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Happy Together will chase a second Group 3 win in the HK$4.2 million G3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) on Sunday (4 February) at Sha Tin.
Emerging as a four-time winner from five starts this season, Happy Together continues to heighten expectations for trainer Frankie Lor, capping his stellar advance with victory in the HK$4.2 million G3 January Cup Handicap (1800m) on 10 January at Happy Valley.
Alexis Badel has been ever-present in the saddle this campaign and hopes his exciting charge can sweep aside more of Hong Kong's best middle-distance gallopers on the weekend.
"He's a nice horse, he has a big heart and he tries hard. He has more experience, he knows what the job is and he's been proving this. I hope he can carry on this way," Badel said.
A classy group of 16 entries – including two reserves – are headed by the Group 2-winning Straight Arron on a rating of 117, which sees Happy Together assigned 118lb. Encountered, Senor Toba, Money Catcher and Tourbillon Diamond also feature as Group 3 winners in Hong Kong.
"I think the weight is favourable – carrying 118 pounds. It's a good advantage and we know him, he has quality and he has a good turn of foot," Badel said.
Sword Point, Super Sunny Sing, Champion Dragon, Fantastic Treasure, Five G Patch, Nimble Nimbus, La City Blanche and Spirited Express also hold tickets.
Mr Ascendency and Natural Storm are currently reserves one and two, respectively.
Happy Together has earned a 27-point rating rise this term to reach a career-high mark of 100. The five-year-old has banked HK$12.23 million across 15 starts in Hong Kong.
"It's another question mark over this course and distance – 1800 metres at Sha Tin. I have to ride him accordingly to make sure he stays the trip but I think the conditions look good and the weight is good. If he keeps his form then he'll certainly run well," Badel said.
Twice Group 1-placed, Money Catcher finished 10th behind Happy Together last start.
Badel also rides Moments In Time in the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m), the first leg of the HK$52 million Four-Year-Old Classic Series, which also features the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) on 3 March and HK$26 million 147th BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 24 March.
The chestnut has raced four times in Hong Kong without a win. He is a Group 1 winner from Chile, having landed the 2022 G1 Nacional Ricardo Lyon (2000m) at Hipico.
He crossed the line first in the 2022 G1 El Ensayo Mega (2400m) at Hipico before disqualification – his final start pre-import. He sports the familiar turquoise and yellow silks of owner Tony Yue in Hong Kong, who raced crack sprinter Firebolt.
