3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.
Race 1 – Panashop Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 (Restricted) – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.36 Standard Time: 1:09.40 Course/Class record: 1:08.40 Master Eight
The three-year-old's got things underway on Panasonic Cup day and it was apprentice Ellis Wong saluting aboard KAHOLO ANGEL (GB 3yo g Havana Grey – Starboard Watch). It was a wet start to the afternoon, but the gelding jumped away on terms, settling in behind a good tempo from a favourable alley. He tracked up strongly behind the leading pair, one of which didn't handle the turn, giving Wong a big gap to race through. The flashy grey took the lead with 200m left to run and proved far too strong in the closing stages, scoring easily by 2-3/4 lengths. SUPER LEGENDS had been following the eventual winner throughout the race, tailing him around the turn and into the straight before moving wider on the course under Hugh Bowman. He is still learning his craft, racing greenly in the straight, but he put it all together close to the line and finished off nicely to claim second. RUBYLOT led the field throughout and was taken on out in front, setting the strong tempo up front. He didn't fold up easily though, just missing out on second in a photo finish.
Race 2 – Panasonic Ziaino Air Treatment Handicap, HK 875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 2000m - Track Good
Time: 2:03.49 Standard Time: 2:02.85 Course/Class record: 2:01.56 Gorgeous Again
A pair of Australians teamed up to score in race two, with HAPPY HERO (AUS 5yo g Pierro – Forty Winks) scoring for Zac Purton and Mark Newnham. He was one of the first into stride from barrier 3 and was prominent early as rivals from out wide began to make their challenge for the lead. Purton ended up in a great position three pairs back and away from the fence. Some moves came mid-race but they didn't affect the five-year-old too much, remaining in behind the speed and travelling very comfortably with 600m left to run. He got a nice cart into the straight and Purton hadn't moved on the gelding until the 350m and looked to have the race under control. He took the lead approaching the furlong pole but did have some rivals from the rear mounting a challenge. He had enough left in the tank, holding on to score by a neck on the line. FIERY FLYING and Hugh Bowman had tracked the eventual winner and main market danger everywhere he went in the run, but was unable to match it with Happy Hero's sprint at the top of the straight. He was really eating into the margin close to the line but ran out of time to wind him in, settling for second. SUN OF MAKFI always seems to have something go wrong in his races. He was in a great spot on settling down but was shuffled back with all of the midrace moves, before finding plenty of traffic turning into the straight. Once clear he closed off strongly to finish in the placings.
Race 3 – Panasonic 4KTV Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good
Time: 56.91 Standard Time: 56.25 Course/Class record: 54.89 Voyage Warrior
The David Hall-trained INVINCIBLE SAGE (AUS 4yo g Thronum – Thorsborne) notched up his second win in-a-row down the straight. Hugh Bowman tucked him in behind runners after being away on terms, settling in second-last as they worked through the middle stages. Bowman had moved across to the outside rail on settling and began to weave his way through traffic approaching the 400m point. He got into the clear with about 250m remaining and Bowman got to work on the four-year-old, chasing down the leader to get his head in front inside the final 50m to score by a neck. SPARKLING KNIGHT showed plenty of speed to get across early on and getting to the grandstand rail. He ended up sitting just off the leader on settling down, stalking through the middle stages before running to the lead with about 300m to run. He shot over a length clear in front and was still leading approaching the 100m. He was unable to hold off the winner in the closing stages, finishing only a neck away. A further 2 lengths behind was SUMMIT CHEERS who also settled near the tail before making his run down the middle of the track.
Race 4 – Panasonic Japan Made System Kitchen Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 2000m - Track Good
Time: 2:01.96 Standard Time: 2:02.35 Course/Class record: 2:00.67 Full Power
The airborne Pierre Ng stable didn't take long to strike, securing their first win of the afternoon with BILLIONAIRE SECRET (IRE 4yo g Slade Power – Roseisarose). He was one of the worst into stride under Zac Purton, who darted back to the rail and was able to sneak along the inside to settle midfield around the first turn. The tempo was good throughout and Purton was able to get off the rail at about the halfway point with the field packing up turning off the back. The champion hoop got a lovely two into the race around the home turn and peeled five-wide at the top of the straight with a strong grip on the gelding. He let down strongly once Purton asked for an effort, taking the lead with around a furlong to run and he never looked like getting beat. He sprinted clear in the straight and was eased down over the final 25m, scoring by 2-1/2 lengths in an impressive victory. DARCI JOY had settled well back in the run and was maybe a little unlucky not to finish closer, being held up slightly when Angus Chung wanted to go. She closed off strongly down the outside, running into second position, edging out JUBILATION in a photo finish. Keith Yeung snuck up the inside rail on straightening in a sound effort to the line, finishing third.
Race 5 – Panasonic Lighting Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1600m - Track Good
Time: 1:35.58 Standard Time: 1:34.75 Course/Class record: 1:32.19 Beauty Fit
It was a race-to-race double for Pierre Ng and Zac Purton, teaming up once again with MASTER OF FORTUNE (IRE 4yo g Fastnet Rock – Stellar Glow). He got away on terms and landed in a midfield position on settling down, but the field had split into two near the 1000m point. Purton was in the chasing pack as they turned off the back, but worked into the race nicely from the 500m point as the Australian hoop tracked wide into the straight. He raced up to take the lead with 100m left to run and had a fight on his hands close to the line. He managed to get the bob in at the right time, getting the nod in a close photo finish. BEAUTY FIT has raced his way back into form. He settled just off the pace in the run and made a sustained run in the straight, eventually being passed with around 100m to run by the eventual winner. He wouldn't lay down in the run to the line though, making his opponent fight for the victory and only going down by a nose in a close photo finish. SILVER KING went out and set the tempo in his Hong Kong debut but showed plenty of strength to finish just a neck away at the line. He'll be on a 4YO Series path early in the new year and laid the foundations in his debut effort.
Race 6 – Panasonic IH Warm Jar Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1400m - Track Good
Time: 1:22.36 Standard Time: 1:22.10 Course/Class record: 1:20.80 Perfect Pair
Brenton Avdulla has been superb through the first couple of months of the season and continued that run with a win aboard the Francis Lui-trained HOLY LAKE (IRE 3yo g Holy Roman Emperor – Lake Louise). He was away on terms and Avdulla was positive from the barriers, punching through to land on the back of the leader on settling down. Avdulla had a great run in transit, remaining on the back of the leader throughout, but was still over a length off the leader with a furlong to run. The leader began to tire inside the final 50m and Avdulla could smell blood in the water, throwing everything he had at his mount to stick his nose in front in the final stride, securing victory by a short head. Angus Chung had given WAR OF COURAGE a peach of a ride, but just couldn't hold off the winner close to the line. He kicked clear at the top of the straight and punters were probably in the queue ready to collect with 150m to run. He only went down narrowly but it was a superb ride from the in-form apprentice. GLUCK RACER was very eye-catching running on from midfield. He was one of the widest on straightening and finished off strongly to claim third.
Race 7 – The Panasonic Cup (Handicap), HK $3,720,000
Class 1 – Turf - Distance 1400m - Track Good
Time: 1:21.69 Standard Time: 1:21.25 Course/Class record: 1:19.92 Encouraging
It was a close finish in the feature event of the afternoon, but it was Frankie Lor and Luke Ferraris teaming up with SAUVESTRE (AUS 6yo g Hinchinbrook – Dezign). He was one of the first into stride and rolled to the front under Ferraris to dictate the speed, setting just a moderate tempo through the middle stages. The South African hoop began to quicken things up from the 500m point and led by over a length at the top of the straight, and had extended that margin coming to the 200m pole. He was getting caught close to the line, but he'd built a big enough margin to hold off his rivals and score by a neck in the feature. It was a tight three-way go for the minor placings, with RED LION finishing in second. Alex Badel had tracked the leader throughout the race and came off heels with 250m to run to mount his challenge. He tried hard at the finish but couldn't reel in the leader. DANCING CODE settled in the one-out-one-back position and stuck on well to claim third. It wasn't without drama though as Hugh Bowman came down as Derby runner-up Tuchel went amiss in the straight.
Race 8 – Panasonic Speed Oven Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1600m - Track Good
Time: 1:35.51 Standard Time: 1:35.00 Course/Class record: 1:33.78 Morethanlucky
Zac Purton and Pierre Ng once again combined in race 8 as race favourite AESTHETICISM (NZ 4yo g Derryn – Le Petite) ran over the top to win comfortably. The gelding got away on terms and settled midfield in the run, positioning himself between runners in the middle stages. Purton was in a tricky spot around the home turn but pushed his way into the clear with 300m to run and set out after the leader. He quickened very impressively once clear, storming over the top to hit the front with 100m to run and pulling away to win by 1-1/4 lengths. CELTIC TIMES was given a peach of a ride by Matthew Chadwick, landing in the box seat one-out-one-back after jumping from barrier one. The local hoop peeled into the clear on straightening and the gelding hit the front momentarily in the straight, before being rounded up and caught by the winner. SPECIAL HEDGE had been on the inside of Celtic Times throughout the race and had to duck back to the inside to get clear air in the straight. He finished off strongly to claim third, just missing out on second in a photo finish.
Race 9 – Panasonic Thermo Ventilator Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf – Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:08.97 Standard Time: 1:09.05 Course/Class record: 1:08.11 Victor The Winner
Pierre Ng just could not be stopped at Sha Tin, bringing up his fourth winner of the afternoon and extending his lead in the Trainers' title with MUGEN (AUS 5yo g Deep Field – Little Favours). He was a little slow into stride, but he didn't miss it as bad as he had done, settling near the tail of the field for Karis Teetan. The Mauritian was able to get off the inside around the turn but had plenty of work to do at the top of the straight with most of the field in front of him. The gelding was travelling strongly though as Teetan began to work through the traffic, squeezing through gaps before getting into open air with a furlong to run. He was very strong down to the wire, picking up the leader in the final few strides and winning by a half-length. Zac Purton had rated the leader BEAUTY WAVES impeccably up front, getting a breather through the middle stages before sprinting quickly again at the top of the straight. He led by over 2 lengths with 150m left to run but just felt the effects of the run late in the race, tiring and being overrun in the shadows of the post. Race favourite MODULECONSTRUCTION was there to win if good enough and had plenty of time and space to round up the leader. He couldn't catch the leader in the end as the winner blew right by him, holding on for third.
Race 10 – Panasonic IH Cooker Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf – Distance 1400m - Track Good
Time: 1:22.05 Standard Time: 1:21.80 Course/Class record: 1:20.62 Preciousship
It was an all-the-way victory for SUPER WINNER (NZ 8yo g Guillotine – Cinnadream) as he flew out of the barriers for Angus Chung. He was leading the way early but was kept away from the rail as they sorted their order out, with the apprentice able to get across to the inside as they turned off the back. He was able to get a slight breather through the middle stages, but still held a length advantage on his rivals right around the home turn. He broke the hearts of his rivals in the straight as he extended his lead with 200m to run, but it was never in doubt as Chung guided home the flashy grey for a two-length victory. D STAR had essentially settled on the back of the leader in running, despite being a couple of lengths away. Matthew Chadwick stayed close to the inside turning for home and although he was no match for the winner, he stuck on well to claim second. KA YING CHEER had sat just off the leader on settling down and was using him as a bunny to catch throughout. However, he was unable to reel him in close to the line and had to settle for third as he tired close to the line.
