3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.
Race 1 – Castle Peak Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – All Weather - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.23 Standard Time: 1:09.10 Course/Class record: 1:08.46 Trillion Treasure
Apprentice Ellis Wong continued his handy run of form, steering home VALIANT ELEGANCE (AUS 7yo g Salade – Lolly Lover) to his first win in over a year. After jumping on terms from a middle draw, Wong pressed on throughout the opening stages to settle on the outside of the leader. The gelding was travelling strongly around the home turn and edged ahead with around 550m left to run. As the apprentice hoop began asking the seven-year-old for an effort, the pair began to get away from the chasing group. Inside the final furlong, Valiant Elegance was wobbling about under pressure and was getting tired close to the line as his gap began to dwindle. The first three across the line hit the line in unison, with Valiant Elegance getting his nose down where it mattered most to win by a nose. SUPER JOY was one of the slowest into stride and was a clear last after only a few strides. Chadwick was able to pinch a little bit of ground turning off the back straight as he slid along the inside rail. Chadwick still needed plenty of luck as they turned for home, but the flashy grey was able to work his way into clear air with around 250m remaining. He closed off strongly inside the final 100m and made a dive at the leaders right on the line, with the gelding narrowly missing in a photo finish. SMART LEADER was only a short head off the winner on the line after grinding away in the straight. The race was there to win if he was good enough, and he almost was, but had to settle for third in the end.
Race 2 – Lai Pek Shan Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – All Weather – Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:08.83 Standard Time: 1:08.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.14 Happy Tour
SOLID SHALAA (AUS 4yo g Shalaa – Lady Sioux) notched up his maiden win in Hong Kong at his 16th start in the city. The gelding got away on terms and was ridden along by Karis Teetan early in the event, with the Mauritian looking to hold a spot from his inside alley. The pair were able to hold a midfield position on settling down and remained in that position through the middle stages. The four-year-old was stuck in a pocket turning for home and had to get physical to force his way into the clear midway down the stretch, setting out after the leader. He was eating into the margin with every stride, catching and passing the leader inside the final 100m before going on to win by a neck. ACA POWER jumped well and landed in a handy position on the back of the leader. After tracking the speed throughout the opening and middle stages, Alex Badel was able to get across the leader's heels and into the clear at the top of the straight. He had plenty of time to round up the leaders if he was good enough, but he lacked the finishing speed of Solid Shalaa who blew right by him in the closing stages. DIAMOND FLARE pressed on the lead the field under Ellis Wong and put in a good kick at the top of the straight to get away from his nearest rivals. He was still a length in front with around 100m remaining, but tired close to the line and was overrun by the first two across the line.
Race 3 – Needle Hill Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf – Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.02 Standard Time: 1:09.40 Course/Class record: 1:08.40 Master Eight
The first race on the turf this afternoon saw SEA SAPPHIRE (AUS 4yo g Husson – Luna Azzura) shed the maiden tag. The gelding jumped well from the inside barrier and showed plenty of pace to hold his position along the rail, keeping out his rivals heading off the back. With around 700m remaining, the four-year-old burrowed through to take the lead, with Alex Badel having most of his rivals off the bit at the top of the straight. Badel still had a strong hold of his gelding at the top of the straight and only began asking for an effort with a furlong to run. He showed plenty of strength to lead by nearly two lengths with 50m remaining, crossing the line a length in front of his rivals as he began to feel the pinch late. SUPER HIGHWAY settled off the pace which was strong through the opening stages of the event. Angus Chung tried to make a move as they swung into the straight, but the apprentice hoop was forced back to the inside as he began to make his run. Coming to the 200m point there was plenty of room for Chung to move, getting clear air and setting out after the leaders. Although he closed off well late in the race, he was no match for the winner, holding on for second in a photo finish. YOU'REMYEVERYTHING was 5-1/2 lengths off the leader turning for home and closed off well in the straight to finish third in a photo finish.
Race 4 – Sai Wan Shan Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf – Distance 1800m - Track Good
Time: 1:47.80 Standard Time: 1:48.15 Course/Class record: 1:46.54 Crown Avenue
CASA COSMO (NZ 5yo g Tavistock – Nouveau Armour) scored his maiden victory in Hong Kong and did so in very impressive style. After being only fairly away, the gelding was able to hold his position from an inside draw, being about midfield as the field sorted their order out. After a solid tempo down the back straight, the leaders tried to back off the tempo passing the 800m causing the field to bunch and some moves around the field to be made. Antoine Hamelin got away from a sticky position and into the three-wide line at this point, trucking strongly around the field and carrying plenty of momentum into the straight. He was out near the centre of the track on straightening, but it didn't take long for the gelding to run to the lead and he shot away from his rivals inside the final 300m. He quickly put up a margin on his rivals and pulled away with every stride, going on to win impressively by 2-3/4 lengths in very impressive fashion. REACH GOAL was also well back in the run and had moved into the three-wide line around the home turn, trailing Casa Cosmo into the straight. While he lacked the turn-of-foot the winner showed, Reach Goal stuck on gamely to the wire, finishing a clear second. DEVAS TWELVE has enjoyed a cosy run on the back of the leader throughout the event and had plenty of time and space to make his presence felt. Despite having plenty of favours in the run, he was unable to challenge for the victory and ended up 3-3/4 lengths off the winner in third.
Race 5 – The Heung Yee Kuk Cup (Handicap), HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:08.83 Time: 1:09.05 Course/Class record: 1:08.11 Victor The Winner
It'd been over a year since IMA SINGLE MAN (AUS 6yo g Gingerbread Man – Single Spice) had finished in the placings (yes, placings), but he turned his form right around today. He was away quickly from barrier three and was running up front early on, sitting on the outside of the leader initially. As they began to turn off the back, Angus Chung kept working forward, taking the lead outright approaching the 800m point and crossing down to the inside. Chung continued to roll along at a good pace in front and was leading by over a length coming to the home turn with plenty of his rivals already under plenty of pressure turning for home. The local hoop remained motionless aboard the sic-year-old before letting rip at the 300m point and putting in a good kick to keep his rivals at bay. He never really looked in danger in the run to the line, with the son of Gingerbread Man returning to the winner's stall by 1-1/2 lengths. E LEGEND got away well and enjoyed a lovely run throughout the event from barrier 1. Keagan De Melo settled just off the speed, stalking the leaders throughout the event and the gelding looked to have plenty to offer as they turned for home. E Legend snuck up the inside at the top of the straight and had plenty of time to catch the leader if he was going well enough. Although he was strong to the finish, he couldn't catch Ima Single Man. BEAUTY MISSILE closed off well from midfield and was one of only a couple of horses in the race to make ground close to home. A good effort for third.
Race 6 – Needle Hill Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf – Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.42 Standard Time: 1:09.40 Course/Class record: 1:08.40 Master Eight
CHAMPION INSTINCT (NZ 4yo g Holler – Acantha) made it three wins in-a-row as Andrea Atzeni steered the four-year-old to a comfortable win. He was quickly away from a wide draw and with plenty of pace underneath him, Atzeni was able to slide across and sit just off the speed. He enjoyed a lovely run off the back and as the leaders began to slacken the pace a touch, the Sardinian hoop moved into the one-out-one-back position at about the 600m point. He was travelling strongly as they turned for home, peeling into the clear and ambling up to join the leaders at the top of the straight. The gelding was still under a good hold in the straight as he stuck his nose in front and shot away from his rivals late in the race, going on to win by two lengths on the line. AWESOME TREASURE flew out of the barriers and crossed early on before being caught a touch wide with runners along the inside kicking up. As they sorted their order out, Harry Bentley was able to roll up and sit outside the leader, eventually going up to stick his nose in front with 300m remaining. He fought hard in the straight but eventually tired close to the line as Champion Instinct pulled away for a big win. NEW POWER had settled to the inside of the eventual winner in running and kept on well to the line to finish third in a close photo finish.
Race 7 – The Association Of Hong Kong Racing Journalists Challenge Cup (Handicap), HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – All Weather – Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:07.90 Standard Time: 1:08.50 Course/Class record: 1:07.40 Dehere's The Love
Karis Teetan made it a double on the day with SING DRAGON (AUS 4yo g Written Tycoon - Secret Doubt) leading all the way to win his first race in Hong Kong. He was only fairly away but mustered good speed under Teetan as they worked forward to take the lead and get across to the rail at the 800m point. Once he got to the front, Teetan slammed the brakes on, packing the field up before kicking away at the top of the straight. He shot away from his vials at the top of the straight and was about 2 lengths in front at the furlong pole. The Mauritian hoop eased the gelding down a long way from home, but it didn't matter as the final margin being 1-1/4 lengths. Race favourite VICTORY MOMENTS was midfield in the run for Matthew Chadwick, before moving into the three-wide line approaching the home turn. He enjoyed a beautiful run in transit throughout before getting into clear air at the top of the straight. He was creeping closer with every stride in the straight, but the gelding wasn't closing fast enough, finishing a clear second with a further two lengths back to FAST BUCK who followed the leader right throughout the race and remained along the inside in the run to the line.
Race 8 – Shek Nga Shan Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf – Distance 1400m - Track Good
Time: 1:22.41 Standard Time: 1:22.10 Course/Class record: 1:20.80 Perfect Pair
Harry Bentley scored his first win of the afternoon with SUNLIGHT POWER (AUS 4yo g Capitalist – Emirates Comfort) getting over the top of his rivals. Bentley got across from the wide draw to settle midfield in the run, landing three-wide with cover as they sorted their order out. Turning off the back, Sunlight Power was left facing the breeze three-wide with the Englishman beginning to creep forward with 600m left to run. Despite the tough run in transit, the gelding ranged up out wide and took the lead with 150m to run. He was very strong over the concluding stages, digging in the last 50m and inching away from his rivals to win by three quarters of-a-length. THE ABSOLUTE was caught wide early on as the gelding jumped from an outside barrier with Andrea Atzeni eventually getting across to sit outside the leader as they settled into stride. He never really took the lead but fought very hard when Sunlight Power loomed up at the furlong pole. After a bit of a battle, The Absolute began to feel the pinch and couldn't go with the winner late in the race. FOOLISH HEART didn't have the best of luck in running when cluttered up between runners turning for home and a long way into the straight. Derek Leung didn't get clear air until there was 250m remaining, with the gelding running on well to the line.
Race 9 – Sheung Yeung Shan Handicap, HK $2,840,000
Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1400m - Track Good
Time: 1:21.42 Standard Time: 1:21.55 Course/Class record: 1:20.28 Fantastic Treasure
Karis Teetan made it a winning treble on the day with an impressive win aboard up-and-coming galloper YOUNG CHAMPION (IRE 4yo g Zoustar – Sharliyna). The gelding got away on terms and as the pace came through underneath him, Teetan was able to get across and land midfield on settling down. He travelled beautifully through the middle stages and Teetan gave him every chance as they peeled out at the top of the straight. He let down powerfully down the outside, zooming past his rivals to hit the front with 250m left to run and he never looked like being beaten from that point on. He was well in front with 50m to go as the Mauritian jockey eased him down, with the final margin being a length. BLUE MARLIN was racing on the inside of eventual winner Young Champion in the run but was held in a pocket by that runner when push came to shove at the top of the straight. Harry Bentley tried to push his mount into the clear early in the straight but was strung up behind runners for much of the straight. It wasn't until he was inside the final 200m when Blue Marlin finally saw clear air, storming home late in the race to finish a length off the winner. LUCKY ENCOUNTER stuck on strongly after sitting close to the speed throughout, crossing the line in third.
Race 10 – Wong Leng Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf – Distance 1400m – Track Good
Time: 1:21.83 Standard Time: 1:21.80 Course/Class record: 1:20.62 Preciousship
Apprentice Angus Chung secured a winning double in the final event of the day as OUTGATE (GB 5yo g Outstrip – Penny Drops) scored his second win of the season. After getting away on terms, Chung tried to ease back and drop into the running line shortly after the start. The apprentice had to abort that mission quickly though to avoid being caught wide, pressing on to settle in the one-out-one-back position. The pace was only moderate through the middle stages and Outgate looked to lack the turn-of-foot the leaders had when the pace quickened turning for home. After appearing to go backwards early in the straight, the gelding looked to get his second wind inside the final furlong and begin taking ground off the leader. The flashy grey loomed up with 50m to run and stuck his nose in front close to home, winning by a neck on the line. SWEET BRIAR got away well and raced to the inside of the eventual winner throughout the event. Zac Purton looked to give his mount every chance, with the gelding travelling well at the top of the straight as he bumped Outgate out of the way. Sweet Briar went up to take the lead when Purton pressed the button and it looked as though he'd run away from the race, but Outgate had other ideas. The gelding couldn't hold off the late challenge and went down narrowly close to home. FLAGSHIP WARRIOR closed off well in the straight after being a long way back in the run, finishing 1-1/2 lengths off the winner in third.
