to hold on for third.
Race 3 – Deep Water Bay Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:40.16 Standard Time: 56.60 Course/Class record: 55.85 Stoltz
Mark Newnham notched up his fourth winner since arriving in Hong Kong as RIGHT HONOURABLE (IRE 9yo g Famous Name – Agnetha) rounded up his rivals under Matthew Chadwick. The local hoop snicked the gelding back from the wide draw to settle near the tail of the field. He was able to improve his position down the back stretch, ending up just worse than midfield turning off the back before commencing a move approaching the 400m marker. Chadwick came wide and already had the gelding under the whip as they swung the bend, being the widest runner on straightening as he let rip down the centre of the course. He took the lead inside the concluding stages and was too strong close to the line, running away to win by a half-length. REGENCY HAPPY STAR had settled midfield and was wide with cover through the first half of the race, before Alex Badel surged around the field to take up the running down the back. He looked to have a winning break in the straight, but just began to tire inside the final 100m. He was collared in the final few strides and forced to settle for second. Second favourite HAPPY JAI JAI looked to have every chance in the run for Zac Purton but was no match for the first two across the line.
Race 4 – Middle Bay Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good
Time: 57.27 Standard Time: 57.00 Course/Class record: 56.39 Gentle Breeze
Pierre Ng brought up a double on the night as FORTUNE WARRIOR (NZ 4yo g Swiss Ace – Sainted) held on to win. He was quickly away from the widest barrier and Karis Teetan was urging the gelding along through the opening stages to take the lead. Although he led the field, he was still very wide on the track as he was finally able to cross near the 600m point. The field was strung out turning for home and the four-year-old had a wall chasing him in the straight. He was tiring close to the line but held on for a gritty all-the-way victory, holding off the fast-finishing SUPER FAST DRAGON. Lyle Hewitson's charge settled right back from a wide barrier and pinched runs along the inside early on before getting to the outside at the top of the straight and powering home. He just missed out on the win in a photo finish. COLOURFUL PRINCE showed good early speed before slotting in behind the leading division. He enjoyed a comfortable run in transit and had plenty of air to make his presence felt if he was good enough. He may have just peaked on his run close to the line, but he did enough to finish in third, only beaten a head on the line. Race favourite Sergeant Pepper finished midfield after racing close to the hot tempo.
Race 5 – The Community Chest Cup (Handicap), HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:40.52 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
Brenton Avdulla has already ridden more winners in the first two months of this season than he did in the same period at the end of last season, taking his tally to five for this season aboard the David Hall-trained GALLANT HERO (IRE 5yo g Fast Company – Bett's Gift). Although he jumped well from the outside barrier, Avdulla snagged the gelding back to last in the run, settling a clear last throughout. There was no real change in the run as he was still a clear last turning for home and 6-1/4 lengths off the leader with Avdulla sticking close to the inside turning for home. The gelding looked to race tight for room in the straight, but he had plenty of luck as the gaps continued to open in front of him, surging through late and sticking his nose down right where it mattered most, scoring by a short head in a tight photo finish. STRONGEST BOY jumped the race favourite and looked to have the win sewn up out wider on the course. He closed off strongly but just missed out as Gallant Hero got the bob in right on the line. TO INFINITY was all over the shop in the straight, but once straightened up by Hewitson he hit the line full of running to finish third in a tight three-way go. Second favourite M M Nebula was very disappointing in his effort after leading the field throughout, running last and having no real excuses as the vets failed to find any abnormalities.
Race 6 – Chung Hom Kok Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.61 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Zac Purton went one better in the sixth as he rode A AMERIC TE SPECSO (NZ 5yo g Per Incanto – Island Time) to victory for John Size. He jumped well from barrier 4 but copped plenty of contact shortly after the start, settling a little worse than midfield in the run. Things unfolded well for Purton around the home turn as he began to make ground turning into the straight. Purton had plenty of clear air in the straight as he began to mow down the leaders, taking the lead with 50m to run and winning very comfortably by three-quarters of-a-length. SEE U AGAIN had raced outside the leader in running and moved up to take control at the top of the straight. He fended off the rest of his rivals, but just found one better on the night in a great effort. LYRICAL MOTION had settled in behind the leaders with the run of the race throughout and stuck on well to round out the placings.
Race 7 – Repulse Bay Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1800m - Track Good
Time: 1:48.33 Standard Time: 1:49.30 Course/Class record: 1:47.91 Leap Of Faith
David Hayes looks to have a four-year-old series chance on his hands as LEAN HERO (AUS 4yo c Maurice – Frontalis) proved too good stepping out to 1800m. The colt jumped well for Derek Leung and the local hoop positioned the gelding one-out-one-back in the run with a solid pace being set through the opening stages. The field strung out through the opening half of the race, but Lean Hero was always in a handy position. He was right on the back of the leaders as the first 3 got away from the rest of the field turning for home, with Leung beginning to get stuck into the colt at the top of the stretch. He knuckled down to take the lead with 150m left to run and held his rivals at bay to score by a half-length in a great run. INTREPID WINNER had settled midfield and one off the fence in running, but De Melo made the smart move to get going with about 500m to run to ensure he wasn't too far away at the top of the straight. He stayed on strongly to the line under hard riding and was coming strongly at the finish, ending up in second place. FRANTANCK had been one of the early pace setters and showed good staying ability with no weight on his back. He proved tough to run past in the straight and then held on strongly to the line, finishing third but only missing out on second in a photo finish. TOURBILLON PRINCE jumped the race favourite but tired on straightening after leading the field.
Race 8 – Shek O Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.92 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
Angus Chung booted home BEAUTY GLORY (GB 5yo g Toronado – Gregoria) for his master Tony Cruz. The apprentice pinged the five-year-old out of the barriers and took the lead heading into the back straight. He was left unopposed passing the 800m point and was doing it comfortably out in front. The field strung out as they turned off the back and he extended his margin approaching the 400m point, travelling comfortably under Chung who looked to have plenty of horse left at the top of the straight. He had plenty of rivals coming at him as he wandered up the track, but he had built a big enough gap to hold them all at bay, scoring by a short head on the line and getting the nod in a photo finish. GRATEFUL HEART made a strong run up the inside. He settled three pairs back along the inside and looked to be travelling poorly 500m from the finish as Atzeni was hard at work on the gelding. He tracked through along the inside as the rivals in front of him got away from the inside, giving him a saloon passage up the rail. He lunged at the winner but couldn't stick his nose in front. SWEET BRIAR landed in a brilliant spot in running and peeled out like the winner at the top of the straight. He stuck on well in the straight to finish only a neck away but was there to win if good enough.
Race 9 – Stanley Handicap, HK $2,840,000
Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.19 Standard Time: 1:09.35 Course/Class record: 1:08.26 Rewarding Together
SON PAK FU (AUS 5yo g Fighting Sun – Lady Zhao Jun) got away on terms from his sticky alley as Jerry Chau looked to slot in midfield early on, but eventually drifted back to be near last down the back straight. He was racing three-wide and was facing the breeze down the back as he continued to race near the tail of the field. Chau began to creep closer with 500m remaining, closing the gap under his own steam around the turn but staying closer to the inside on straightening. It took Chau a little while to get the five-year-old into the clear, but he let rip once he found clear air, mowing down the leaders and getting his head in front in the final couple of strides to steal victory. BUNDLE OF CHARM enjoyed a lovely run in transit under Karis Teetan and had taken the lead midway down the straight with Son Pak Fu still a couple of lengths away. Teetan had fought off his main dangers along the inside, but the winner came at him very late in the race and there was nothing he could do. REWARD SMILE snuck up the inside rail over the final 200m to claim third placing after jumping the race favourite.
