3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Dordogne Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.33 Standard Time: 1:10.15 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King
VIGOR ELLEEGANT (AUS 4yo g Deep Field – Feeling Positive) picked up his maiden win as he dropped back into Class 5 for the first time. The gelding got away on terms from gate four and landed in a handy position under Chau, sitting just off the speed around the first turn. The speed was good through the middle stages and Chau was well positioned as they turned off the back, creeping closer to the leaders under a strong hold. He still had a couple of lengths to make up on straightening but was getting into the margin with every stride as the local hoop finally asked for maximum effort. The gelding took the lead with around 150m remaining and shot away, opening up a 2-1/4 length margin and proving far too good. DOUBLE SHOW was challenging for the lead early in the race before easing back to settle on the back of the leader as they travelled down the back. Lyle Hewitson remained to the inside as they rounded the home turn and snuck up the fence to make his run at the top of the straight. He was squeezed for room at the top of the straight and once he had clear galloping room, he let down well. He got up the fence to finish in second position, getting the nod in a photo finish. FLYING PHANTOM ran on well from midfield to finish in third position under Andrea Atzeni, just missing out on second in a photo.
Race 2 – Dordogne Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.68 Standard Time: 1:10.15 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King
The old boy WOOD ON FIRE (NZ 9yo g Per Incanto – Lutine Belle) scored his first win since November 2023 in a big form reversal. Derek Leung rolled to the front aboard the nine-year-old and he led the field down the back straight, however he was kept away from the inside rail. As they approached the 600m point, the runner to Leung’s inside kicked up to take the lead around the home turn, with Leung sitting patiently aboard the gelding off the back as he eyeballed the leader turning for home. He sprinted quickly when asked for an effort, taking the lead early in the straight and holding his margin down to the line. Wood On Fire scored by a neck at the post after starting a $12 chance. SO AWESOME jumped well from an inside gate and showed good speed early on, kicking up to keep Wood On Fire away from the inside through the middle stages. As they turned off the back, Alex Badel slid through to lead passing the 400m marker but was quickly under pressure by Wood On Fire. He had lost the lead as they entered the straight, though he didn’t fall out of contention. He would finish a clear second place, he was just unable to peg back the margin. ORIENTAL SURPRISE slid into third position up the fence as they worked through the middle stages and stuck on well in the straight to round out the placings as a $46 chance.
Race 3 – Loire Handicap, $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 2200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 2:15.42 Standard Time: 2:17.25 Course/Class record: 2:14.42 Bright Kid
PING HAI COMET (AUS 5yo g Maurice – Vicky) stepped up to the 2200m journey for the first time and was far too good, picking up the first victory of his career. The gelding jumped well from his inside barrier and sat close to the speed early in the race with a solid tempo being set early on. The first half of the field raced in single file down the home straight with a lap to run, with some solid splits being set early doors. Ping Hai Comet wasn’t too far off the leader as he peeled out from his position down the back straight to make sure he wasn’t boxed in with the field beginning to pack up approaching the 600m point. As they approached the home turn, Matthew Chadwick had plenty of horse underneath him, he just needed a way clear with rivals kicking up around him. The local hoop ducked back to the inside at the top of the straight and it was a sharp move, sprinting quickly up the fence to take the lead with 100m remaining. He scored by a half-length on the line. PERFECT PAIRING settled in a midfield position through the first half of the race and found himself a long way off the leader down the side of the course. As they worked down the back straight, Keith Yeung began to roll forward as he got off the fence, moving around the outside of the field as they packed up coming to the 600m point. He had cover out wide as he began to make his move three-wide and Yeung kept Ping Hai Comet in a pocket around the home turn. He took the lead shortly after straightening down the outside, but he couldn’t hold off the winner who was just too good in the end. ROMATIC FANTASY stuck on well to finish in third position, two lengths off the winner.
Race 4 – Ciron Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:10.12 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
BITS SUPERSTAR (AUS 4yo g Capitalist – Terrifying) scored his maiden victory at start 12 with Ellis Wong able to hold out a late challenge. From a wide alley, Wong surged forward after being caught wide around the first turn. The local hoop continued to press forward around rivals to sit on the outside of the leader down the back straight, racing comfortably off the back and challenging for the lead around the home turn. He took the lead shortly entering the home straight and had a wall of horses chasing him right down to the wire. Wong was able to punch him out though, holding on to score in a photo finish, with a short head the official margin. THUNDERE PRINCE settled in the second half of the field under Hugh Bowman and was able to stay away from the rail after jumping from barrier three. He moved into a more midfield position through the middle stages of the race and was building into the event nicely around the home turn as the Australian hoop cut the corner. He was there to strike on straightening but ran into a dead end which cost him some momentum. It eventually proved very costly as he was unable to catch the leader who he was held up behind, going down in a tight finish. ALWAYS MY FOLKS loomed large in the straight despite being caught three-wide and without cover throughout the race. He was only beaten a half-length at the post in a very strong effort.
Race 5 – The Sauternes’s Cup (Handicap), $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:39.47 Standard Time: 1:40.20 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
PRESTIGE GOOD (NZ 4yo g Sacred Falls – Lamplighter) capitalised on his solid run of form to score his maiden win in fine style, scoring an impressive maiden victory. Derek Leung urged the gelding out of the barriers to roll forward from gate three and lead the field on settling down. He didn’t stack the field up through the middle stages, keeping an even tempo up front although he was never challenged at any stage. He had some of his rivals under pressure rounding the home turn while Leung still had a strong hold of the four-year-old and the race looked over shortly after straightening. The gelding kicked clear to win very impressively, scoring by 2-1/4 lengths in good style. JUMBO FORTUNE ended up near the tail of the field on settling down after being snagged from a wide barrier by Karis Teetan. The Mauritian hoop made a move in the middle stages of the race to get into the three-wide trail, ending up midfield off the back straight and swinging wide in the straight. He ran to second with 100m to run, but he couldn’t catch the leader, finishing a clear second. AMAZING RUN stuck on well after being on the back of Prestige Good in the run, ending up in third position 3-1/2 lengths off the winner.
Race 6 – Ciron Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.73 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
YOUNG ARROW (AUS 4yo g Showtime – Hediard) scored his first win in Hong Kong as he dropped back to Class 4 for today. After drawing awkwardly, Hugh Bowman was caught wide around the first turn and was left race three-wide throughout the middle stages of the race, though he did have cover out there until the 600m point. Bowman was able to work into the race impressively around the turn and was in line with the leaders at the top of the straight. He let down strongly in the middle of the track but had to fight hard for the victory, only sticking his nose in front inside the final 50m. He gained the upper hand and held on to score by a short head on the line. MY DAY MY WAY rolled forward from the deep as Jerry Chau surged around the field from the wide draw. He was racing very wide around the first turn but continued to improve down the back straight, pressing on to eventually sit on the outside of the leader. Despite the tough run through the early stages, the gelding still had plenty to offer, taking the lead on the home turn and fighting off Young Arrow for a long way down the straight. It was only in the closing stages he was caught, finishing a narrow second in a very impressive performance. CALIFORNIA DEEPLY did as he usually does, flying home down the outside to finish third as a $16 chance, beaten 1-1/4 lengths.
Race 7 – Rhine 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
Hugh Bowman made it a race-to-race double as JUMBO LEGEND (AUS 6yo g Hinchinbrook – Morinda) bounced back to winning ways. He was a touch slow into stride from the wide barrier, but he assumed his usual position at the tail of the field. The speed was good up front, and Bowman waited patiently at the rear of the pack, allowing the race to unfold ahead of him through the middle stages. He was still a clear last passing the 400m point and Bowman was the widest runner in the straight as he stormed down the outside. He sprinted quickly to go up and take the lead inside the final 100m and scored his second win from his last three starts, winning by three-quarters of-a-length. WIN BEAUTY VIVA settled in the back half of the field and stayed away from the inside as they worked down the back straight. He looked to be just plugging away around the home turn, but it was late in the race that was his strength. He was no match for the winner, but he just kept coming under Karis Teetan to finish second as a $38 chance. AESTHETICISM sustained a long run from the back of the field to finish third, 1-1/4 lengths off the winner.
Race 8 – Rhine Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:39.84 Standard Time: 1:40.00 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters
SKY VINO (AUS 3yo g Vino Rosso – Sombre Sea) made it a winning double on the night for Ellis Wong with the $2.7 favourite getting the job done very comfortably. After jumping well from gate four, Wong put the three-year-old into a handy position one-out-one-back heading into the first turn but was eventually shuffled back a spot as they continued to sort their order out. A runner three-wide allowed Wong to get into the trail turning off the back and improve into the race ominously around the outside. He moved up to take the lead with 150m left to run and he raced away from his rivals, turning in an impressive performance to win by 1-3/4 lengths. AMAZING AWARD settled in the back half of the field under Karis Teetan and tacked onto the back of Sky Vino as the race began to unfold. The Mauritian moved up to join Sky Vino around the turn and the pair made their runs together down the outside of the track. He couldn’t match Sky Vino late in the race though, finishing a clear second. VIVA GRACUOUSNESS was strong late in the race to finish in third position as a $25 chance.
Race 9 – Seine Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.71 Standard Time: 1:09.75 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
GRACIOUS EXPRESS (IRE 5yo g Churchill – Polly Perkins) rounded out a great night for Derek Leung in the saddle, securing a winning treble aboard the Ricky Yiu-trained gelding. He ended up in a midfield position after jumping from a tricky barrier, slotting into a midfield position one off the fence. The speed was good throughout and the gelding came off the bit a long way from home with Leung having to go to the whip around the home turn. The gelding didn’t lay down however, with the local hoop getting him into the clear around the turn and storming down the outside in the straight. He closed off impressively to take the lead inside the final 100m and drew away to win by three-quarters of-a-length. CHATEAUNEUF initially went back under Hugh Bowman after jumping from a wide barrier, but the Australian took matters into his own hands down the back straight. He improved to be midfield with 600m to run, racing on the outside of Gracious Express and continuing to roll forward around the home turn. He looked to have plenty to offer as he got to the outside in the straight and sprinted well under Bowman. He took the lead momentarily, but Gracious Express was there to pounce, leaving Chateauneuf to finish in second position. GOKO WIN stuck on well after being back in the run as well, getting his nose down on the wire to finish in third place.
