3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Wong Chuk Hang Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.56 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
PERFECT GENERAL (AUS 4yo g Zoustar – Honey Rider) got the job done in the opener, shedding the maiden tag at just start number two. He wasn't the fastest into stride, but he mustered good speed under Hugh Bowman with the Australian hoop rolling forward to take up the running entering the back stretch. He led by a length down the back straight, keeping that margin as they turned off the back with 500m remaining. His rivals were creeping closer as they turned for home, though Bowman still has a strong grip of the four-year-old as they entered the straight. It looked as though he was headed momentarily early in the straight, but the son of Zoustar responded to the urgings of Bowman and rallied back to regain the lead. He was too strong late in the race, inching clear close to home and winning by a neck on the line. CHATEAUNEUF jumped quickly from barrier 1 and was up on the speed heading into the first turn. Zac Purton allowed Perfect General to cross and lead him early in the back straight, before shifting off heels to move up on his outside turning off the back. Purton ambled up to lay down the gauntlet around the home turn and looked to have his nose in front early in the straight. Perfect General kicked back though, downing Purton and Chateauneuf with the first two putting a good gap on the rest of the field. SHINKANSEN had stalked the speed throughout the race and kept on well to the line, finishing a clear third 2-3/4 lengths off the winner.
Race 2 – Wong Chuk Hang Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.06 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Lyle Hewitson and Manfred Man combined to win the second event of the evening as GOLDEN LUCK (NZ 5yo g Per Incanto – Creil) picked up the third win of his career. After jumping on terms, Hewitson punched up to hold out his rivals and plonk himself on the speed around the first turn. He travelled strongly down the back straight and the South African hoop took off with 500m to run, scooting around the outside of his rivals to hit the front with 400m remaining. Hewitson only let the gelding go once they'd entered the straight and he was there to be caught if his rivals were good enough. He was too good in the end though, winning by three quarters of a length. HAPPY SOUL jumped well from an inside barrier and used that to his advantage as Alfie Chan held his position around the first turn. He ended up in a midfield position as they continued to sort their order out but was stalking the speed in a handy position with a genuine tempo being set. Things worked out well for Chan around the turn with horses in front of him shifting wider, allowing the local hoop to slide up the inside of his rivals around the home turn. Happy Soul and Chan shifted back to the inside rail to continue their run in the home straight, closing off strongly along the paint to sneak into second position. WOOD ON FIRE raced prominently throughout the race, sitting in behind the speed for Dylan Mo. He was there to strike if good enough but found a couple better on the night as he finished a length away in third.
Race 3 – Wong Chuk Hang Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.09 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Lyle Hewitson made it a race-to-race double as he steered home SWEET BRIAR (NZ 6yo g Shamexpress – Allawara) for his first win in over a year. After jumping well from barrier four, the six-year-old was beaten for speed early in the race with the South African hoop slotting in behind the speed as the approached the first turn. The speed continued to be strong down the back, with Sweet Briar travelling well in a midfield position. The lead kicked away with 500m to run which saw the pace lift again around the home turn. This saw Hewitson course wide on the turn and get a nice cart into the race, swinging out wide on straightening to end up down the middle of the track with 300m remaining. He thundered home down the middle of the track, rounding up his rivals to hit the front with 100m to run and sustaining the effort down to the line, winning comfortably by a half-length. SMART FIGHTER surged forward from the outside barrier early in the race and Andrea Atzeni was able to slot into the one-out-one-back position early in the back straight. After enjoying the run of the race, Atzeni move three-wide and began to make his run around the home turn. The eventual winner came off his back turning for home, with Smart Fighter and Sweet Briar making their runs together as the widest runners in the straight. The race was there for him to win if good enough, but he just found one better on the night. TACTICAL COMMAND was well back in the run under Alex Badel but he closed off well down the stretch. He weaved his way through traffic down the straight to run into third, beaten 1-1/4 lengths.
Race 4 – Tai Hang Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good
Time: 57.46 Standard Time: 57.35 Course/Class record: 56.52 Shanghai Power
HAPPY TANGO (AUS 9yo g Eavesdropper – Red Dawn) kickstarted his season on a winning note, winning by the barest of margins. Karis Teetan was hard at work from the jump to ensure the gelding settled close to the speed, urging the gelding along early on despite a hot tempo to settle on the outside of the leader from barrier eight. He sat off the leader throughout the race, sitting about a length off the leader through the middle stages. Teetan waited until they'd entered the straight before asking the old boy for an effort, looming up with a furlong to run. He was overtaken back to the inside with 100m to run, but the nine-year-old dug deep close to home, rallying back to fend off his rivals and get his nose down on the line to secure the win in a photo finish. PARENTS' LOVE got away well from gate five and landed in a great position just off the speed for Zac Purton. He settled on the back of the leader in the run, stalking throughout the middle stages and sticking close to the rail as they turned for home. Purton made his run up the inside to hit the front with 150m remaining, but he was unable to put his rivals away close to home. He peaked on the run close to home and despite Purton's best efforts, he was edged out right on the post, going down in a photo finish. ACE TALENT raced on the back of the of the eventual winner in the run and peeled into the clear on straightening to mount his challenge. He was there to strike if good enough under Hugh Bowman and while he was unable to get past the first two, he held on strongly to the line. The first three were only separated by a half-length, with fourth placed a further 2-1/2 lengths away.
Race 5 – So Kon Po Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:39.75 Standard Time: 1:40.00 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters
Karis Teetan quickly made it a winning double on the day, guiding home the David Hayes-trained STAR CONTACT (AUS 6yo g Star Turn – Vittoria) to victory. The Mauritian hoop urged the gelding out of the barriers, rolling forward early in the race. He was caught three-wide around the first turn but was able to slot into the running line in the one-out-one-back position down the side of the course. The pace was solid and he enjoyed a lovely run in the race, travelling sweetly through the middle stages. Teetan was forced to make the play himself as the horse in front of him began to weaken with 400m remaining, prompting the Mauritian to move three-wide and begin his run approaching the home turn. Under the urgings of Tetan, the gelding loomed up down the middle of the track and hit the front with 150m remaining. He looked to be peaking on the run late in the race, but he had enough left in the tank to hold his rivals at bay and win by a half-length. SIMPLY MAVERICK was also urged out of the gates, rolling forward into the first turn and being caught four-wide. Atzeni continued to press forward passing the 1200m point, eventually being able to cross down to the inside rail and sit on the back of the leader throughout the event. He had every chance as they turned for home, following the leader into the race and coming off his back to make his challenge early in the stretch. Simply Maverick and Star Contact went toe-to-toe over the closing stages, but it was the latter who packed too many punches late in the race. Simply Maverick was able to hold on for second, fending off the flying SETANTA late in the race. After rolling around in last position in the un, the $3 race favourite began to make his move turning for home with Luke Ferraris looking to swing wide at the top of the straight. The South African jockey had to change tack midway down the straight, ducking back to the inside and storming home over the final 100m. He finished off powerfully down along the inside, but it was too late as he could only manage third.
Race 6 – The Hong Kong Country Club Challenge Cup (Handicap), HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1800m – Track Good
Time: 1:50.47 Standard Time: 1:49.85 Course/Class record: 1:48.10 Acclaimed Light
The Cup race of the night went the way of FOREVER GLORIOUS (GB 6yo g Archipenko – Aksaya) for Francies Lui and Andrea Atzeni. There was a good go for the lead early on, with a number of horses rolling forward heading into the first turn, but it was Atzeni who won the battle, crossing to the inside to lead the field. Once they had sorted their order out, the Sicilian was able to do as he pleased out in front with not much pressure being applied through the middle stages. Atzeni began to ramp up the tempo as they turned off the back and was tracking along sweetly approaching the home turn, with Atzeni only pressing the button on the point of the home turn. He sprinted quickly turning for home but did have a couple of rivals right there to strike at the top of the straight. The first three in running fought out the finish right down to the wire, with Forever Glorious able to find enough in the straight to fend them off and win by a short head. DRAGON STAR was one of those who pressed on from the deep, getting across from barrier 10 to sit on the outside of the leader in the run. He travelled well facing the breeze on the outside of Forever Glorious and was there eyeballing the leader at the top of the straight. The race was there for him to win if he was good enough, but every time he looked like he was getting close, the leader found another gear. It was a ding-dong battle right to the wire, but the winner just packed too many punched. STORM WINNER had the drop on the leaders in the straight after stalking the speed throughout for Vincent Ho. He was coming home strongly late in the race, finished just a neck off the winner.
Race 7 – Island Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.91 Standard Time: 1:09.75 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
After announcing the retirement of Golden Sixty recently, the champion's trainer and jockey combined to win race seven on the card as BRAVE STAR (AUS 6yo g Myboycharlie – Isador Amore) scored his first win in 18 months. After jumping well, the local jockey sent the gelding forward from barrier six and was able to drop into the one-out-one-back position around the first turn. After enjoying a lovely run in the race, Ho began to ramp up the pressure with 450m remaining as the local hoop just needed a bit of room to move around the home turn. Brave Star went for a run out wide, but the gap closed, and he was forced to duck back to the inside midway down the straight. That didn't affect him too much though as he shot through underneath his rivals to take the lead with 100m to run. He was far too good late in the race, running away to score by three-quarters of-a-length. HEALTHY HEALTHY was left racing three-wide and without cover under Zac Purton as the champion hoop tried to snag the gelding back from the wide draw. The gelding wanted to go faster though and instead of fighting his mount, Purton allowed him to stride forward around the field to be just off the speed as they turned off the back straight. The Australian hoop continued to roll forward under his own steam as they swung for home and kept on well out wide to hit the front with 150m left to run. The wide run may have got to him late in the race as Brave Star got away from him late in the race, but he'd built a good enough gap back to his rivals as he finished in second. YOUNG ARROW was zooming home out wide on the track for Karis Teetan, making a strong run after being second last turning for home to end up 1-1/4 lengths back in third.
Race 8 – Deep Water Bay Handicap, HK $3,120,000
Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:39.66 Standard Time: 1:39.30 Course/Class record: 1:37.90 Woodfire Bro
WOODFIRE BRO (NZ 6yo g Echoes Of Heaven – Pico Turquino) made it back-to-back wins either side of a break for Keith Yeung and Michael Chang. After getting away on terms from a middle draw, Yeung rolled forward to sit in the one-out-one-back position on settling down. The pace was strong through the first half of the race with Yeung ending up off the speed down the back straight. He was under heavy pressure as they passed the 400m point, with the local jockey swinging him wide into the straight to make his run down the outside of the pack. He never really looked like winning as he was still in third position a neck away with 50m to run, but he found an extra gear when it mattered most, bursting through between runners and getting his head in front to win by a neck on the line. FLAMINGO TRILLION enjoyed a lovely run in behind the speed after rolling forward from an outside alley. Derek Leung stalked the speed throughout the event, allowing the leaders to fight each other up front as he had the drop on them around the home turn. Leung swung three-wide turning for home and he quickly moved up to hit the front with 150m to run.The local hoop was throwing everything he had at the gelding as his rivals were coming at him late in the race, but he was unable to fend off Woodfire Bro who had the last crack at him. RED HARE KING made his run alongside Woodfire Bro in the straight and loomed as a winning hope with 100m remaining. He may have peaked on the run late in proceedings, ending up in third a half-length off the winner.
