3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
The annual International Jockeys' Championship went down to the wire with the title going the way of a local jockey for the first time. Danny Shum and Zac Purton both had winning doubles as attention now turns to Sha Tin for HKIR this Sunday.
Race 1 – Australia Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.77 Standard Time: 1:10.05 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King
It was fitting that the Australia Handicap was taken out by Australian trainer Mark Newnham with DIAMOND FLARE (AUS 5yo g Deep Field – Tempest Tost). Ridden by Luke Ferraris, the gelding jumped on terms but mustered plenty of speed to roll to the front, leading the field as they rounded the first turn. He was left along out in front, running along nicely under his own steam as he began to build a margin on his rivals coming up to the 600m point. He broke away around the home turn, leading by 2-1/4 lengths heading into the straight and looked to have extended that margin when Ferraris pushed the button. He was coming back to the field late as he tired, but he had built a big enough gap to hold on for victory, winning by a neck on the line. HERCULES came under pressure a long way from home but continued to find under Karis Teetan. The Mauritian pushed his way into the clear at the top of the straight and was taking plenty of ground off the leader in the closing stages, but ran out of time to reel him in. EASY TWO was in the back half of the field in the run and swung wide into he straight, making his run near the centre of the course. He closed off well but was probably too far back to really challenge the leader, beaten a half-length on the line.
Race 2 – France Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:43.33 Standard Time: 1:40.30 Course/Class record: 1:38.91 All Joyful
It was a blowout in the second event as Jerry Chau and Danny Shum combined to win with NICE BIRDIE (IRE 4yo g Kodiac – Pearl Of The Night) after jumping at $30. The gelding was snagged back from the wide draw early on but found himself racing about midfield with the pace unbelievably slow through the opening stanza. Chau was racing wide and without cover, so with no pace up front he took matters into his own hands, pushing forward to sit
on the outside of the leader turning off the back. The leader skipped away at the top of the straight, but to the gelding's credit, he dug in deep to chase down the leader in the stretch, getting his nose in front in the shadows of the post and scoring by a head. MEDIC ELITE was racing up outside the leader in the early stages. When the mid-race move came, Hollie Doyle pressed on to hold his position up front and kicked away turning into the straight. He looked to have a winning break in the straight, but Nice Birdie wore him down late in the race to steal away victory. HANG'S CHOICE had got onto the back of a couple when the mid-race move came and made a sustained run down the outside to grab third.
Race 3 – Germany Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:40.76 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
It was a dominant performance by SIMPLY MAVERICK (AUS 4yo g Sebring – Papillon Rouge) who sprinted away under Andrea Atzeni to win easily. The Ricky You-trained galloper got away well from barrier five and pressed forward around the first turn to sit on the outside of the leader. The pace was moderate through the opening and middle stages, but the gelding was travelling comfortably as they raced down the back straight. The pace began to ramp up from the 500m point, with Atzeni still right there alongside the leader as they swung into the bend. When the Sardinian asked for an effort, the response was immediate with the four-year-old shooting away from his rivals and winning in fine style, bolting in by 4-3/4 lengths. FEARLESS FIRE had raced on the back of the winner right throughout the event but couldn't match it with Simply Maverick's turn of foot. He chased hard to hold on for second while TURIN WARRIOR stuck on well from near the tail to claim third.
Race 4 – Longines International Jockeys' Championship (Handicap) – 1st Leg, HK $1,404,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good
Time: 57.62 Standard Time: 57.00 Course/Class record: 56.39 Gentle Breeze
The first leg of the IJC went the way of Rachel King, saluting aboard the David Hall-trained OVERSUBSCRIBED (AUS 8yo g Reward For Effort – Underfoot) in her very first ride at Happy Valley. The gelding got away to a brilliant start and King settled just in behind the speed which was quite fast early doors. As the field split in two, King kept herself in the first four, landing in the one-out-one-back position turning for home before peeling out into the clear at the top of the straight. The gelding sprinted quickly in the straight, moving up to
take the lead with 100m remaining and drawing clear to win comfortably by three-quarters of-a-length. HARMONY FIRE had sat outside the leader after getting away well from an outside barrier. He faced the breeze right throughout but took the lead shortly after turning for home and showed plenty of determination when the eventual winner loomed up on his outside. He dug deep over the closing stages to hold on for second ahead of DIAMOND SOARS who raced back to the inside of the eventual winner in the race and made contact when pushing his way into the clear turning for home. He was unable to match it with the winner once clear though but kept on nicely to grab third in a tight go for the final placing.
Race 5 – Longines International Jockeys' Championship (Handicap) – 2nd Leg, HK $1,404,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:41.32 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
The money came for Ryan Moore's mount M UNICORN (NZ 5yo g Savabeel – Candelabra) and it was spot on. He was only fairly into stride from gate four and landed a little worse than midfield and along the rail. The pace was moderate around the first turn and down the back stretch, but the Caspar Fownes-trained galloper was travelling well under one of the world's best jockeys. The pace sped up turning off the back and Moore began weaving his way through the traffic as they approached the home turn, getting into clear air at the top of the straight and beginning to mount his challenge. It took a while for the gelding to warm up, but he shot to the front passing the 150m point and never looked like being gunned down once he got to the front, scoring by a length on the line. RED HARE KING had raced in the one-out-one-back position for Lyle Hewitson, who finished second in the opening leg of the IJC as well. He travelled strongly to the turn but didn't handle the turn all that well. He ran to the front passing the furlong pole but was no match for the winner once he took control, getting the nod in a photo finish ahead of SURE JOYFUL for Vincent Ho. The second favourite was forced very wide on the turn but turned in a good run to the line. He was there to beat the winner if good enough, but M Unicorn was just a level above.
Race 6 – Great Britain Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.32 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
It wouldn't be a race meeting in Hong Kong without Pierre Ng winning a race, and that's what he did in race 6 with Zac Purton riding HEALTHY HEALTHY (NZ 4yo g Per Incanto – Spritz) to victory. He got away on terms from a wide draw and appeared to be in a sticky position early on as Purton was cast three-wide around the first turn. The champion jockey continued to roll forward down the back straight, moving up to sit close to the leader around the home turn. The four-year-old was under the pump as they turned for home but ran to the front with 150m left to travel. He proved too strong for his rivals, surviving a late lunge right on the line to win by a short head. ERNEST FEELING had settled midfield for Antoine Hamelin and looked as though he was getting a beautiful run in the race. He had plenty of clear air in the straight and was there to win if good enough. The gelding was doing his best work over the final 150m and dived right on the lien to make things interesting, but just missed in a close finish. LYRICAL MOTION raced one-out-one-back in the run and looked to have plenty to offer as Alex Badel pulled him into the clear turning into the straight. He tried hard to wind in the leader but couldn't do so in the straight.
Race 7 – Longines International Jockeys' Championship (Handicap) – 3rd Leg, HK $2,460,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:40.69 Standard Time: 1:39.85 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters
Zac Purton made it a race-to-race double as SILVER SONIC (AUS 5yo g Exosphere – Iridescente) won easily for Francis Lui. The gelding got away on terms and rolled forward to land in the one-out-one-back position for Purton, tracking an even speed through the first half of the race. He raced comfortably throughout and shot through a gap at the top of the straight when Purton pressed the button. He took the lead with a furlong to go and held his rivals at bay, scoring comfortably by 1-1/2 lengths in a great effort. Race favourite QUANTUM PATCH looked as though he may just zoom straight past the eventual winner but may have peaked on his run over the final 100m. The gelding was a long way back under Mickael Barzalona and had to sustain a long run around the outside of his rivals. He was coming home strongly down the centre of the course, but couldn't catch the winner in the closing stages, finishing a clear second with ALL BEAUTY scooting along the inside to run third.
Race 8 – Longines International Jockeys' Championship (Handicap) – 4th Leg, HK $2,232,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.19 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
Vincent Ho claimed the 2023 International Jockeys' Championship with a win aboard TOMODACHI KOKOROE (AUS 5yo g Written Tycoon – Rainbeam) for David Hayes. The gelding jumped away quickly from his wide stall and showed good pace to work across and take the lead early in the back stretch. He didn't have to work too hard to get there and was able to travel along comfortably once he found the front with no pressure being applied. He was still under a strong hold turning for home and he showed a clean pair of heels to kick away from his nearest rivals early in the straight. He was too strong close to the line, leading all the way to win by a half-length. Zac Purton finished second aboard KAHOLO ANGEL after putting the gelding in the one-out-one-back position. Purton gave the flashy grey plenty of air and the win was up for grabs if he was good enough, but he just found one better on the day. TORONADO PHANTOM was able to weave his way through traffic in the straight to finish in third after turning for home in a sticky spot sitting midfield along the rail.
Race 9 – Japan Handicap, HK $3,120,000
Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1800m – Track Good
Time: 1:49.53 Standard Time: 1:49.05 Course/Class record: 1:47.61 Time Warp
Danny Shum filled the quinella in the final event of the night as 4YO Series aspirant HELENE FEELING (IRE 3yo g Sioux Nation – Cynthia Calhoun) got the job done. James McDonald wasn't waiting around from barrier six, pressing forward early doors and landing in the box seat, one-out-one-back as they worked around the first turn. The speed was good, and the gelding settled into stride beautifully under McDonald with no change to the order through the first half of the race. The pace slowed toward the end of the back straight as the leader tried to kick away turning for home, but McDonald was onto the tactics and had begun to move three-wide with 400m remaining. The son of Sioux Nation took the lead at the top of the straight and got away from his rivals, leading by over 2 lengths with 100m left to run. The kiwi hoop had to keep the three-year-old's mind on the job, throwing everything he had at him to hold on and win by a half-length over stablemate BUTTERFIELD. He'd settled worse than midfield in the run but got going early as Tom Marquand built the revs around the turn and into the straight. The Group 3 winner hasn't won since 2021 but made a strong run at the eventual winner and looks to be back in good form as he gets right down in the handicap. THE BEST PEACH was pushed very wide by Butterfield turning for home, but ran on well to claim the final placing, 1-3/4 lengths behind the winner.
