3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Hung To Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.98 Standard Time: 1:09.75 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King
It was a tough start for punters in the opener as GENERAL ACE (NZ 5yo g Telperion – Miss Anatina) ran over the top at $22. Keagan De Melo snicked the gelding toward the back of the field after jumping from a sticky alley. The pace was strong through the middle stages and De Melo moved into the three-wide trail, still sitting at the tail of the field. The grey was travelling sweetly around the home turn and was still stuck in behind runners as the South African hoop tried to make a move. He finally got into the clear with 200m to run and let rip right down the outside, edging clear close to home and getting up to win by a neck. VIVA A LA jumped well and was initially pushed forward by Matthew Poon but ended up settling midfield. He was wide throughout, but did travel with cover through the event, sneaking through between runners as Poon asked for an effort as they turned for home. He just kept finding out wide, sticking on to hit the front with 50m to run, but was unable to hold off General Ace who was just too strong late in the race. TACTICAL COMMAND was a long way back in running for Luke Ferraris and snuck up the inside turning for home. He never went around a runner, sneaking in to third.
Race 2 – Wai Yip Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:41.07 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
CHARITY BINGO (GB 4yo g Buratino – No Poppy) was away fairly but was taken back to rear of the field under Brenton Avdulla. He remained toward the rear of the field throughout the middle stages before the Australian hoop was able to get away from the inside with 500m to run, moving into the three-wide trail and working into the race. He continued his run wide heading into the straight and was out beyond the middle of the track as he continued to eat into the margin. He just kept finding under the urgings of Avdulla, sticking the nose in front inside the final 50m and scoring by a neck on the line. RED MAJESTY was very gallant in defeat, leading the field throughout the race. Karis Teetan pushed forward from the alley to take up the running heading into the first turn and although he was taken on passing the 1200m point, the Mauritian was able to hold the advantage. He was able to roll along as he pleased, setting just a moderate tempo before kicking away at the turn. He put a gap on them at the top of the straight and still led by over a length in front at the 100m point but couldn't fend off the late challenge of Charity Bingo. ATOMIC BEAUTY also finished off well from midfield, but was no match for the first two, being 2-1/4 lengths off the winner.
Race 3 – Wai Yip Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:41.08 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
It was an all-the-way victory for CORDYCEPS ONE (AUS 6yo g Hinchinbrook – Sharmadal Gold), and an impressive one at that. He can be troublesome at the start, but he wasn't this time as he pinged out of the barriers and rolled to the front, taking the lead easily. There wasn't much pace on offer and Chung was able to run them along how he pleased as he wasn't taken on out in front. After cruising around the home turn, the six-year-old kicked away strongly, clocking a 400-200m sectional some 0.4 seconds quicker than his previous furlong. That broke the race right apart, with Cordyceps One and Angus Chung bursting clear from the chasing pack and winning by 2-1/2 lengths on the line. BRAVE WITNESS was nestled in behind the leader throughout the event as Zac Purton allowed the gelding to cross him and lead around the first turn. He looked to be travelling strongly as they entered the straight and was right on the back of Cordyceps One turning for home. The gelding was unable to match the winner's turn-of-foot but stuck on well for second. The pace of the race would not have suited JOYFUL PROSPERITY as he was well back in the field. He sprinted very strongly though out wide on the track to finish in third, in what was probably the run of the race.
Race 4 – Tsun Yip Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.87 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
After being the bridesmaid for his last six starts, today was the day SUPER EAGLE (AUS 5yo g Mshawish – Elektra Lass) became the bride. It was an even line away and Karis Teetan urged the gelding along to hold his position just off the speed around the first turn. He raced in the one-out-one-back position through the middle stages. The pace appeared good throughout, with Teetan already beginning to wind up his gelding approaching the 400m point. He popped off heels early in the straight to make his challenge, joining the leader with 50m to go and inching clear inside the final stages, scoring by a half-length on the line. GOLDEN LONG jumped well from a middle alley and pushed forward to sit on the outside of the leader. He travelled well facing the breeze and worked strongly around the turn to hit the front with 150m to run. He couldn't hold off the winner late in the race who had been on his back throughout but didn't lose any admirers. VALHALLA was on the back of the eventual winner in running and although he couldn't go with Super Eagle in the straight, he stuck on well to finish in third.
Race 5 – The Volunteers' Challenge Cup (Handicap), HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.51 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
The successful partnership of Zac Purton and John Size combined to win the fifth event, as A AMERIC TE SPECSO (NZ 5yo g Per Incanto – Island Time) powered home to win by a head. The pace was on right from the start, so Purton eased back fromhis outside alley to settle toward the end of the field. He was still 7 lengths off the lead with 400m remaining, with Purton being the widest runner in the straight. He stormed home right down the outside, picking his rivals off one-by-one to stick his nose in front in the final couple of strides. ATOMIC FORCE returned to form tonight when just narrowly edged out. The gelding settled midfield in the run and was travelling strongly throughout. Harry Bentley got toward the middle of the track on straightening and closed off strongly out wide, hitting the front with 100m to run, before being grabbed in the final couple of strides by the winner. Only 1-3/4 lengths separated the first six across the line, with the race leader COLOURFUL EMPEROR holding on for third in a close photo finish.
Race 6 – Hoi Yuen Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good
Time: 57.27 Standard Time: 57.00 Course/Class record: 56.39 Gentle Breeze
Ellis Wong notched up his second win at Happy Valley with HARMONY FIRE (AUS 6yo g Brazen Beau – Ms Mazetti) proving too speedy for his rivals. The gelding jumped well from gate four and put himself right on the speed, holding out his rivals to remain in front turning off the back. The gelding put in a strong kick at the top of the straight tot break clear from his rivals and nothing was making any ground on the six-year-old. He never looked back once he burst clear, winning by 2-3/4 lengths in a very impressive victory. FUN ELITE was very strong in second position despite finishing well back off the winner. He wasn't the quickest away from barrier 10 and Lyle Hewitson pressed forward from the deep. He was caught wide throughout the race, sitting just off the leaders while facing the breeze. He worked into the race nicely around the turn and although he had a tough run in transit, the gelding stuck on gamely. He ran into second at the 100m point and finished a half-length clear of his nearest rival. RUBY SAILING was the runner on the inside of Fun Elite in running and crossed the line in third, but it was all about the winner who was just too good.
Race 7 – Tsun Yip Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.81 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
It was a tough win from JOY COMING (AUS 4yo g Sooboog – Anadyomene) who raced wide and without cover throughout. Down the back straight, the gelding was four-wide and facing the breeze with Lyle Hewitson pushing on from a midfield position early. At the 600m point, the gelding moved up to be just off the pace, still wide and without cover, before creeping even closer around the home turn to join the leaders. He took control shortly after straightening and was in front with 200m left to run and showed plenty of strength to hold his rivals at bay. He was under heavy pressure over the last 100m, but the gelding wouldn't lay down, keeping his nose in front and scoring by a short head on the line. MULTIDARLING enjoyed a cosy run in the race, sitting about midfield on the rail from his inside barrier. Karis Teetan was just niggling out his mount with 700m to run to keep in touch with the leaders, sneaking along the inside rail before peeling away from the inside with 400m remaining. With runners fanning right across the track, Multidarling had plenty of time and space to set out after the leader, going up to challenge with 100m to run. Despite his best efforts, the gelding couldn't stick his nose in front and went down in a photo finish. LYRICAL MOTION jumped the race favourite and settled alongside Multidarling in the run. He lost his position around the home turn and was strung up in traffic at the top of the straight. He found a gap back nearer the inside and copped a bump at the 100m point. He closed off well despite the interference to finish third.
Race 8 – Mut Wah Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.27 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
It remained a struggle for punters through race 8 with GOLDEN EMPIRE (FR 6yo g Fastnet Rock – Pretty Paper) bringing up a race-to-race double for Lyle Hewitson and a winning treble for Francis Lui. The six-year-old was the first out of the barriers and held the early lead around the first turn, before Hewitson slammed on the brakes. Runners from out wide scooted by and took up the running, leaving Golden Empire in a terrific spot on the back of the leader. He stalked the pace setter throughout, before sneaking up the inside and taking the lead early in the straight. He extended his lead midway down the straight and wouldn't be caught in the run to the line, scoring by 1-3/4 lengths in fantastic style. Last start winner NICCONI COUNTY enjoyed a cosy run sitting midfield for Teetan. He came under pressure a long way from home but was responding well out wide on the course. He was beyond the middle of the track in the straight but couldn't reel in the winner who was already off and gone. He ran into second position, edging out ACT OF FAITH who had been racing to the outside of Golden Empire in running.
Race 9 – Yue Man Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1800m – Track Good
Time: 1:50.78 Standard Time: 1:49.30 Course/Class record: 1:47.91 Leap Of Faith
Caspar Fownes and Alexis Badel combined to win the nightcap as NOBLE PURSUIT (NZ 4yo g Savabeel – Okahu Bay) made it back-to-back wins. He jumped well and put himself just off the speed on settling down after getting away from a favourable alley. He enjoyed a cosy run in transit and as the speed continued to come out of the race, the Frenchman peeled three-wide and crept forward out wide. He moved up to challenge the leaders at the top of the straight, eventually hitting the front with 200m to run. He was ducking in a bit under pressure, but when Badel straightened him up, he shot away from his rivals. He got over a length clear in the final 100m, going on to win by 1-1/2 lengths in fine style. TURIN MASCOT has been a very consistent galloper since arriving in Hong Kong and continued that form tonight. He was in a tricky position turning off the back straight, with Karis Teetan trying to weave his way through traffic turning for home. He was able to find an opening in the straight with the flashy grey finishing off well over the final stages, nabbing FLAMINGO TRILLION for second. Flamingo Trillion had sat up on the pace throughout, being on the outside of the leader and showed a nice turn-of-foot at the top of the straight. He was no match for the winner, but clung on well late in the race for third, only being passed late by Turin Mascot.
