3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Success Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.12 Standard Time: 1:10.15 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King
WOODFIRE CHAMP (NZ 5yo g Turn Me Loose – Te Hana) got the night off to a winning start for Vincent Ho and Michael Chang. He was quickly away from a sticky barrier and rolled forward to sit on the outside of the leader on settling down. The pace wasn't overly strong through the middle stages, with just an even tempo being set and the five-year-old was travelling sweetly. Coming to the turn, Ho moved forward to apply the pressure, though he didn't handle the home turn all that well. Once balanced up, Ho got to work aboard the gelding, and he sprinted quickly to hit the front with 200m to run. He didn't break away from the chasing pack, but he never really looked like being beaten as he scored by a neck on the wire. E GLORY had the aid of an inside barrier from the jump and used that to his advantage, settling on the back of the leader for Matthew Chadwick. He remained within striking distance throughout the race and was there to win if good enough approaching the home turn. He was left a little flat footed as the sprint went on turning for home, eventually getting away from the inside and getting through a gap with 150m to run. He was making good ground late in the race, but it was too late as he could only run Woodfire Champ to a neck. VERBIER had settled on the back of the eventual winner in the one-out-one-back position and moved into the race three-wide as they swung into the turn. He was there to strike if good enough, but he only ground away to the turn to finish in third.
Race 2 – Swifty Handicap, HK 1.170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good
Time: 57.09 Standard Time: 57.20 Course/Class record: 56.39 Gentle Breeze
VICTORYTHIRTYTHREE (AUS 4yo g All Too Hard – Divergence) turned his form right around to shed the maiden tag as a $29 chance. Luke Ferraris took the four-year-old straight to the front for trainer Ricky Yiu, leading the field at a solid clip on settling down. He wasn't taken on for the lead and he was able to slip a length in front down the side of the course, before extending that margin early in the straight. He was over two lengths in front with 100m to run and although he was getting tired late, he'd built a big enough gap to cross the line three quarters of-a-length clear to secure his first victory. ROARING BEBE was slightly slow into stride and didn't show a whole lot of early pace, prompting Brenton Avdulla to slide back and settle about midfield. The gelding dropped the bit with around 600m to run when racing between horses and the Australian was hard at work attempting to pick him back up as they worked around the home turn. Avdulla ducked back to the inside on straightening as he rode for luck, looking to work through the traffic which ended up being a good plan. The seas parted for Roaring Bebe in the straight and he had his chance if he was good enough to win. He closed off well to finish a clear second, but the gap was too big to narrow down. SILVER SPURS settled midfield for Alex Badel and stuck on well in the straight after cutting beneath his rivals turning for home. He kept on well to finish in third, 2-1/4 lengths off the winner.
Race 3 – Racing Spirit Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:39.68 Standard Time: 1:40.20 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
Trainer Ricky Yiu made it a race-to-race double as SURE JOYFUL (NZ 6yo g Tarzino – Kayleen) returned to winning ways. The gelding broke cleanly from the inside alley and as they sorted their order out, Matthew Chadwick landed on the back of the leader in third position. Chadwick put the gelding to sleep as they travelled along at a solid tempo throughout the event. Chadwick always remained within touvhing distance of the leader as he just began to feel for his mount from the 600m point. He was improving onto heels though approaching the home turn and looked to have plenty to offer as they swung into the straight. the local hoop ducked back to the inside at the top of the straight and went underneath the leader to hit the front with 200m to run. He was strong down to the wire, holding off some more fancied runners as he notched up the third win of his career by three quarters of-a-length. FOREMOST TEDDY jumped the race favourite and Zac Purton was able to slide across from barrier eight to land in the one-out-one-back position following a messy start. The gelding travelled comfortably in the one-out-one-back position and looked to be working into the race ominously with Purton peeling three-wide on straightening. He didn't let down as anticipated under Purton and while he was good to the line, Sure Joyful always seemed to have his measure. CAN'T GO WONG had settled well back in the run under Matthew Poon and after being held up on the home turn, the local jockey went back to the inside rail early in the straight. Can't Go Wong ran home strongly down along the inside to steal third position in a photo finish.
Race 4 – Speedy Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.59 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Luke Ferraris scored a winning double early in the card as he continued to build his successful partnership with Mark Newnham. Teaming up with COLONEL (NZ 8yo g Ferlax – Outrageous Fortune), Ferraris took the eight-year-old straight to the front in the opening furlong and he had opened a good gap on the rest of the field early in the back straight. The gelding came back underneath Ferraris nicely through the middle stages as he just slowed the tempo a touch, before ramping it back up again with 600m remaining. Plenty of his rivals were off the bit and chasing coming to the home turn, but the South African hoop was still sitting pretty aboard Colonel, waiting until he'd balanced up in the home straight before asking for an effort. He was still a length in front with 50m to run, but he was beginning to feel the pinch as the margin began to narrow. He was too far in front though, with a couple of late challengers not able to get to him, winning by a half-length on the line. EMBRACES jumped from barrier four but didn't show a whole lot of early speed for Zac Purton. He ended up about midfield in the run, racing along the inside rail, though the solid tempo would help his chances. Coming to the 400m point, Purton was spotting the leader 5-1/2 lengths as the Australian jockey managed to get off the inside and into the clear at the top of the straight. The gelding ran home strongly down the middle of the track, seemingly doing his best work inside the final 100m. He ran out of time to mow down Colonel, finishing a half-length away. GOLDEN LUCK had been right on the back of the leader turning for home and had his chance to win if he was good enough. He too may have just begun to feel the effects of the race late in proceedings, ending up three quarters of-a-length away in third.
Race 5 – Speedy Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.24 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
SPICY GOLD (AUS 5yo g So You Think – Spectrolite) made it a race-to-race double for trainer Mark Newnham as the five-year-old brought up a winning hat-trick. From a sticky alley, Alex Badel snagged the gelding back to a midfield position shortly after the start after getting away on terms. The pace was hot early, and Badel was urging his mount along down the back straight to remain within striking distance with 600m remaining. The Frenchman was still riding his mount along as he peeled wide into the straight, coming down the middle of the track as the widest runner in the straight. The gelding showed plenty of strength to hit the front with 150m remaining and run away to score by a length on the line. STORMING DRAGON was taken back shortly after the start with Zac Purton looking to slot into the running line early doors, eventually landing on the back of the eventual winner in the run. The champion jockey stalked Spicy Gold in the run but didn't follow that horse wider out, remaining close to the inside and sneaking up the inside rail turning for home. He was never in front at any stage, though he did close off well down the inside rial to finish a clear second. BEAUTY DESTINY closed off well late in the race after being held up for clear running turning for home. He jumped a $55 chance, though finished third in a strong effort.
Race 6 – The Longines Cup (Handicap), HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.43 Standard Time: 1:09.75 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
Vincent Ho secured his second win of the night aboard the Francis Lui-trained BRAVE STAR (AUS 6yo g Myboycharlie – Isador Amore) in a strong effort. From an outside alley, Ho was left racing wide and without cover throughout the event, moving up to sit just off the speed through the middle stages of the event. Being wide allowed Ho to work into the race three deep and be in line with the leaders as they turned for home. He moved up to hit the front shortly after straightening and in a matter of strides he put the race to bed. Ho pressed the button, and he shot clear of his rivals midway down the straight and he wouldn't be caught, going on to win by 1-1/2 lengths in very impressive fashion. PRAWNS ELEVEN settled near the tail of the field in the run after jumping from a wide alley. Harry Bentley would move into the three-wide trail turning off the back, working into the race well and seemingly having plenty to offer as they turned for home. He was one of the widest runners on straightening and while he never appeared a threat to the winner, he was able to finish off nicely to claim second position. HEALTHY HEALTHY jumped the $1.90 favourite and tracked the eventual winner into the race. He looked as though he would make his presence felt in the run to the line, though when Zac Purton pressed the button, there wasn't much of a response. He was only fair to the line, beaten two lengths and tiring late to end up in third.
Race 7 – Songs Of Victory Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:38.79 Standard Time: 1:40.00 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters
Vincent Ho made it three winners on the card as JUMBO LEGEND (AUS 6yo g Hinchinbrook – Morinda) stormed over the top to get there right on the post. From the outside alley, Ho snatched the gelding back to race in last position shortly after the start, ending up a clear last down the side of the course. The tempo was strong, and Ho found himself 9-3/4 lengths off the leader at the halfway point of the race and while the field had slowed down a bit inside the 800m point, the local jockey still found himself 9 lengths away at the 400m marker. He was hard at work aboard the sic-year-old, but he swung wide into the straight and the gelding began to run on sharply out beyond the middle of the track. Jumbo Fortune stormed home out wide to stick his nose in front close to the line, getting the bob in to win by a short head in a very eye-catching performance. GLORIOUS JOURNEY had settled midfield for Matthew Chadwick in the run after slotting in from barrier six early doors. The local hoop worked into the race nicely around the home turn as he peeled three-wide, and the gelding was responding well to his riding. He moved up to take the lead stylishly with 150m remaining, seemingly pulling away for an impressive win. But coming out of the pack was the hard-charging Jumbo Legend, edging out Glorious Journey in the final couple of strides. CHAIN OF GOLD ran on well from the second half of the field to take third position in a blanket finish for the minor placings. He was doing his best work late to secure the final step on the podium.
Race 8 – Flying Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.65 Standard Time: 1:09.75 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
Zac Purton had to wait until the final race of the night to score his first victory, with the David Hall-trained KYRUS DRAGON (AUS 5yo g Safeguard – Dabang) winning his second race in-a-row. He wasn't fast away from the inside barrier and was a little worse than midfield on settling down. The pace was very strong though as the field was strung out down the back straight. Purton was locked away on the fence as they turned off the back, though he was beginning to make some moves as they pace came right out of the race. Turning for home, the Australian cut beneath his rivals and went for a run right up the inside rail. A couple of tiring horses wobbled back to the inside, prompting Purton to switch off heels inside the final 150m of the race and Kyrus Dragon was up to the task. His strength kicked in late, surging over the top of the leader in the last couple of strides to take the win by a short head. GUSTOSISIMO ran up to his trials coming in with a brilliant effort. Angus Chung had to work hard to roll forward from barrier seven and was part of the reason why the tempo was very strong in the early stages. Chung would eventually be on the back of the leader as they turned off the back, enjoying a cosy run around the home turn before letting rip early in the straight. The gelding quickened nicely to hit the front with 150m to run, though the petrol spent at the beginning of the race cost him at the finish. He only just missed out, going under by a short head on the line in a great return. It was a close finish, but EASON got his nose down on the wire to take third position, sustaining a long run from his midfield position.
