3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Murray Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1800m - Track Good
Time: 1:51.19 Standard Time: 1:49.75 Course/Class record: 1:48.33 Success Allstars
Zac Purton got his night underway on a winning note with a narrow victory aboard SUNNY BABY (NZ 6yo g Iffraaj – Glass Half Full) for the David Hayes barn. The gelding got away well and slotted straight into a midfield position from the draw, sitting one off the rail for Purton. As they sorted their order out, he ended up a touch worse than midfield down the side of the course with a good tempo being set up front in the early stages. Around the turn, Purton looked to be in a spot of bother as he was held up behind a wall of runners, angling toward the middle of the track to find clear air. Things opened up for the six-year-old midway down the straight and he began to charge after the leader, closing off strongly in the final stages to get his nose in front in the final couple of strides, winning by a short head on the line. DIAMOND WINNER rattled home from a long way back to get into the finish. The gelding was only fairly into stride and was hampered shortly after the jump, with Antoine Hamelin snicking back to settle near the tail of the field. He was in last place passing the 400m point as Hamelin began asking for an effort, being pushed right off the track as the Frenchman swung out beyond the middle of the course. He made a strong run right down the outside though, putting his nose down right on the wire to steal second position in a photo finish. TURTLE AGAIN had a beautiful run in transit and looked the winner in the straight, taking the lead and getting away from his nearest rivals, it wasn't until the last couple of strides where he was overrun, ending up in third position with only a short head separating the first three across the line.
Race 2 – Jackson Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1800m - Track Good
Time: 1:51.15 Standard Time: 1:49.55 Course/Class record: 1:48.10 Acclaimed Light
Keagan De Melo dominated the second event from the front, running away to score by a half-length aboard SUPER CONTENTED (NZ 4yo g Tivaci – Repenting) for Caspar Fownes. The four-year-old showed good pace from the barriers and rolled forward to take up the running as they passed the winning post with a lap to run. De Melo gradually slowed the tempo once he got to the front, stacking the field up as they approached the 600m point before quickening sharply off the back. He continued to ramp up the pressure and showed a superior turn of foot at the top of the straight, getting a length in front in the run to the line. He was able to hold off his rivals in the closing stages, winning by a half-length on the line. MR ALADDIN had slotted into the one-out-one-back position for Karis Teetan after getting away from a wide barrier. He enjoyed a lovely run in transit and was able to stick with the leaders when the sprint went on despite Teetan placing the gelding under heavy pressure around the home turn. He was able tog et through his gears in the straight and finish off strongly in the closing stages, claiming second position. The time of the race was only 0.04 seconds quicker than the Class 5 in the opening event, and it looks as though Mr Aladdin will prefer a much stronger test when it arises. SERANGOON raced along the inside of Mr Aladdin in the run before being three-back along the inside as the sprint happened. Harry Bentley was forced to duck back to the inside to keep his run going, and he's another that probably wasn't suited by the sit-and-sprint nature of the race. He closed off strongly for third after jumping a $15 chance.
Race 3 – Club Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.84 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Andrea Atzeni and Cody Mo teamed up to win the third as CRYSTAL POWERFUL (AUS 4yo g Exceed And Excel – Vicennalia) made it back-to-back wins. The gelding jumped well from his middle alley and was caught a little wide heading into the first turn but managed to slot into the running line early in the back stretch. Atzeni improved his position through the middle stages to be in the one-out-one-back position heading off the back, with the Sicilian placing the gelding under heavy pressure around the home turn. It looked as though the four-year-old was in trouble at the top of the straight, but he continued to dig deep under the hard riding of Atzeni to pick himself up and take the lead with 100m to run. He was too strong late in the race, getting away from his rivals for a 1L victory. FLYING PHANTOM was away only fairly and slid back from the wide draw to settled in the second half of the field. Avdulla got a nice cart around the turn and into the straight as he moved into the three-wide trail and popped into the clear down the centre of the track. He made a strong run down the outside, but just bumped into one better on the day as he was forced to settle for second. It was a close go for third with SUPER ELITE holding on for the final placing. After sitting up on the speed throughout, the gelding stuck on well for third under Keith Yeung with the time well outside standard.
Race 4 – The Hong Kong Club Challenge Cup (Handicap), HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good
Time: 57.43 Standard Time: 56.60 Course/Class record: 55.85 Stoltz
Zac Purton made it an early double on the night, teaming up with Jamie Richards to win with HAPPY UNITED (NZ 4yo g Sweynesse – Light Mozart) over the short course. The four-year-old was one of the fastest into stride and rolled forward to sit on the pace under his own steam. He landed in a nice spot just off the leader with 600m remaining and quickly went up to sit on his outside around the home turn. He was travelling sweetly at the top of the straight and he quickened impressively when Purton pushed the button. The son of Sweynesse took the lead inside the final furlong and was too good for his rivals, winning by 1-1/4 lengths in good style. HEROIC MASTER settled about midfield under Andrea Atzeni after getting away on terms from his middle alley. He was 4-3/4 lengths off the leader around the home turn as he began to work into the race and finished off strongly to end up in second position. He was too far back to challenge for the victory but stuck his nose down on the wire to steal second in a photo finish. ATOMIC ENERGY was close to the speed and ahead of Heroic Master around the turn and quickened well at the top of the straight. He looked to come to the end of his run close to home as plenty of his rivals caught up to him late, but he clung on for third.
Race 5 – Ice House Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:40.59 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
Vincent Ho and Francis Lui combined to win the fifth event with WIN WIN FIGHTER (IRE 6yo g Elzaam – Vocal). The six-year-old jumped well and was ridden along early to try and slot in past the winning post on the first occasion, with Ho eventually slotting into the running line worse than midfield. The pace was solid through the middle stages with Ho just niggling at his mount to keep in touch as they passed the halfway stage of the race. The local hoop began to make his move coming to the 400m point and had plenty of clear air out in the middle of the track. He stormed home down the outside, looming up to the leaders with 50m to run and pulling away in the closing stages to win by a neck on the line. It was his first win in over a year. DRAGON STAR rolled across to sit outside the leader for Karis Teetan. He was travelling well up front for the majority of the race, before coming under heavy pressure and looking gone as they turned for home. The gelding wouldn't lie-down though, sticking on to hit the front 100m from the finish. He just couldn't hold off the winner who stormed right past him in the final couple of strides. ATOMIC BEAUTY enjoyed a lovely run in transit sitting on the back of the leader and appeared to be bolting at the top of the straight. Once into the clear, he didn't quite let down as anticipated, more plugging away in the straight to run into third position.
Race 6 – Club Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.44 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Karis Teetan had been in the finish a couple of times tonight, capitalizing on his good night to steer home HAPPY TRIO (AUS 5yo g Dawn Approach – Cross Stitched) for the Douglas Whyte barn. After getting away to a good start from barrier four, Teetan slotted into a position just off the speed and along the inside rail. With the pace solid, he was in a handy position turning off the back and was building into the race nicely as they turned for home. The Mauritian stuck close to the inside turning for home and rallied through to take the lead with 100m to run. He was too strong late in the race, pulling away from his rivals to win by 1-1/4 lengths in fine style. ERNEST FEELING got a long way back in the run after being slowly away from barrier 10. Antoine Hamelin ended up 8-1/4 lengths away at the 800m point and was riding the gelding along to tack onto the back of the field. He was being niggled at for much of the race and was still a clear last turning for home with the Frenchman sticking to the inside in the straight. The gelding didn't go around a runner and was doing his best work over the closing stages to race into second position, with the judges giving him the nod in a tight photo finish. SUPER EAGLE had been midfield in the run, sitting one off the fence for Purton with the Australian hoop swinging wide as they turned for home. He made a long run down the outside of the course to hit the line locked together with Ernest Feeling, just missing out on second.
Race 7 – Connaught Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:40.77 Standard Time: 1:39.85 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters
Vincent Ho posted a winning double on the night as M UNICORN (NZ 5yo g Savabeel – Candelabra) bounced back to winning ways. He was away only fairly and settled back in the field for Ho. He was a long way back heading into the down stretch, but the pace did begin to slow as the approached the 600m point. The field packed up turning off the back and Ho began to get a move on with around 500m left to run, shooting around the field to join the leaders at the top of the straight. The local hoop shook the reigns, and the gelding took control, getting away from the majority of his rivals midway down the straight. He did have one chasing hard at the finish, but he had built a big enough gap as the five-year-old scored his fourth win of the season by a neck. QUANTUM PATCH was snagged to the back of the field under Karis Teetan and was racing in last position through the first half of the race. Teetan wasn't hanging around though as they turned off the back, following the eventual winner into the straight as the Mauritian hoop got to work on the gelding. He closed off strongly to the line but couldn't catch the leader who had gotten away at a crucial stage. CALIFORNIA VOCE was held up for clear running at the top of the stretch with Brenton Avdulla trying to weave his way through the traffic. Hye closed off nicely to finish in third place but just found a couple better on the night.
Race 8 – Chater Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.21 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
Harry Bentley upset the well-backed favourite in the final event of the night, getting the nose in front late aboard WATCH BUDDY (AUS 4yo g Rothesay – Rhodopis). Bentley got the gelding into a handy position shortly after the start, sitting on the back of the leader early on. As the field sorted their order out, he ended up three pairs back along the fence and was struggling to find clear running as they swung into the straight. The Englishmen had plenty of clear air as he stuck to the inside part of the track, surging through to challenge the leader with 100m to run. He was too strong late in the race, charging through to take the lead inside the final 50m and win by a head on the line. RAGING BLIZZARD was given a peach of a ride by Karis Teetan, sitting just up on the pace throughout and taking the lead shortly after straightening. The gelding looked the winner as soon as he ran to the front, but Watch Buddy had the last crack at him to steal the win. SUGAR SUGAR was the early leader before taking a sit in behind as they found their positions through the middle stages. He was there to strike if he was good enough, but couldn't match it with the first two close to home, finishing 1-1/4 lengths back in third.
