3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Tai Lam Chung Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.20 Standard Time: 1:10.05 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King
Antoine Hamelin and Jamie Richards got things going with an impressive victory by ERNEST FEELING (AUS 6yo g Epaulette – Melancolia). Although he was away on terms, the gelding didn't have the pace to hold race up front early doors, jumping onto the back of the leader around the first turn. The six-year-old was unable to hold that position down the back though, settling in a more midfield position through the middle stages with an even pace being set. Hamelin needed some luck turning for home and he was able to get it as runners in front of him fanned wide on the turn. The seas parted and the gelding shot through, taking the lead at the 100m point and pulling away to win comfortably by 2-1/4 lengths. HAPPY TANGO was away well from an awkward draw and was roused along by Lyle Hewitson to go up and sit outside the leader. He travelled comfortably through the middle stages and showed plenty of strength when he took the lead at the furlong pole. He was no match for the winner who pulled away to win comfortably, but he stuck on strongly to hold on for second. FIRE BALL was slowly into stride but ended up on the back of the eventual winner on settling down. He essentially followed Ernest Feeling through a gap in the straight and closed off well to finish in third.
Race 2 – Shek Pik Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:40.87 Standard Time: 1:40.30 Course/Class record: 1:38.91 All Joyful
Favourite backers were rejoicing after the second with SPLENDID STAR (AUS 5yo g Deep Field – Xena Express) scoring for Karis Teetan and Douglas Whyte. The gelding got away well from an inside barrier but didn't have the speed to match going into he first turn, settling in the second half of the field. The pace looked good through the first half of the race, but the five-year-old found himself near last with 800m left to travel. Teetan moved into the three-wide trail and got a lovely track around the turn and into the straight, being the widest runner on straightening. He stormed right down the outside to take the lead inside the final 100m and pulled away to win comfortably by 1-1/2 lengths. LOYAL AMBITION was a little slow away from the barriers and took up a position at the rear of the field. He remained there throughout the race and had the back of the eventual winner as they swung the bend for home. He closed off well to claim second but the winner was just too good. REGENCY HAPPY STAR made a mid-race move down the back as Alex Badel circled the field to take the lead turning into the straight. He looked to be travelling comfortably at the top of the stretch but just ran out of steam late in the race, finishing in third and 2 lengths off the winner.
Race 3 – Tai Tam Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:40.07 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
Vincent Ho was the next jockey to join the winners' list as he steered M UNICORN (NZ 5yo g Savabeel – Candelabra) to victory. The gelding was taken back from barrier 8 and settled near the tail of the field, but had improved slightly at the halfway point of the race. Ho was already niggling at the gelding with about 650m to run with the gelding beginning to improve around the home turn with the local hoop swinging wide. He came wide in the straight and was powering down the centre of the track, taking the lead inside the final 150m and scooting away to win by a length on the line. SURE JOYFUL got away well and settled about midfield in the run, just ahead of the eventual winner. He gave the winner a nice cart into the race as he swung wide into the straight, but couldn't match him in the run to the line as he went down by a length. HAPPY ANGEL had made a mid-race move to go up and challenge for the lead, but was then left facing the breeze wide and without cover. He hung in their boldly to finish in third place in a very gutsy effort.
Race 4 – Shek Lei Pui Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good
Time: 57.51 Standard Time: 57.00 Course/Class record: 56.39 Gentle Breeze
Vincent Ho made it a race-to-race double as HAPPY UNITED (NZ 4yo g Sweynesse – Light Mozart) ran over the top to score. The gelding was the first out of the machine but was snagged back by Ho as the pace underneath him came through to take up the running. The local hoop settled midfield but was in a three-wide position, before being pushed even wider at the 400m point. He was the widest runner on straightening and was almost high-fiving the patrons in the beer garden as he took the lead with 100m left to run. He was strong right down to the wire and scored by a half-length in a fantastic win. OVERSUBSCRIBED had been the one to push the winner out of the way and well off the track heading into the straight. He too closed off well but was unable to go with the winner in the closing stages. GORGEOUS VITALITY had to duck back to the inside in the straight but did have a gap to run through in the straight. It was a good effort by him as he had been out of form a touch of late.
Race 5 – The American Club Challenge Cup (Handicap), HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:41.35 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
SAMARKAND (NZ 5yo g Mongolian Khan – Shimmy) notched up his first win in Hong Kong in race 5. The gelding jumped well from his inside barrier and burrowed through to take the lead turning out of the straight with a lap to run. Chan was controlling the pace up front, setting a very moderate tempo which prompted a mid-race mover down the back straight. The local jockey allowed that runner to cross him as he sat on the leader's back around the home turn. Chan was forced to duck back to the inside at the top of the straight as the rest of the field ran wide, with the four-year-old hitting the front 200m form the finish. There were no late challengers in the run to the line, with the gelding holding his rivals at bay right to the wire, scoring by a half-length. KILLER INSTICT initially settled midfield for Vincent Ho but took off down the back straight with only a moderate tempo being set up front. The gelding shot around the field to lead heading into the straight, with the eventual winner ducking up the inside of him early in the straight. He was unable to wrestle the lead back, but he was able to hold off the rest of his rivals to finish second. STURDY RUBY had settled on the outside of Samarkand in the running and hung on right to the wire to fill the final placing.
Race 6 – Plover Cove Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.18 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Mark Newnham secured another winner in his opening season as a trainer in Hong Kong as SCOTCH TYCOON (AUS 5yo g Rich Enuff – Champagne Flute) led all the way. The gelding was away on terms but mustered quickly to roll to the lead under Luke Ferraris. The South African hoop continued to hold a clear advantage through the middle stage sand around the turn as he had plenty of rivals chasing at the top of the straight. He ended up near the centre of the track in the straight and although he was getting tired in the closing stages, he never really looked like being gunned down. TRIUMPHANT WARRIOR had settled in a perfect position, midfield and one off the fence in running but spotted the leader 5-3/4 lengths as they turned for home. He was catching the leader close to the line but ran out of time to steal victory, finishing three-quarters of-a-length away in second. SO AWESOME had raced on the back of the leader in the race after he worked across from his wide draw under Derek Leung. He ducked back to the inside on straightening and although he never looked a winning chance, he kept on strongly to the line, holding on for third in a close photo finish.
Race 7 – Kam Shan Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:39.81 Standard Time: 1:39.85 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters
It wouldn't be a race meeting in Hong Kong if Pierre Ng didn't train a winner, his stable is flying at the moment and QUANTUM PATCH (IRE 4yo g Gleneagles – Naruko) added to his season's tally. The four-year-old was only fairly away from his stall as he jumped a little to the side, settling in the back half of the field. The speed was good early and the gelding was travelling comfortably in the run through the middle stages. Karis Teetan moved into the three-wide trail down the back in what looked a messy race through the middle of the pack. Teetan would get a lovely tow into the race and peel wider again approaching the 400m point, ensuring his mount had plenty of clear air turning for home. The big gelding built plenty of momentum around the turn and ran to the lead with 100m left to run, staying on strongly over the closing stages and running away to win by 2-1/4 lengths. E LEGEND had enjoyed a beautiful run in transit after sitting on the back of the leader throughout the race. He was given plenty of room at the top of the straight as Matthew Chadwick went underneath the leader and took the lead with about 250m left to run. He couldn't go with the eventual winner over the closing stages, but held on for third. STORM LEGEND was another making good headway in the closing stages, sliding up the inside rail to finish in third.
Race 8 – High Island Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.10 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
NEVER TOO SOON (AUS 6yo g Written Tycoon – Best Yet To Come) made it back-to-back wins. He drifted back early doors under Keagan De Melo, settling in second-last with De Melo niggling out his mount down the back straight. The gelding improved his position around the turn, with De Melo requiring plenty of luck turning for home. The seas parted turning for home and the South African was able to work through a big gap to take the lead inside the final 50m. He'd taken the shorter way home and it paid off as he held his rivals at bay, scoring by a neck in a very tight finish behind him. There was five across the track for the minor placings, with A AMERIC TE SPECSO claiming second position. He was a long way back turning for home and Luke Currie went wide in the straight. He hit the line full of running, but the winner had taken the more efficient way home. BRAVE STAR had settled just in behind the speed in running. He never hit the front in the straight but stuck on gamely to finish in third.
