3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Ap Lei Chau Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good
Time: 57.42 Standard Time: 57.15 Course/Class record: 56.52 Shanghai Power
The night got off to a speedy start with HAPPY HORSE (AUS 5yo g Zoustar – Kiss In The Rain) handing Ellis Wong and Manfred Man a win in the opener. The gelding bounced straight to the front under the apprentice hoop and took up the running shortly after the start. Wong led comfortably throughout the middle stages, keeping a length up his sleeve throughout and still having a strong grip of the gelding as they turned for home. He was a sitting duck in the straight, being there to catch if his rivals were good enough, but they weren't. The five-year-old continued strongly to the line, keeping his rivals at bay and winning by a length on the line. SWEET DIAMOND was left racing wide and without cover throughout the event as Alex Badel was unable to slot in from the wide draw. Despite the wide run, he loomed up at the top of the straight as a winning hope with Badel asking the flashy grey for an effort. He couldn't pick up the leader but showed plenty of strength to finish in second position. HAPPY TANGO took a sit just off the leader and was stalking him right throughout the race. When push came to shove though, the gelding was unable to pick up the leader and was passed close to the line, settling for third.
Race 2 – Cheung Chau Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.98 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
HAPPY FAT CAT (AUS 5yo g Shalaa – Bound To Blush) made it two wins in-a-row as he held on for a narrow victory. He jumped well from barrier four and pressed on immediately under Matthew Poon. Rounding the first turn, Poon led comfortably before being taken on up front passing the 800m point. The local hoop allowed that runner to press on, sitting on the back of the leader in a stalking role around the home turn. Poon popped off the leaders back at the top of the straight and quickly went up to take the lead with 200m to run. It was a bit of a ding-dong battle to the line with Happy Fat Cat prevailing in a photo finish. NICCONI COUNTY got away well off the inside and held a position on the back of the leader around the first turn. He ended up midfield in the run as they order changed a touch through the middle stages, with Karis Teetan tracking the eventual winner around the turn. The Mauritian hoop remained to the inside on straightening, rolling along the inside to hit the front alongside Happy Fat Cat. They paired off over the closing stages in a battle to the line, with Nicconi County going under in a close photo finish. BEAUTY INFINITY was left racing wide and without cover throughout and looked to be coming on strongly in the straight after jumping a $1.60 chance. He ran out of time to pick up the leaders though, finishing a length away in third.
Race 3 – Lamma Island Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:41.21 Standard Time: 1:40.30 Course/Class record: 1:38.91 All Joyful
Brenton Avdulla continued his good run of recent form with a come from behind win aboard MASTER OF LUCK (NZ 5yo g Burgundy – Precious) for fellow Australian Mark Newnham. After getting away on terms from a wide draw, Avdulla snagged his mount back toward the tail of the field as they passed the winning post with a lap to run. Cruising down the back straight, Avdulla moved into the three-wide trail and was enjoying a comfortable run in transit. The Australian hoop began to creep closer around the home turn and was getting a nice cart into the race as they swung for home. Avdulla ended up being one of the widest on straightening and was finishing full of running down the outside. He didn't hit the front until they were inside the final 50m, but he showed plenty of strength to inch away from his nearest rival and score by a neck. FOXHUNTER WAY got away well off the inside and enjoyed a lovely run on the back of the leader throughout the event. Matthew Poon began to creep closer around the home turn, popping off the leader's heels to take the lead with 200m remaining. The gelding couldn't hold off the winner late in the race despite making a good fist of it in the closing stages. BEAU GOSSE was a further 2 lengths off the winner, sticking on well from beyond midfield to finish in third position on the class drop.
Race 4 – Green Island Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.66 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Zac Purton notched up his first win of the night aboard the well fancied COPARTNER PRANCE (AUS 4yo g Epaulette – Woodstock Hussey). The four-year-old was one of the first out of the barrier and Purton pressed on from the wide alley. After being caught three-wide around the first turn and down the back straight, the champion jockey continued his move forward, eventually getting into a one-off position with around 700m to run. The pace was solid throughout and the gelding looked to be trucking into the race beautifully as they turned for home, quickly going up to take the lead at the top of the straight. He was still doing plenty wrong in the straight, but he had plenty of talent up his sleeve as he pulled away from his rivals to score his maiden victory by 1-1/4 lengths. VALHALLA jumped well but quickly snagged in behind the speed battle approaching the first turn, settling on the back of the leader for Keagan De Melo. After a cosy run throughout the race, De Melo tried to sneak up the inside turning for home, hugging the inside as he had his chance at the furlong marker. He was no match for the winner on this occasion, but he stuck on well close to home to finish a clear second. HAYDAY held the lead throughout the race and although he couldn't go with the first two across the line, he kept on well to finish third.
Race 5 – The Ireland Trophy (Handicap), HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.41 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
KING ECCELLENTE (AUS 5yo g Exceed And Excel – Caiguna) notched up his first win for over a year and did so in handy style from near the back of the pack. The gelding fired out of the barriers for Harry Bentley but drifted back from the wide barrier to try and find some cover around the first turn. The five-year-old got into the three-wide trail down the back straight, sitting a little worse than midfield with the pace solid through the middle stages. Many of his rivals were under heavy pressure turning for home, with Bentley still sitting patiently aboard the son of Exceed And Excel around the home turn. The Englishman swung wide on the bend and made his run down the centre of the track, coming with a head full of steam to hit the front with 100m left to run. He pulled away from his rivals late in the race to win by 1-1/4 lengths. HARMONY N HOME was taken back to the tail of the field by Matthew Poon and remained there for most of the race. Coming to the 400m point, Poon got onto the back of the eventual winner and tracked him around the home turn, lacking the turn-of-foot that King Eccellente had. While he couldn't match the sprint of the winner, he showed plenty of strength to come again in the straight and run the leader to a 1-1/4 length margin. COLONEL had taken up the running from his inside alley and held railed like a greyhound at the top of the straight. He was still a length in front with 200m to run, but tired late and was unable to fend off the first two across the line, finishing 2-1/2 lengths off the winner.
Race 6 – Cheung Chau Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.80 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
Zac Purton made it a winning double on the night with RAGING BLIZZARD (NZ 4yo g Per Incanto – Perfect Beat) scoring back-to-back wins as a well-supported favourite. The four-year-old had his nose in front early in the race, but with speed all around him, Purton dropped back into the one-out-one-back position. The gelding travelled sweetly in the run, with Purton peeling three-wide at the 400m point, gaining on the leaders and building momentum around the home turn. As soon as Purton pressed the button, the gelding shot to the front and put up a margin on his rivals, with the race basically over with 150m to run. Purton eased the gelding down close to the line, scoring an impressive win by 1-1/2 lengths. CAPTAIN WIN did what Captain Win does, running on well at the death but being too far back to challenge for the win. Although he was a little worse than midfield for Karis Teetan, he needed a bit of luck turning for home and was left flat footed when the sprint went on. He rallied back strongly in the run to the line to finish a clear second, but the winner was simply too good. SUGAR SUGAR continued his strong run of form, sticking on well despite being three-wide throughout the evet to finish 2-1/2 lengths off the winner in third.
Race 7 – Ma Wan Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:40.73 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
Both Harry Bentley and Mark Newnham brought up winning doubles on the night as they teamed up with SHOW RESPECT (IRE 4yo g Showcasing – More Respect) to win the seventh. After jumping well from barrier six, the gelding rolled forward to land in a perfect position one-out-one-back. He was shuffled back a touch through the middle stages as there was a change up front, though the gelding continued to travel well with Bentley putting him into the race with 500m to run. The Englishman was moving around the outside of his rivals as they turned for home, building up the revs and hitting the front midway down the straight. There was a wall chasing him, but with 100m to run he was well clear of his rivals, going on to score his maiden victory by 1-1/2 lengths. KEEN UNITY was snagged back near the tail of the field from barrier eight with Keith Yeung getting into a position a little worse than midfield. Approaching the 400m point, Yeung was able to get off the inside rail and begin his move toward the outside of the track, getting into clear air as they turned for home. The gelding was wobbling about under pressure but kept on well once Yeung had him balanced in the straight. He finished off well for second but was no match for the winner. JOY OF SPRING was behind Keen Unity at the top of the straight and was unable to reel in the first two despite a good run from the back of the pack.
Race 8 – Peng Chau Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1800m – Track Good
Time: 1:50.20 Standard Time: 1:49.30 Course/Class record: 1:47.91 Leap Of Faith
Ellis Wong secured his career-first double, guiding MOMENTS IN TIME (CHI 4yo g Lookin At Lucky – Magia Para Todos) to a big victory in the penultimate event. After jumping well, Wong pushed the gelding along to lead the field early on before being crossed heading into the first turn. The first two cleared out from the rest of the field, with Wong taking a sit off the leading horse who was travelling strongly. The apprentice hoop continued to stalk his prey through the middle stages, keeping off the rail and moving up to strike approaching the 400m point. He quickly went around to hit the front at the top of the straight and the four-year-old put in a good kick at the top of the straight to shoot away from his rivals. He never looked like getting run down despite running about a bit under pressure, with Wong punching him out to win by 2-1/4 lengths. Fellow apprentice Angus Chung ran into second position aboard MAJESTICX VICTORY. The gelding had worked across from the wide alley to sit in a handy position through the early stages. He was able to tack onto the back of the leading pair down the back straight and continue his move up along the inside, getting up on the back of the leader turning for home. Chung got into the clear at the top of the straight and while he was no match for the winner, he finished off well to run a clear second. INTREPID WINNER snuck up the inside rail to run third, never going around a horse in the run to the line.
Race 9 – Soko Islands Handicap, HK $2,840,000
Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.11 Standard Time: 1:09.35 Course/Class record: 1:08.26 Rewarding Together
After winning a Group One together on Sunday, Brenton Avdulla and Tony Cruz combined to win the final event of the night with BEAUTY CHARGE (GB 5yo g Havana Gold – Poppets Sweetlove). The gelding got away on terms and slotted into a position a touch worse than midfield around the first turn. He moved into the three-wide trail down the back straight and was racing strongly as they turned off the back straight. Avdulla allowed the gelding to slide forward approaching the 400m point and tracked into the race full of running, but he was still spotting the leader some three lengths with 200m to run. He showed plenty of strength though to join the leaders with 100m to go and stick his nose in front over the closing stages, winning by a half-length on the line in a close finish. TOMODACHI KOKOROE was the early leader heading into the first turn before Karis Teetan restrained him to take a sit early in the back straight. After racing in the one-out-one-back position, Teetan popped into the clear turning for home and gave his mount every possible chance. He stuck on well in the straight but couldn't fend off the winner who was just too good on the night. WONDER KIT raced to the inside of Tomodachi Kokoroe and remained along the rail for Andrea Atzeni at the top of the straight. The Sardinian hoop tried to pinch the runs along the inside but had to settle for third, with the two out wide just a touch stronger late in the race.
