3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Chung Hom Kok Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.63 Standard Time: 1:10.15 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King
Matthew Poon continued his hot start to the year as he steered home VIVA A LA (NZ 6yo g Showcasing – Zafrenzy) to an easy victory in the opener. From an inside alley, Poon rolled forward to take up the running heading into the first turn and was able to hold the lead comfortably around the first turn. He was travelling sweetly around the home turn while his rivals came under heavy pressure, with the local hoop sitting pretty upon entering the straight. Viva A La stuck on gamely under Poon's urgings to keep his rivals at bay all the way to the post, winning by 3 lengths in a dominant display. JOYFUL LIFE chased strongly in second position having worked across from barrier five to sit on the speed under Derek Leung. The local jockey was happy to take a sit just off the leading pair with 600m remaining, stalking them around the home turn and into the straight. He was there to strike if good enough Joyful Life, but the winner just kept on running and couldn't be caught. SUPER EAGLE stormed home from a midfield position to take third place, 5 lengths off the winner.
Race 2 – Shek O Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.68 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
It was another all-the-way victory in race two with SCOTCH TYCOON (AUS 6yo g Rich Enuff – Champagne Flute) getting the job done for Luke Ferraris and Mark Newnham. From gate one, Ferraris bounced the gelding out and took him straight to the front, leading into the first turn and not having too much pressure applied. The South African hoop was able to do as he pleased out in front, ramping up the pace as they turned off the back straight to break clear as they approached the home turn. Entering the straight he had a winning break on his rivals who were all racing for second place with 200m remaining. Ferraris eased the gelding down over the closing stages, with the official margin being 2-1/4 lengths in a dominant win. GLORY B was slowly away from barrier four but ended up in a midfield position on settling down with Matthew Chadwick getting up the inside. The local hoop was able to shift to the outside around the home turn, getting into clear air and sticking on strongly over the closing stages. His best work came over the final 100m of the race, going between horses to finish a clear second. COSMO NAVIGATOR sat up on the speed throughout the event and stuck on strongly. He kept on well to the line, finishing third and fending off his rivals late.
Race 3 – Shek O Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.40 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Race three saw another impressive victory, this time in the form of $1.30 favourite PACKING POWER (AUS 4yo g Toronado – Chloe Anna). After being away on terms, Zac Purton had to urge the gelding along to get across and sit outside the leader on settling down. He stalked the leader throughout the race, sitting on his hindquarters before rolling up ominously on the turn to eyeball the leader. Purton pressed the button shortly after straightening and the gelding shot away in a matter of strides. He shot the race to bits with 150m remaining, with Purton easing him to the line to win by 2-1/2 lengths. FAIRY HORSE settled just off the speed with the aid of an inside draw, sitting on the back of the leader in the run. Keith Yeung was able to burrow through along the inside as they approached the home straight, before peeling off the inside and getting into the clear at the top of the stretch. He was no match for the winner who shot away from him early in the straight, but he stuck on well to finish a clear second as a $35 chance. AURORA LADY had been racing to Fairy Horse's outside throughout the event and rounded out the placings.
Race 4 – Stanley Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:42.03 Standard Time: 1:40.40 Course/Class record: 1:38.91 All Joyful
NINJA DERBY (NZ 5yo g Ocean Park – Pastrana) picked up where he left off last season, making it two wins in-a-row on his first-up run for the new term. Matthew Chadwick was able to land in a handy position off the start, finding a cosy spot one-out-one-back. They were travelling along at an even tempo through the opening stages of the race with the field stringing out down the back. Chadwick was there just stalking the speed as he began to creep closer with 600m remaining. The gelding picked up well when the local hoop began asking for an effort, but he didn't handle the final turn too well as he ended up near the middle of the track. Despite that, he picked up strongly when asked for an effort and came motoring home down the outside. Ninja Derby stuck his nose in front with 50m to run and was too hood late in the race, winning by a half-length on the line. YEABOI tracked Ninja Derby into the race as they swung around the bend with Matthew Poon opting to duck back to the inside to work through the traffic. The gaps were there for Yeaboi to run through, with the gelding finishing off strongly late in the race and taking out second place in a bunched finish. PRECISION GOAL led the field throughout the event and hung on for third place in a tough effort under Zac Purton.
Race 5 – Kiu Tsui Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good
Time: 57.88 Standard Time: 57.20 Course/Class record: 56.39 Gentle Breeze
Ellis Wong secured his first win of the new season as the Me Tsui-trained SERGEANT PEPPER (AUS 7yo g I Am Invincible – Resonates) got the job done in race five. The gelding jumped well from his middle stall and with plenty of speed on, he ended up in a midfield position three-wide with cover. He was still travelling strongly as they approached the home turn and Wong pulled him to the outside on straightening as he began to let down out wide. Sergeant Pepper moved up to hit the front with 50m remaining in the race and showed plenty of strength in the run to the line, inching clear to score by three-quarters of-a-length. YEE CHEONG SPIRIT was one of the last into stride and Alfie Chan took his medicine early, sitting at the back of the field throughout the race. Chan was able to get off the inside as they worked around the turn, continuing to plot a course toward the middle of the course. He was making plenty of late ground as he weaved between horses close to the line, bursting through a gap late to claim second position in a photo finish. He hit the line alongside MA COMET who had been left racing wide throughout the event under Karis Teetan and just felt the pinch late in the race after looking like a winning chance midway down the stretch.
Race 6 – The Community Chest Cup (Handicap), HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:41.07 Standard Time: 1:40.20 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
Vincent Ho and Francis Lui combined to win the Cup Race on the night, with $9.10 chance MATSU VICTOR (NZ 4yo g U S Navy Flag – Lazaan) running over the top late. Ho snagged the gelding back toward the trail of the field on settling down, being left racing three-wide around the first turn as he was unable to slot in. He was in the second half of the field just cruising along off an even speed, doing it well out wide facing the breeze. When the race began to ramp up around the turn, he was pushed wider and wider on the course, but he was moving into the race well under Ho who ended up near the centre of the track on straightening. Matsu Victor came right down the outside in the straight, mowing down his rivals one-by-one, and eventually catching the leader with 50m to run as he went on to win by three-quarters of-a-length. Course and distance specialist RED MAJESTY came through late and appeared a lively chance. After sitting just off the speed throughout the event under Zac Purton, the Australian hoop was able to get away from the inside as they turned for home and into the clear. He came through a gap with around 150m to run and loomed ominously at the 100m point, before being swamped by Matsu Victor out wide. FOREMEST TEDDY was very good from the front, kicking strongly as they turned for home and leading for a long way in the race under Matthew Poon. He's worth following on that effort.
Race 7 – Hoi Mei Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:41.03 Standard Time: 1:40.00 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters
Danny Shum brought up a winning double on the night and put his eyes on the 4YO Series months out with HELENE WARRIOR (IRE 3yo c Starspangledbanner – Hightime Heroine) making a winning return. From barrier five, the colt showed superior speed and took luck out of the equation, rolling forward and taking up the running under Hugh Bowman. The field was strung out passing the 1000m point, leading comfortably as they worked down the back straight. He started to come back to the field as they turned off the back straight, but Bowman still had a good grip of the colt, and he responded well when Bowman asked for an effort. He was challenged for much of the straight, but he hung in there strongly all the way to the line, winning by a half-length in an all-the-way victory. SAMARKAND sat off the leader in the run, sitting a clear third under Karis Teetan through the first half of the event. Approaching the 600m point, Samarkand began to creep closer to the leader along the inside rail and pushed his way into the clear shortly after straightening. He was there to strike if good enough in the run to the line, but Helene Warrior was just too strong. I CAN rattled home from the back of the field to claim third in an eye-caching effort.
Race 8 – Lido Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.83 Standard Time: 1:09.75 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
SUPER JOY N FUN (NZ 4yo g What's The Story – Citycenta) won the final event of the evening with Jerry Chau and Benno Yung combining. After getting away on terms, Chau was left racing wide around the first turn, but he was eventually able to slot into the running line early in the back straight. He was racing just off the speed in a stalking role, sitting fifth in running through the middle stages before peeling wide and building into the race beautifully. He let down powerfully when asked for an effort, quickly sprinting to the front and putting up more than a length on his rivals. He may have been feeling the pinch late in the race as a rival came after him, but there was enough left in the tank to hold off the challenge and secure the victory. REWARD SMILE was last on the turn under Hugh Bowman and was very impressive as he weaved his way through traffic in the straight. He was coming after the leader with 100m to run and was making plenty of ground late in the race but was unable to reel in the eventual winner who had built a winning margin. LUCKY ARCHANGEL stormed down the outside of the course to grab third as a $39 chance.
