3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Cochrane Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.64 Standard Time: 1:10.05 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King
Angus Chung continued his solid season with a victory aboard the Manfred Man-trained HERO STAR (AUS 8yo g Kaphero – Winning Betsy). The gelding got away well from barrier four and went straight to the front under Chung. He was leading vomfortably throughout the event, setting an even tempo through the middle stages with the runners clumped up behind him. He began to raise the tempo as they turned off the back, breaking the field apart heading toward the home turn where the local hoop still had a strong hold of his mount. At the top of the straight, the gelding kicked strongly when Chung asked for an effort, getting away from his rivals to lead by over a length with 200m to run. He was clear all the way to the line and never looked like being caught, scoring by 1-1/4 lengths on the line in the gelding's first win in over a year. MY INTELLIGENT got away on terms but was left racing three-wide and without cover in the run, with Zac Purton unable to slot into the running line around the first turn. Sitting on the pace, Purton was able to remain within striking distance around the home turn when the pace quickened, and he was travelling strongly into the straight. He chased hard in the straight, but he never really made a dent in the leader's margin as he finished a clear second. SAME TO YOU drifted back from the wide draw to settle near the tail of the field under Brenton Avdulla. He was a clear last around the home turn with Avdulla swinging widest in the straight and making his run down the middle of the track. He closed off strongly for third, but he was never really a winning threat.
Race 2 – Wyndham Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.03 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
NEW POWER (NZ 3yo g Swiss Ace – River Shannon) shed the maiden tag with a solid win for Karis Teetan and Michael Chang. After getting away on terms from a middle alley, Teetan roused the gelding along to send him forward approaching the first turn. The leaders showed plenty of pace early on and Teetan was able to slot in behind the leading pair down the back straight with the field strung right out through the middle stages. The
Mauritian hoop sat just off the leading pair, stalking them throughout the event before beginning to make his move with around 450m to run. Teetan moved around the outside of his rivals turning for home, building plenty of momentum as he chased after the leader. He was digging deep in front, eventually reeling in the leader and hitting the front with 100m to run. He kept on strongly to the line, inching away over the final stages to finish a half-length in front. LEAN MASTER set a blistering tempo early in the race as Ellis Wong was keen to hold the lead around the first turn. He ran to a clear lead early in the back straight, leading by almost two lengths at the 600m point. The gelding was still well clear at the top of the straight, but inside the final 150m he was beginning to feel the pinch. He was game once New Power got to him in the closing stages. CHATEAUNEUF was a long way back in the run, spotting the leader a massive 9-1/4 lengths with 400m remaining. He closed off very strongly to finish in third position in an eye-catching run.
Race 3 – D'Aguilar Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:41.20 Standard Time: 1:40.30 Course/Class record: 1:38.91 All Joyful
It took 18 starts, but PRECISION GOAL (NZ 5yo g Tavistock – Miraculous Miss) managed to break his maiden in the third event of the night. The gelding was away well from barrier five and Harry Bentley put him up on the speed. Settling on the outside of the leader, they ran along at just an even tempo through the early and middle stages, despite the leader being some two lengths clear at the halfway point of the race. Bentley was happy staying one off the fence down the back as the leader came back to them with 600m remaining, prompting Bentley to apply some pressure around the home turn. The gelding was under heavy pressure around the home turn and looked to be only plugging away in the straight. It wasn't until the 200m point where he began to make ground, showing plenty of strength to take the lead with 100m to run and draw away to score by 1-1/4 lengths. CHARMING STEED was able to get into a handy position just off the pace as they sorted their order out. Vincent Ho was tracking the leading division throughout the event and was well within striking distance as they swung into the home straight. Ho got his mount into plenty of open air in the straight and had his chance to win if he was good enough. He kept on well to the line, putting his nose down on the line to take third position in a photo finish. CASA LEGEND raced on the leader's back throughout the event and also had his chance to win the race. He looked to be travelling well turning for home, but he just bumped into a couple better on the night.
Race 4 – Wyndham Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:11.02 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
It was a close finish to race four with Andrea Atzeni and Douglas Whyte coming out on top with ACE POWER (AUS 3yo g Power – Queen Istona). The gelding was only fairly into stride and ended up in a midfield position around the first turn, sitting along the inside rail. The pace was strong through the middle stages with the field strung out again and Atzeni already hard at work aboard the three-year-old turning off the back. The gelding picked up under the urgings and Atzeni moved off the inside as he looked to make his run at the top of the straight. The Sicilian weaved his way through traffic on straightening and made his run between horses in the middle of the straight. He was doing his best work late in the race as he stormed home inside the final 100m to stick his nose in front where it mattered most, scoring by a short head in a three-way photo finish. VALHALLA was able to slot into a position just off the speed after jumping well from a wide stall. After stalking the speed throughout the race, Valhalla and Ace Power ended up beside each other around the home turn, with Vincent Ho opting to swing wide aboard Valhalla, getting out to the middle of the course. He was always right there with the leader, but it was hard to tell if he was in front as they were wide apart. It didn't matter though as he just missed out on victory by a nostril. In that photo finish was also WOOD ON FIRE who shot clear early in the straight after taking up the running turning for home. Karis Teetan almost had the, beat with 150m to run, but the gelding would just miss out on victory by a short head, despite running third.
Race 5 – The Sports Club Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup (Handicap), HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:11.45 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Hugh Bowman was the next jockey to hit the board, winning with RIGHTEOUS ARION (AUS 4yo g Rich Enuff – Tranquil Harmony) for the Tony Cruz yard. From a wide draw, Bowman was very neutral at the start, with the gelding caught extremely wide around the first turn. The Australian hoop was left racing three-wide and without cover through the middle stages. Around the home turn, the four-year-old raced closed at the top of the straight with Bowman needed to weave his way through the traffic. A big gap opened up midway down the straight and Bowman shot through the gap, storming through to hit the front inside the final 50m and proving too good at the finish, winning by a neck. TELECOM SPEED was also caught wide through the early and middle stages as Karis Teetan tried to press forward early in the race. After racing wide, Teetan eased back as with 500m remaining, before quickening again approaching the home turn. The gelding moved up strongly to take the lead with 200m to run and looked like the winner with 100m to run. The gelding
just couldn't sustain the effort, getting caught close to the line and having to settle for second. FALCON COURT stuck on well from a midfield position, finishing third in a very solid effort.
Race 6 – Glenealy Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1800m – Track Good
Time: 1:50.83 Standard Time: 1:49.55 Course/Class record: 1:48.10 Acclaimed Light
It'd been a while between drinks for ESCAPE ROUTE (IRE 6yo g Dandy Man – Elaysa), but Brenton Avdulla was able to hold on to end the winning drought of over a year. Avdulla was keen to press forward from the wide draw, immediately urging the gelding along out of the barriers as he slid across from the outside barrier. He was caught a little wide heading into the first turn, but down the side of the course Avdulla was able to get across and sit on the outside of the leader. He enjoyed a cosy run on the outside of the leader, although the Australian hoop was already hard at work aboard the six-year-old as they turned off the back. Escape Route was right there to strike turning for home and he moved up to hit the front inside the final furlong. He drew a neck in front close to home, but he was given a fright on the wire as the inside horse came back at him. Escape Route managed to hold on in a photo finish though, scoring by a short head. FOREVER GLORIOUS was able to do as he pleased out in front as Karis Teetan wasn't pressured in the lead. He tried to skip away passing the 400m point although Escape Route was right on his hammer at the top of the straight. While he was overtaken inside the final furlong, the gelding wouldn't go down without a fight, taking it right up to the winner all the way to the line. STORM WINNER stuck on well for third in good battle of this own down the straight, gaining the upper hand close to home and finishing in third at a $32 starting price.
Race 7 – Graham Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Yielding
Time: 1:40.89 Standard Time: 1:39.85 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters
Angus Chung made it a double on the day as he guided LOVERO (JPN 5yo g Lord Kanaloa – Sacred Sight) home to his second victory in Hong Kong. The local hoop urged his mount along coming out of the barriers, rolling forward from an outside alley. He was caught four-wide around the first turn, but the field eventually sorted themselves out down the side where Lovero landed on the outside of the leader. The pace was just fair through the middle stages as the gelding travelled comfortably on the outside of the leader, with the
pace ramping up passing the 500m point. The leader folded up before the home turn and Lovero strolled to the front, leading by a length as the field turned for home. He was left exposed a long way from home, but the gelding fought off all his initial challengers early in the straight. The second wave came close to the line as he was being attacked from all angles, but the gelding packed enough punches to hold on in a photo finish, scoring by a short head in another three-way photo finish. STAR CONTACT was able to burn across from a sticky alley and settle a little worse than midfield in the run. He was acing away from the rail under Karis Teetan, enjoying a nice run in transit throughout. Passing the 1000m point, Teetan moved into the three-wide trail, and he was getting a nice tow into the race down the back with the field bunched together with 600m remaining. He quickened well when the Mauritian asked for an effort and the gelding made his run down the centre of the course. He was eating into the margin with every stride, but he just missed out on victory by a bob of the head. RED HARE KING looked to have his chance after jumping a $3.50 favourite, making his run up the inside. He was right there at the finish but ended up in third only beaten a short head. The first five across the line were separated by just three-quarters of-a-length.
Race 8 – On Lan Handicap, HK $1.170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:41.26 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
Tony Cruz brought up a winning treble on the night, and Brenton Avdulla a double as they teamed up to salute with ATOMIC BEAUTY (FR 5yo g Wootton Bassett – Loyale). The gelding showed good pace from the outset, rolling forward and eventually getting across to lead as they turned out of the back straight. He was only in front momentarily though as he was eventually passed down the side of the course, with Avdulla now stalking the leader at a good gallop. The field was strung out through the middle stages, though Atomic Beauty was travelling very comfortably facing the breeze. Avdulla still had a strong grip of the gelding as they moved into the straight, striding up to take the lead shortly after straightening. The five-year-old kicked away when the Australian hoop pressed the button, and nobody looked like catching him. He would win comfortably by 1-1/4 lengths on the line in the gelding's second win this term. SIXTH GENERATION was able to slide across from a wide alley and land in the one-out-one-back position under Vincent Ho. The gelding tracked the eventual winner throughout the event and never let Atomic Beauty get away. As they began turning for home, Ho slid around the outside to try and make an impression early in the straight, but he didn't have the turn-of-foot to match the eventual winner. He was right there to strike if he was good enough, but he was held comfortably on the line, holding on to second in a photo finish. Race favourite CAN'T GO WONG was bursting through between runners late to make an impression, but he too had an opportunity to win if he was good enough.
Race 9 – Shelley Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.10 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
The night ended with Douglas Whyte and Harry Bentley both bringing up winning doubles, with WINGS OF WAR (IRE 5yo g Dark Angel – Futoon) winning easily. There was plenty of pace on offer early and Harry Bentley was happy to sit just off the speed, getting a nice run in behind the leading division. The field was well strung out through the middle stages and Bentley's mount began working into the race beautifully turning off the back. The five-year-old looked to have plenty to offer turning for home, as the Englishman moved him into the clear down the centre of the track. The grey gelding sprinted well, going up to hit the front inside the final 150m and he was far too strong over the closing stages. Wings Of War pulled away from his rivals once he hit the front, relishing the hot tempo and inching away to score by 1-1/2 lengths. SUPER JOY N FUN's unbeaten streak came to an end, but he didn't lose any admirers. He too sat just off the speed under Zac Purton and was positioned just ahead of the eventual winner in the run. Purton stuck to the inside as they turned for home and he looked as though he would play a major part in the finish. While he was beaten comfortably, he stuck on well and finished 1-1/4 lengths clear of third. It's just his third race start, and further improvement is expected. KYRUS DRAGON was bursting through late in the race after being last on the turn. He was a very eye-catching run and must be respected wherever he lines up next.
