3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Peterson Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good
Time: 58.01 Standard Time: 57.00 Course/Class record: 56.52 Shanghai Power
Andrea Atzeni started the night on winning terms, getting the job done aboard MODEST GENTLEMAN (IRE 5yo g Slade Power – Princess Kyka) over the short course. The gelding was only fairly into stride but was ridden along by Atzeni to rail through and land on the back of the leader on settling down. The speed was only fair through the middle stages, but the first three in running broke away from the rest of the field with 400m left to run. The five-year-old was still under a strong hold as they turned for home, peeling three-wide and beginning to let rip down the middle of the track. He ran to the front inside the final furlong and put the race away in a matter of strides, running away from his rivals to win by a length on the line. HAPPY TANGO was squeezed for room shortly after the start and found himself a clear last early on with Lyle Hewitson moving down to the inside rail. With the aid of the rail, Hewitson was able to slide up the inside of his rivals as the South African began to urge his gelding along heading into the straight. The eight-year-old never went around a runner, sticking to the paint throughout the event as he again scooted along the inside rail in the straight to run into second position. AUGUST MOON settled in a midfield position for Angus Chung but became detached from the rest of the field as a rival drifted back in the field turning off the back. Chung moved wide around the turn and made his run down the centre of the course. The gelding stuck on well out wide to run into third position, with the race favourite Happy Horse ending up four lengths away in fifth place.
Race 2 – Kingston Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:40.49 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
SIMPLY MAVERICK (AUS 4yo g Sebring – Papillon Rouge) was heavily backed right from when markets opened and did the right thing by punters, scoring comfortably in the second. The four-year-old got away on terms and rolled forward from gate seven to eventually settle on the outside of the leader. The speed was even through the middle of the race and the gelding was travelling very comfortably throughout the event, beginning to move closer to the lead as they turned for home. He took the lead shortly after straightening and the race was all over by that point. He wasn't stopping close to the line and went on to score by two lengths on the line. LOVERO got away swiftly off the inside and used the gate to his advantage, settling on the back of the leader. After tracking the leader in the run, Angus Chung stuck to the inside on straightening and ran to a clear second with a furlong left to run. He was no match for the winner but chased steadily to finish second. A further two lengths away was FEARLESS FIRE who led the field throughout the race. He looked a spent force at the top of the stretch but stuck on well to finish in third.
Race 3 – Kingston Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:40.60 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
Lyle Hewitson was the next to score as he guided race favourite RED HARE KING (AUS 4yo g So You Think – Fragrance) to victory for the Tony Cruz barn. The gelding was one of the first into stride along the inside and settled in fourth position early on. He was racing keenly passing the 1200m pole, so Hewitson popped off the fence to get into the one-out-one-back position as they turned down the back stretch with the four-year-old settling much better. The pace was even throughout, and the South African hoop got a lovely cart into the race and peeled four deep as they swung the bend. He took the turn a little awkwardly and ended up way out beyond the middle of the course, but he quickened well to take the lead with 150m left to run. There was a runner coming at him late, but the win never looked in doubt with the final margin being a neck. AMAZING TEENS settled just worse than midfield in the run after slotting in from his wide barrier under Andrea Atzeni. There was a trail following the eventual winner into the straight which Atzeni and Amazing Teens were part of, with the duo ending up extremely wide on the track. The gelding ran home strongly out wide to get close to the leader at the finish, but he just had too much ground to make up in the run. SAMARKAND missed out on the hat-trick but wasn't fat off as he finished 2-1/4 lengths off the winner. He tracked Red Hare King from beginning to end and had his chance to get the job done if he was capable, but found a couple better on the night.
Race 4 – Great George Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.64 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
MEGA BONUS (AUS 6yo g Shooting To Win – Exceed And Excite) bought up his second win of the season, leading all the way to score comfortably. Luke Ferraris worked across from the outside draw to take up the running before they even got to the first turn. Once in front, the South African hoop was able to settle and dictate from the front with a moderate tempo being set. Mega Bonus skipped away from his rivals turning off the back, opening up a 2-1/2 length lead around the home turn as Ferraris set sail for the judge. The gelding had enough left in the tank to hold his rivals at bay, winning by a half-length. HIGH RISE SOLDIER was cutting back into the margin late, but he had given his rival too big a head start. Vincent Ho had settled on the back of the leader in the run, but didn't go with Mega Bonus when he skipped away 500m from the judge. The gelding was under pressure rounding the home turn and although he was headed down the straight, he kept on well late to steal second position in a photo finish. GREAT ACHIEVER has snuck up the inside at the top of the straight and run past High Rise Soldier as he set out after the leader. He looked a big threat inside the final 150m but peaked on his run in the closing stages, fading out of second place to end up on the final step of the podium.
Race 5 – Great George Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.46 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Ellis Wong claimed his first victory at Happy Valley aboard the Caspar Fownes-trained LYRICAL MOTION (AUS 6yo g Not A Single Doubt – Touched In Flight). After getting away on terms from a middle alley, Wong was able to slot into a midfield position in the run as the pace was quite strong up front early. After enjoying a lovely run in transit, the field fanned in front of the apprentice hoop, with Wong able to find an opening with 200m left to run. He shot through to take the lead with 150m left to run and it was all over bar the shouting as the six-year-old went on to score comfortably by 1-1/2 lengths. SUPER EAGLE was left racing wide around the first turn but was eventually able to slot into the running line, settling on the outside of the eventual winner. Alex Badel has the gelding travelling comfortably in the run and swung out toward the middle of the track on straightening, whilst the winner stayed closer to the inside. It took a little while for the gelding to warm up, but he did his best work over the final 100m to run into second position, chasing in vain. GALLANT VALOUR jumped well from barrier two and was ridden along in the early stages to hold his position, eventually landing in the one-one under Brenton Avdulla. The Australian hoop gave his mount every chance turning for home and the race was there for the taking if he was good enough, but he only plugged away to the line, finishing 1-3/4 lengths back in third.
Race 6 – The January Cup (Handicap), HK $4,200,000
Group Three – Turf - Distance 1800m - Track Good
Time: 1:48.29 Standard Time: 1:48.75 Course/Class record: 1:47.94 Money Catcher
The feature of the night and the only Group race at Happy Valley was taken out by the in-form HAPPY TOGETHER (IRE 5yo g Dragon Pulse – Ruby Girl), making it four wins from 5 starts this season. The five-year-old was one of the first into stride and was able to get into a handy position early, settling about midfield and along the inside as they sorted their order out. The were running along at a goop gallop as they worked down the back, with the son of Dragon Pulse travelling comfortably under Alex Badel. Things started to heat up passing the 600m point and Badel was able to get off the inside as they rounded the home turn, getting right to the outside at the top of the straight and letting rip. Happy Together took the lead with a furlong left to run and sprinted clear of his rivals, never looking like being beaten in the final stages and scoring a comfortably three-quarter-length victory. LA CITY BLANCHE made a late charge but was unable to peg back the margin. Karis Teetan had positioned himself on the back of the eventual winner in running and begun to ride his mount along when Happy Together popped off the inside. The Mauritian hoop was able to sneak along the rail turning for home but ran into a dead end with all his momentum gone at the top of the straight. To the gelding's credit, he was able to pick himself back up and charge through a gap late to claim second, but what could've been with a touch more luck. HELENE FEELING burned across from out wide to land on the back of the leader from a wide draw and looked to be struggling 500m from home as he came under pressure. He was able to get back onto the leader's tail turning for home though and had an unimpeded run up the straight. He showed plenty of strength to hold on for third, but the winner was just too good on the night.
Race 7 – Cleveland Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1800m – Track Good
Time: 1:50.44 Standard Time: 1:49.30 Course/Class record: 1:47.91 Leap Of Faith
It was some performance from PRIME MINISTER (NZ 8yo g Makfi – Khagan) who ran right over the top of his rivals to get there right on the post. He was a little slow into stride from barrier 8, with Matthew Poon crossing behind runners and slotting in toward the rear of the field. They weren't going hard in front despite the field being strung out, with Prime Minister a whopping 8 lengths back passing the 800m point. The field had packed up in front of him while the leader got away turning off the back, with Poon needing plenty of luck to feature. Luck would come through as the local hoop scooted along the paint to improve his position turning for home, with the seas parting at the top of the straight and giving the eight-year-old an unimpeded run down the stretch. He was charging after the leaders and did his best work inside the final 100m as he sprinted between rivals, sticking his nose in front in the shadows of the post and stealing victory at $37 odds. LEAN HERO had rallied through along the inside and looked the winner close to home before being claimed right on the post. Derek Leung enjoyed a lovely run just off the speed after getting away well from the inside barrier. He found himself a long way off the leader in running, hemmed up along the inside where he remained throughout the race. He was able to close the gap a touch passing the 400m journey, with the local hoop still remaining close to the rail on straightening and making his run along the inside. He just continued to keep finding under the urgings of Leung, never really taking the lead but scoring second in a head-bobbing photo finish. He out-bobbed SPLENDID LIVING who was given beautiful steer by Lyle Hewitson. The South African did as he pleased in front and was in front for nearly all of the 1650m journey. He was only claimed in the shadows of the post, finishing third but only a short head off the winner.
Race 8 – Causeway Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.89 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
COPARTNER AMBITION (AUS 6yo g Starspangledbanner – Porcellanus) continued his incredible stretch of form, winning his fourth race of the season from his sixth outing. The speed was good out of the gates and Hugh Bowman was able to lob the six-year-old just off the speed. The field was stretched out through the middle stages as Bowman found himself 4-1/2 lengths off the leader with 800m remaining. The margin was much the same as they worked around the home turn, with Bowman already using the whip as they made the run for the judge. He showed plenty of strength to take the lead with 100m left to run and pull away from his rivals to win by 1-1/2 lengths in comfortable fashion. CELESTIAL COLOURS burned across from out wide to take up the running, but he has to use plenty of petrol to get there. After being caught wide around the first turn, it wasn't until around the 700m point where Lyle Hewitson was able to get down to the rail. The gelding was able to catch his breath for a furlong before the South African hoop got stuck into him turning for home. He was still in front a long way out, but couldn't hold off Copartner Ambition who was just far too strong at the finish. A AMERIC TE SPECSO had come from a long way back in the run to claim an eye-catching third, continuing his good run of form.
