3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.
Race 1 – Nam Chung River Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 2200m – Track Good
Time: 2:15.69 Standard Time: 2:17.50 Course/Class record: 2:15.87 Sky Gem
ARTHUR'S KINGDOM (IRE 7yo g Camelot – Madeira Mist) continued his strong run of form with another all-the-way victory in the opening event of the night, setting a new Course/Class record time in the process. Karis Teetan took the gelding straight to the front from barrier two, though he did have company around the first turn as the field strung out early on. Down the home straight on the first occasion, Teetan was able to get into a rhythm aboard the seven-year-old, gradually slowing the tempo through the first half of the race. The Mauritian hoop put the foot to the floor from the 600m point, getting his rivals off the bit and chasing as he led comfortably around the home turn. He quickened impressively on straightening to lead by over a length early in the straight and despite a number of horses within striking distance close to home, they weren't making any ground on the son of Camelot. Teetan eased him up close to the line, with the official margin still being 1-1/4 lengths. GO GO GO jumped quickly from wide out and Zac Purton was able to slide across and land in the one-out-one-back position as they reached the first turn. Purton put the gelding to sleep through the middle stages of the race, tracking along nicely without any moves being made. Coming to the 400m point though, Purton was forced to move three-wide around a tiring rival, but the gelding appeared to have plenty of gas left in the tank, trucking into the race nicely. Shortly after turning for home, Go Go Go ran into second position, chasing after the leader right down the stretch. He was no match for the winner, finishing a clear second in was a solid run. His individual overall time was equal to that of the previous course record. RELIABLE PROFIT had raced on the back of the leader throughout the event and didn't go away in the straight. He kept on strongly to the line but found a couple better on the night.
Race 2 – Ng Tung River Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.48 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
HAYDAY (AUS 4yo g Deep Field – Waitomo Toka) notched up his second win in three starts with a solid post-to-post win under Matthew Poon. The $2.10 favourite rocketed out of the barriers to take up the running as the approached the first turn and was able to hold the
lead as they travelled down the back straight. Poon kept the field running down the back, setting up a genuine tempo through the middle stages as he still looked to be cruising along comfortably out in front. Around the home turn, The local hoop waited until he had balanced up in the straight before asking the four-year-old for an effort, but when he did, Hayday put the race to bed very quickly. He shot two lengths clear with 1450m to run and was a mile in front with 50m remaining, with Poon easing up close to the line. The margin was narrowed down to 1-1/4 lengths, but it was a dominant display. GIMME FIVE got away well from the inside barrier and was roused along to hold his position around the first turn. Karis Teetan settled on the back of the leader in the run, making sure to hold his position down the back straight to continue tracking the race favourite. He was there to strike as they entered the home straight, with Teetan getting off heels and into the clear with ample time. The pair just bumped into a good horse on the night, bringing the margin back close to home but the race was over with 100m remaining. THE PERFECT MATCH stuck on well from a midfield position to run into third place down the outside.
Race 3 – Beas River Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:39.33 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
Zac Purton secured his first win of the night aboard COMET SPLENDIDO (IRE 6yo g War Command – Malayan Mist) who stormed over the top to get the job done. The Danny Shum-trained gelding was taken back to the rear of the field following an awkward getaway, with the pace strong through the opening stages of the event. Purton found himself a whopping 13-3/4 lengths off the leader early on, with the field stretched right out turning into the back straight. The field began to bunch with around 500m remaining though, which saw Comet Splendido tack onto the pack and course wide as the approached the turn. The six-year-old looked to have plenty to offer turning for home, with Purton swinging out wide on the course to continue his run in the straight. He mowed his rivals down with ease, storming down the outside to win comfortably by 1-1/4, notching back-to-back wins. KYRUS UNICORN settled about midfield in the run, though he too found himself a long way off the lead early on in the event. The flashy grey was essentially the leader of the chasing pack, Andrea Atzeni didn't panic though, eventually catching up to the leading division nearing the end of the back straight and tracking along the inside rail. The gelding was held up with 400m to run as the tiring horses in front of him were playing havoc and the Sicilian had to weave his way through the traffic in the straight. The gelding closed off well to finish in second position, especially being a little unlucky at a crucial stage. SURE JOYFUL whipped around the field strongly at the top of the straight but was unable to sustain the effort late in the race. He got tired close to home and finished just 1-1/2 lengths off the winner and was only beaten for second in a photo finish.
Race 4 – Ng Tung River Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.83 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
It'd been over a year between drinks for ONE FOR ALL (AUS 5yo g No Nay Never – Mystical Tale), but he returned to the winners' stall for the Mark Newnham barn tonight. The five-year-old burst out of the barriers and showed superior speed to lead the field as they reached the first turn. Luke Ferraris wasn't taken on out in front, though the South African continued to set a genuine tempo through the middle stages, leading comfortably. He held his advantage to the home turn and kicked strongly at the top of the straight when Ferraris finally asked for an effort. He was there to be beaten in the straight, but the gelding packed enough punches to hold his rivals at bay right to the wire, scoring by three-quarters of-a-length. LEAN MASTER took up a position on the back of the leader on settling down after getting away well from gate two. Ellis Wong had the $2 favourite in a perfect position throughout the event, tracking the leader wherever he went, and the local hoop looked to have plenty of horse underneath him at the top of the straight. The leader wobbled away from the rail, allowing Wong to come underneath the leader and make his challenge early in the straight. Lean Master was given every possible chance to catch One For All, but he was unable to peg back the margin and had to settle for second. SIGHT HERO emerged from a midfield position to charge home strongly down the outside for Ben Thompson and David Hayes. The gelding closed off strongly to just miss out on second in a photo finish after jumping a $27 chance.
Race 5 – The Pearce Memorial Challenge Cup (Handicap), HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:39.26 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
SETANTA (AUS 6yo g Fastnet Rock – Legally Bay) scored his second win of the season in fine style as he mowed down his rivals in emphatic fashion. Despite getting away on terms, the Mark Newnham-trained galloper settled toward the rear of the field as they rounded the first turn. The pace was solid through the opening and middle stages, with Luke Ferraris being 7 lengths off the leader with 800m remaining. Passing the 600m point, Ferraris made the move to be three-wide with cover turning off the back, getting a nice cart into the race and ending up down the middle of the track as they entered the straight. He came with a strong run to hit the front with 100m remaining and pulled away late in the race to score by 1-1/2 lengths, securing a race-to-race double for both Ferraris and Mark Newnham. I
CAN settled in a midfield position and was racing three-wide with cover through the early stages of the event. He was left facing the breeze down the back straight, which prompted Andrea Atzeni to roll forward and be on the pace as they turned off the back straight. He travelled into the race sweetly at the turn and ran to the front at the top of the stretch, though Setanta was baring down on him. The gelding was unable to hold off the finishing burst of Setanta, but he was a mile ahead of the third horse who was CAN'T GO WONG. He finished He finished in third under Karis Teetan, beaten 5-1/4 lengths after jumping the $2.80 favourite. He looked a spent force at the turn, but to the gelding's credit, he dug in gamely close to home to finish a clear third.
Race 6 – Ng Tung River Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.71 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Impressive debutant PACKING HERMOD (AUS 3yo g Rubick – Black Tulip) secured a winning double for Zac Purton on the night. The son of Rubick wasn't the fastest into stride, but he showed displayed good early speed to settle close to the speed under Purton. Early in the back straight, the Australian was able to get off the inside rail, moving off the fence slightly to give himself clear galloping room. The Australian was niggling at his mount around the home turn, with Purton able to get back to the inside and ride for a touch of luck, with the inside rail opening right up aboard the three-year-old. He shot through beneath his rivals to hit the front with 100m to run and he did so with plenty of ease. Purton sat up aboard the gelding with 50m to run and he still scored by 2-1/2 lengths. It was a very impressive debut performance, and he looks like a nice horse moving forward. PRIME MORTAR jumped well off the inside barrier and was running up front around the first turn, before slotting in on the back of the leader. Angus Chung found himself to the inside of Purton down the back, before leading him out of the back straight by over a length as they got to the home turn. Angus Chung remained close to the inside too, but he was given wind burn early in the stretch as Packing Hermod blew right by him. He was no match for the winner, but he stuck on well to eventually run into second position. SCOTCH TYCOON had taken up the running for Luke Ferraris and he was over a length in front with a furlong to run. He got tired late in the race, but was only beaten by the two at the head of the market in a gutsy performance.
Race 7 – Tan Shan River Handicap, HK $2,840,000
Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:08.98 Standard Time: 1:09.35 Course/Class record: 1:08.26 Rewarding Together
The winners kept coming for Zac Purton, as he again teamed up with Francis Lui to salute aboard COPARTNER PRANCE (AUS 4yo g Epaulette - Woodstock Hussey) who won his sixth race in-a-row. The gelding jumped quickly and showed good speed to be prominent early on, leading around the first turn before eventually being passed down the back straight. It worked out perfectly for Purton as he was able to stalk the leader in running, sitting on his back before popping out to begin his challenge with 500m remaining. The four-year-old loomed ominously at the top of the straight, but was made to fight for his victory as the leader wouldn't go away. He wobbled about under pressure, but he eventually took the lead with 100m remaining and proved too good late in the race, winning by three-quarters of-a-length in good style. HARMONY N BLESSED was able to get across from a middle gate and take up the running early in the back stretch. The Sicilian set a genuine tempo throughout and his mount kicked strongly on straightening when Copartner Prance moved up on his outside. Harmony N Blessed didn't go down without a fight, digging in gamely right to the post and only went down by three-quarters of-a-length, despite jumping a $27 chance. SUPERB CAPITALIST was mapped to be the leader in the race, but Matthew Chadwick had to adopt plan B when the gelding missed the start badly. The pair recovered to be in a handy position in the run, sitting on the back of the leader throughout the race. Turning for home, Chadwick angled towards the middle of the track rather than the inside, chasing gamely down the centre. He just wasn't good enough on the day, finishing 1-1/4 lengths off the winner in third.
Race 8 – Sha Tau Kok River Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:39.86 Standard Time: 1:39.85 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters
It was a quinella for Cody Mo in the penultimate event, with his more fancied runner CHAIN OF GOLD (AUS 4yo g Sooboog – Light Missile) getting the job done to secure his maiden victory. The gelding jumped a little awkwardly from barrier five and ended up in the second half of the field on settling down, racing a touch keenly passing the 1200m point. The pace slowed down the back straight, prompting some moves at the 600m point, with Teetan getting into the three-wide trail and moving into the race nicely turning for home. Chain Of Gold was the widest runner in the straight, coming right down the outside with a strong run to take the lead with 100m remaining. He sustained that effort right to the post, winning by a length on the line in a good performance. ROMANTIC LAOS was a touch slow away from a wide draw and was snagged to the tail of the field by Derek Leung. The gelding was racing keenly early on though with just a moderate tempo being set, this left Leung racing wide in the event, before sliding forward with 800m remaining to make a challenge. The local hoop went around his rivals three-wide to be on the pace turning off
the back, and he only had one runner in front of him as they swung the bend. He hit the front momentarily with 150m remaining, but he was quickly gobbled up by his stablemate in the dying stages. HAMERON kept on well from a midfield position to finish in third place after getting onto the back of Romantic Laos when the move came.
Race 9 – Shek Sheung River Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.46 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
KYRUS DRAGON (AUS 4yo g Safeguard – Dabang) shed the maiden tag with his first win in Hong Kong, bringing up a winning treble on the night for Karis Teetan. The four-year-old was away on terms and the Mauritian gave the son of Safeguard a brilliant steer to position him midfield in the early stages. The pace was on from the outset and Teetan was picking his way through the field, being three pairs back and along the inside rail as they turned off the back straight. Teetan stuck to the inside on straightening, getting the gaps when he needed to as he set out after the leader. He shoved his way into the clear midway down the home straight and began to mow down the leader, chewing him up and spitting him out inside the final 50m to win by three-quarters of-a-length. KA YING CHEER jumped the $2.10 favourite and continued his solid run of form without winning. The gelding showed good speed from the inside barrier to hold out the field around the first turn and take up the running. They were travelling along strongly in front, but Alexis Badel looked to have his mount in a nice rhythm through the middle stages and the gelding was full of running approaching the home turn. He got over a length in front as they entered the straight and kicked well when Badel asked for an effort. Ka Ying Cheer was unable to sustain the effort though, being run down inside the final 50m and having to settle for second. KING ECCELLENTE was a surprise placegetter, jumping a $92 chance and finishing just 1-1/2 lengths off the winner. He sustained a strong effort from the tail of the field, finishing a clear third.
