3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.
Race 1 – Cumberland Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – All Weather - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:40.11 Standard Time: 1:39.20 Course/Class record: 1:38.30 Apolar Warrior
Hugh Bowman kickstarted a huge day with a great ride aboard SUN OF MAKFI (NZ 7yo g Makfi – Palos de Lago) to win comfortably in the first. The gelding was only fairly away from a wide barrier and was snicked back to the tail of the field heading around the first turn. The pace was good down the back with Bowman still racing toward the back of the pack, stuck along the inside rail as they moved around the home turn. Bowman was able to sneak some runs along the inside and continued his expedition along the paint turning for home, squeezing underneath his rivals. He was able to dodge a tiring runner with around 250m to run and got into the clear, setting out after the leader. He mowed him down with around 100m to run and pulled away for an impressive 1-3/4 length victory. M M NEBULA jumped well for Zac Purton from a wide draw and with plenty of pace drawn underneath him, the Australian hoop was able to slot in just worse than midfield. He enjoyed a comfortably run throughout and began to peel wide approaching the home turn, travelling into the race strongly at the top of the stretch. He let down well down the outside but couldn't match the sprint of Sun Of Makfi who burst through along the inside. He stuck on well to claim take a clear second. CHARMING STEED kicked clear at the top of the straight under Blake Shinn but was unable to sustain the run in the closing stages as he began to get tired. Sun Of Makfi blew right by him and he was unable to fend of M M Nebula, finishing in third position, 2-3/4 lengths off the winner.
Race 2 – Essex Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf – Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.74 Standard Time: 1:09.40 Course/Class record: 1:08.40 Master Eight
After going winless for 15 months, the drop back to Class 4 proved the difference for ORIENTAL SMOKE (AUS 6yo g Artie Schiller – I'm Mary Too) as he ended his drought in a tough victory. The six-year-old was ridden along by Zac Purton in the early stages to take up an on-pace position, eventually sitting on the outside of the leader through the middle stages. The tempo was good around the turn as Purton continued to creep closer to the leader, with the first two getting away from their rivals in the straight. It was a ding-dong battle right down the Sha Tin straight, with Oriental Smoke only gaining the upper hand
inside the final 50m, proving too strong to win by a head on the line. WINDCHEATER showed good pace from barrier 9 to get across and lead the field for Luke Ferraris. The gelding travelled well in the run and showed plenty of toughness when he and Oriental Smoke set down to fight out the finish at the top of the straight. He wouldn't give in down the stretch, with the winner only gaining control inside the final 50m. It was a brave effort at just his second start and there looks like there'll be plenty more wins in store. STRATHPEFFER was caught wide and without cover throughout the event but kept on brilliantly down the centre of the track. He let rip down the middle to run into a clear third with 150m to run and wasn't stopping at the line, taking plenty of ground off the two leaders to finish only 1L away.
Race 3 – Kent Handicap, HK $3,120,000
Class 2 – All Weather - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:39.63 Standard Time: 1:37.85 Course/Class record: 1:36.15 Hongkong Great
MR ASCENDENCY (IRE 6yo g The Gurkha – Dietrich) got away well under Harry Bentley and was able to use the inside draw to his advantage, settling on the back of the leader as they worked around the first turn. He held his spot despite a change up front, and travelled well coming to the home turn. Bentley was right there to strike if good enough and after initially looking to come wide in the straight, the Englishmen ducked back to the inside to make his run through a narrow gap. He burrowed through to take a narrow lead close to home and held his rivals at bay, scoring by a head on the line after never going around a runner. TELECOM FIGHTERS was the first one out of the barriers and speared across to take the lead early. He was challenged up front with around 1200m to run, but Bowman allowed his mount to stride forward and hold his position in front. He was left alone through the middle stages and had many of his rivals off the bit and chasing as they approached the 400m point as he looked to break away from his competitors. He saw off the first challenger in the straight, but after a battle with Mr Ascendency back to his inside, the gelding was unable to hold off the eventual winner went down narrowly. ALACRITY was under plenty of pressure a long way from home but made a sustained run right to the line. He just continued to find under the urgings of Purton, being strong to the finish to cross the line in third, only a neck off the winner.
Race 4 – Norfolk Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf – Distance 1600m - Track Good
Time: 1:34.81 Standard Time: 1:35.00 Course/Class record: 1:33.78 Morethanlucky
It didn't take long for last year's Champion Jockey to bring up a winning double, with Zac Purton guiding home DEVAS TWELVE (AUS 4yo g Headwater – Phar Too Fast) for the Chris So barn. After jumping well from an outside barrier, the gelding was snagged back in the field by Purton, landing about midfield with the field strung right out in the early stages. He raced well between runners, ending up a little worse than midfield as he was shuffled back around the home turn, though he was travelling comfortably. Purton was able to shift the gelding off heels and into the clear at the top of the straight where he let down strongly to range up and take the lead with a furlong to run. He never looked like being run down close to the line, going on to score comfortably by 1-1/4 lengths. BEER PALACE was the only challenger late in the race. He'd also settled midfield in the run after jumping from an inside alley and was almost in line with Devas Twelve as they turned for home. Luke Ferraris went back to the inside rail where there was plenty of room to come through with a bold run, but he lacked the sprint shown by Devas Twelve in the closing stages. CELTIC TIMES stuck on well in the straight and looked to be coming again closer to the line, finishing 2-1/2 lengths off the impressive winner.
Race 5 – The Kowloon Tong Club Trophy (Handicap), HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.49 Time: 1:09.05 Course/Class record: 1:08.11 Victor The Winner
There was an upset in the Trophy race of the day, with PRAWNS ELEVEN (NZ 4yo g Super Easy – Pussycat Holiday) bringing up a winning double for Harry Bentley. After getting away well off the inside barrier, Bentley rolled forward to take up a position on the back of the leader. He was pulling strongly in the middle stages as the pace slowed a touch, ending up three pairs back and along the fence rounding the home turn. The Englishmen had plenty of space to get off the inside and int the clear at the top of the straight, moving into the race ominously under a strong hold. When Bentley pressed the button with 200m to run, the gelding let rip and put up a 2-length margin on his rivals. He was eased down close to the line, finishing a 1-1/2 length victory after jumping a $42 chance. TORONADO PHANTOM had settled on the back of the eventual winner in the run and had tracked Prawns Eleven through the same gap. The flashy grey lacked the turn-of-foot the winner had, but ground away well late in the race to run a clear second. O'LINER stuck on gamely from his on-pace position to hold on for third in a gutsy effort.
Race 6 – Essex Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf – Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.17 Standard Time: 1:09.40 Course/Class record: 1:08.40 Master Eight
Blake Shinn's hit-and-run mission was successful thanks to the maiden victory of SKY HEART (NZ 3yo g Ardrossan – Luroel) at just his third race start. The three-year-old was out of the barriers swiftly and pressed forward to sit on the outside of the leader. He travelled well on what was a good tempo through the middle stages and the gelding strode up to take the lead shortly after straightening. He looked to be getting away from the pack inside the final 200m, but one came from out of the pack to make things interesting. Shinn threw everything he had at the gelding to get him over the line, only winning by a head in the end and just holding off the late challenge. YOU'RE MY EVERYTHING jumped well but slid back from the wide alley to take up a position in the back half of the field. He was one of the least horses turning for home and was out near the middle of the track for Angus Chung. The gelding began to let rip right down the centre, coming after the leader strongly in the closing stages, but he was unable to reel in Sky Heart who had the tactical advantage in the run. MUST GO jumped the $3.40 favourite and looked a challenger when he darted back to the inside midway down the straight. He stuck on well but didn't quicken as anticipated, finishing a half-length off the winner in third.
Race 7 – The Hong Kong Classic Cup, HK $13,000,000
4 Year Olds – Turf – Distance 1800m - Track Good
Time: 1:47.73 Standard Time: N/A Course/Class record: N/A
The feature race of the day went the way of the favourite and Classic Mile winner HELIOS EXPRESS (AUS 4yo g Toronado – Paris Texas) by the barest of margins. After being one of the first into stride, Hugh Bowman quickly took a hold of the gelding to settle just off the speed. The four-year-old wanted to go faster through the middle stages as he raced about midfield and along the inside, with the pace relatively sedate through the first 1200m. The pace began to ramp up passing the 600m point with runners fanning wider on the course to make their run as Bowman stuck close to the inside with a strong hold on the gelding. He kept close to the inside before pulling into the clear with 200m to run, chasing after the leader. He was made to earn it close to the line as Bowman threw everything he had at his mount, sticking his nose in front right on the line to score by a short head. CHANCHENG GLORY wouldn't go away in the straight and made Helios Express earn the win, despite jumping a $52 chance. The gelding had enjoyed a lovely run in transit, sitting on the back of the leader before getting off heels and into the clear at the top of the straight. He took the lead inside the final 300m and wouldn't hand up to the odds-on favourite. He was only beaten in the final couple of strides. ENSUED probably lacked the turn-of-foot some of his competitors possessed when the sprint went on, but stayed on well over the final stages to finish in third position.
Race 8 – Rutland Handicap, HK $2,840,000
Class 2 – Turf – Distance 1000m - Track Good
Time: 56.66 Standard Time: 55.90 Course/Class record: 54.68 Valiant Dream
It was a big return to form by NERVOUS WITNESS (AUS 6yo g Star Witness – Hadiklaim) who hadn't won for nearly two years. The six-year-old was away quickly from his outside barrier and showed superior speed to set the tempo down the grandstand side. He had plenty of rivals chasing with 300m to run, but Andrea Atzeni made sure there was still something left in the tank. It looked as though he extended the margin close to home as he ran his rivals right off their feet, scoring comfortably by 2 lengths on the line. INVINCIBLE SAGE was one of a number of unlucky tales in the race, though I'm not so sure he would've caught Nervous Witness even with luck. He settled just off the speed for Bowman and was pocketed behind a wall of runners inside the 300m point as the Australian looked to challenge. Bowman was forced to weave his way through traffic in the closing stages, hitting the line full of running to claim second position. He's worth following wherever he goes next. CARROLL STREET ended up a long way back in the run under ~Angus Chung but closed off strongly to steal third position in a close four-way finish.
Race 9 – Somerset Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 2000m - Track Good
Time: 2:02.37 Standard Time: 2:01.95 Course/Class record: 2:00.37 Champion Supreme
It was an impressive training performance and demolition job in the ninth as MASSIVE SOVEREIGN (IRE 4yo g No Nay Never – Sweet Charity) scored in his Hong Kong debut. After getting away on terms from the inside draw, Zac Purton allowed the race to unfold ahead of him around the first turn, settling in a midfield position along the inside. The pace was good down the back straight and Purton was able to pop off the inside through the middle stages. The pace remained solid around the turn as Purton tracked into the race beautifully, peeling wide and striding into the race ominously. He put his rivals away in a matter of strides, letting rip at the 300m point to take the lead and he never looked back. It was all over with 200 to run and pulled away emphatically, winning by 3-1/4 lengths in a first-up demolition job. SIMPLE HEDGE ended up in the second half of the field from barrier four and was a long way off the lead with 600m to run. Ryan Moore was getting stuck into the gelding a long way from home as he tried to scoot along the inside rail and mount his challenge. He stayed on well over the closing stages to run second in a photo finish.
BILLIONAIRE SECRET was strong from the back and looked assured to run second before maybe peaking on the run close to the line.
Race 10 – Suffolk Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf – Distance 1400m – Track Good
Time: 1:22.19 Standard Time: 1:21.80 Course/Class record: 1:20.62 Preciousship
Hugh Bowman capped off a superb day in the saddle with a win aboard BLUE MARLIN (AUS 5yo g Capitalist – Grenada) in the final event. Blue Marlin wasn't the fastest away from the barriers, but he mustered well to land in a midfield position from the draw. Hugh Bowman was down along the inside rail and was improving his position passing the 800m to be just off the speed. Approaching the turn, Bowman moved into the clear with the five-year-old trucking into the race beautifully to hit the front with 300m to run. The first three broke away from their rivals in the straight, with the two favourites fighting out the finish over the final 100m. Bowman got right over the neck of his mount as he held off the late challenger, scoring by a short head on the line after being well backed on start time. MAGNIFICENT NINE looked to be in a handy position relative to the speed for Purton and was travelling strongly through the middle stages. Purton peeled wide into the straight and began to let rip down the centre of the course. He joined the leader with 200m to run and fought hard over the final 100m in a ding-dong battle to the line. He couldn't stick his nose in front at any stage, going down in a photo finish. HUGE WAVE was part of the trio who ran to the front early in the straight but couldn't go on with the job as he tired to finish third.
