3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Ngau Tau Kok Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good
Time: 57.08 Standard Time: 57.15 Course/Class record: 56.52 Shanghai Power
Karis Teetan and Douglas Whyte got the evening off to a winning start, teaming up to score with DOUBLE SHOW (NZ 5yo g Showcasing – Showus). He showed no early pace whatsoever and Teetan was hard at work aboard the gelding early on to keep in touch with the group. The Mauritian was able to pinch runs right along the inside around the turn and never lost momentum as they swung into the straight. Teetan got into the clear with ease at the 300m point and the gelding was just too strong for his rivals, running over the top inside the final 50m and scoring by three-quarters of-a-length. HAPPY HORSE jumped quickly and took up the running from an inside alley for Angus Chung. The speed was hot as he held the lead turning off the back. He still had a strong grip on his mount as they turned into the straight, only pushing the button at the 300m point. He was a couple of lengths in front with 150m left to run, but the gelding tired late in the race and was over-run by the winner in the final few strides. SWEET DIAMOND was a long way back off the first two, beaten 3-3/4 lengths at the line. Andrea Atzeni worked across from the outside draw to sit outside the leader and the six-year-old stuck on bravely in the straight, holding on for third.
Race 2 – Sau Mau Ping Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:41.15 Standard Time: 1:40.30 Course/Class record: 1:38.91 All Joyful
Keagan De Melo continued his strong run in his first season in Hong Kong, winning aboard the Caspar Fownes-trained SUPER CONTENTED (NZ 4yo g Tivaci – Repenting). The gelding was bumped around shortly after the jump, ending up a little worse than midfield on settling down. There was no change to the order through the middle stages with a moderate tempo being set up front as De Melo continued along the inside rail. As the field fanned turning for home, it gave the four-year-old a lovely run through, sticking closer to the inside and running on strongly in the straight. He wore down the leader close to the finish and scored his maiden victory by a neck on the line. REGENCY HAPPY STAR had settled in front of the eventual winner in the run and stayed there right until the 400m point. Angus Chung angled the gelding out wider on the course which gave the eventual winner the run through along the inside. The $5.20 favoruite took the lead with 100m to run but couldn't hold off the challenge of Super Contented who go over the top of him late. MEDIC ELITE was initially near the tail of the field heading into the first turn, but improved his position early on to settle on the back of the eventual winner in running. He peeled off the winner's back turning for home and looked to be travelling strongly as he got clear air at the top of the straight. He stuck on well but the race was there to be won for him if he was good enough.
Race 3 – Ngau Chi Wan Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1800m - Track Good
Time: 1:50.46 Standard Time: 1:49.55 Course/Class record: 1:48.10 Acclaimed Light
SAMARKAND (NZ 5yo g Mongolian Khan – Shimmy) bought up back-to-back wins in the third event of the night. The gelding bounced well for Jerry Chau out wide and showed good speed to get across from the wide alley and land in the one-back-one-out position. He travelled comfortably in the run with the pace just fair through the middle stages. Approaching the home turn, Chau got his mount moving three-wide as he built up the revs at the top of the straight. He ground away to eventually take the lead with 100m to run and hold on for victory, getting the nod in a photo finish. HAPPY ANGEL was ridden along by Keagan De Melo to try and hold a forward position early on, settling in second place heading into the first turn. The leader crossed down to the inside, with De Melo popping off the rail to sit on the leader's hindquarters heading down the back. The South African got stuck into his mount prior to the home turn and the flashy grey showed a good kick. It looked as though Samarkand would run away with the race close to home, but Happy Angel didn't give in, fighting hard to the line but just missing in a photo finish. FOREVER GLOROUS dictated proceedings from the front and stuck on well for third, with the first four horses in running the first four across the line.
Race 4 – Kwun Tong Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.50 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
One of Hong Kong's newest trainers Cody Mo notched up his fifth victory this term as TOGEPI (AUS 5yo g Eurozone - Viennese Beauty) clung on for victory. Luke Ferraris took the gelding back from his wide draw to settle near the tail of the field. The pace was strong up front and the South African goop was already nudging his mount along with 700m to run. To ensure he didn't stop his momentum, Ferraris moved the gelding wide and without cover around the turn, getting clear air at the top of the straight as they fanned across the track. He showed his strength as he took the lead inside the final 50m and held off a late challenge to win by a short head. KING ECCELENTE got away on terms but snagged back from the widest barrier to be last in running. He was under the pump a long way from home as he got onto the back of the eventual winner around the home turn, being 9 lengths off the lead with 400m remaining. He swung widest in the straight can kept coming under hard riding by Teetan, but the gelding ran out of time to reel in the leader. RUN RUN TIMING jumped the second favourite of the field and had a nice position sitting off the leaders in the run. The fence remained open for James McDonald to slide through as they worked around the home turn and into the straight, with plenty of clear air to set out after the leader. McDonald ranged up to take the lead inside the final 1000m, but he was unable to hold off the first two who stormed right down the outside.
Race 5 – Choi Wan Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good
Time: 57.04 Standard Time: 56.60 Course/Class record: 55.85 Stoltz
Caspar Fownes scored a double on the night with nine-year-old war horse EXPLOSIVE WITNESS (AUS 9yo g Star Witness – Rocket Baby) securing his first victory since New Years Day 2021. James McDonald took the gelding back from his wide draw to settle about midfield with a strong pace on offer up front. He enjoyed a nice run in transit and was able to slide up the inside around the home turn before getting clear running early in the straight. He took control with 100m left to run and drew away over the final stages to win by 2-1/4 lengths in impressive fashion. FORTUNE WAARIOR wasn't the fastest away, but Karis Teetan was determined to find the front, riding his mount along and eventually crossing to the lead as they turned off the back. It was a brave effort in the end, holding on to the lead for as long as he did. Although he was tiring late, he clung on for second after setting a quick tempo out in front. HAPPY UNITED settled in a similar position to the winner in the run and peeled wide on the turn to make his challenge down the centre of the course. He was no match for the winner, but stuck on well out wide to run into third in a blanket finish for the minors.
Race 6 – Kwun Tong Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.29 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Hong Kong's Champion Trainer in 2021/22 Frankie Lor hadn't trained a winner in his last 55 runners, but that changed with debutant GOLDEN LONG (AUS 3yo g Brazen Beau – Socialize) scoring comfortably. The three-year-old jumped well for Matthew Chadwick and the pair rolled forward heading into the first turn. Chadwick was able to slot in just off the pace with cover down the back with a solid tempo being set up front. The field was strung out as they turned off the back, with the local hoop in a perfect position to strike as they turned for home. Chadwick angled the debutant into the clear at the top of the straight and he let rip down the centre of the course, taking the lead with 100m to run and pulling away for a very easy win. There was a wall of runners lining up behind him with SHINKANSEN getting his nose down on the line to finish in second. He'd settled a long way back in the run after Karis Teetan snagged him from a wide alley. He was still a whopping 8-1/4 lengths off the lead with 400m remaining as he got out wide on the course to make his run. He stuck on strongly out very wide on the course to put his nose down on the line and claim second. SEE U AGAIN was third for Jerry Chau and Danny Shum. Having tailed the eventual winner into the straight, Chau gave the gelding every possible to run down the leaders if he was good enough, but he could only manage third.
Race 7 – Lam Tin Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:41.20 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
Karis Teetan and Pierre Ng combined with DRAGON STAR (AUS 5yo g Pride Of Dubai – Raneen) as the five-year-old bought up back-to-back winners. The Mauritian hoop urged the five-year-old along in the opening stages to try and cross the field heading into the first turn, eventually finding the front passing the 1200m point. From there, Teetan dictated the race, setting a good tempo throughout and always keeping a good margin between he and the rest of the field as they turned off the back. Teetan was pushing the gelding along as they headed for home and it looked as though he was a sitting duck as his closest rival came up to join him. But the son of Pride Of Dubai was strong, seeing off the first challenge and going on to win by a length on the line. STRONGEST BOY was finishing quickly from the rear of the field after Zac Purton took his medicine from the outside draw. He remained at the tail of the field throughout and was 8 lengths off the leader passing the 400m point with Purton still sitting patiently on the gelding. Instead of going wide, Purton tried to work his way through the traffic close to the inside, with the four-year-old doing his best work over the concluding stages. WIN WIN FIGHTER also snuck through along the inside, claiming third for Vincent Ho.
Race 8 – Kowloon Bay Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:40.34 Standard Time: 1:39.85 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters
Zac Purton bought up his first winner on the card as TOURBILLON PRINCE (AUS 5yo g Rommel – Colleges) led all the way. The Benno Yung-trained gelding jumped well and rolled to the front under Purton, getting across to the lead around the firs turn. Purton did as he pleased out in front with no pressure being applied through the middle stages of the event. Purton clicked up the tempo around the home turn and the gelding quickly put a length on his rivals at the top of the straight. He went on to win comfortably in the end, scoring by three-quarters of-a-length. GALLANT WAKING was making good ground back along the inside to finish in second. Vincent Ho settled near the tail of the field after jumping from a wide barrier and remained there throughout the race. Ho stuck to the inside turning for home and weaved his way through traffic to get a clear run at victory. H was doing his best work late in the race as got the nose down to finish in second position. MALDIVES finished in third spot for Keagan De Melo, who also ducked back to the inside at the top of the straight. The race was there for him if he was good enough, but he plugged away over the closing stages to finish in third.
Race 9 – Jordan Valley Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.97 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Speed Vision
The successful duo of James McDonald and Danny Shum combined to win the last with COPARNTER AMBITION (AUS 6yo g Starspangledbanner – Porcellanus). He jumped well off the inside and McDonald settled midfield in the run as the pace was quite strong down the back straight. The field strung out through the middle stages and McDonald was already into the gelding from the 500m point as he began to work into the race. The Kiwi hoop had plenty of space to run into the race, letting rip inside the final 200m to run down the leader close to home and score by a head. BRAVE STAR got away well for Lyle Hewitson and landed in a beautiful spot in behind the leaders through the middle stages. The gelding quickened sharply at the top of the straight to take the lead and break away by over 2 lengths midway down the straight. Hewitson threw everything he had at his mount, but he was caught in the final couple of strides. A AMERIC TE SPECSO finished off well for third under Zac Purton. He was strong in the straight, making up a stack of ground to only be beaten 1-1/4 lengths on the line.
