Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.
It was an interesting Saturday fixture at Sha Tin with all 10 races taking place on the Turf course with the rail in the "C" position. The rain continued to tumble throughout the card, with the track deteriorating throughout the meeting for the second-straight week. The times were very slow compared to the standard, with the track downgraded to "Yielding" prior to the fifth event.
Race 1 – Guia Hill Handicap, HK $810,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1800m - Track Good to Yielding
Time: 1:49.91 Standard Time: 1:48.40 Course/Class record: 1:47.37 Incredible
The Class 5 event kicked off proceedings and it was the eight-year-old gelding PAKISTAN FRIEND (Not A Single Doubt – Heaven Beneath) who saluted in the first. The galloper was well-backed late in betting and jumped well from barrier 6, with Zac Purton settling in behind the leaders. As the field sorted their order out, the gelding would land in the one-out-one-back position, getting a nice trail around the turn as Purton continued his move into the clear turning for home. He let down powerfully to take the lead with a furlong to run and went on to win comfortably by 1-1/4 lengths. Second placegetter RED ELYSEES didn't have the best of luck in running, being left wide and without cover throughout the race, but stuck on gamely to finish in second place. Not much ground was made from the backmarkers, with the favourite OVER THE MOON one of those, finishing 5-1/4 lengths away after settling near the tail of the field.
Race 2 – Macau-Taipa Bridge Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good to Yielding
Time: 1:10.09 Standard Time: 1:09.30 Course/Class record: 1:08.40 Master Eight
Favourite backers rejoiced in the second with $2.80 top pick SUPER HIGHWAY (Deep Field – Mosoru) saluting. The Australian-bred settled a little worse than midfield in the run after copping a bump shortly after the start. Matthew Chadwick had to ride the gelding along early doors to improve his position, with the gelding continuing to improve as he scraped along the inside rail. Chadwick was unable to swing wide on the turn, but the quick tempo up front had set it up nicely for him despite being 3-1/4 lengths off at the top of the straight. The local hoop sliced through the pack and set out after the leader, poking his nose in front with 100m to run. The four-year-old was too strong at the finish, revelling in the soggy conditions to bring up his second win in a week, after saluting during last Sunday's fixture on Soft going. AWESOME TREASURE ran a very brace second placing, while CHILLI BABA was an eye-catching run in the closing stages, finishing off strongly to clock the fastest final last 600m sectional of the race to end up in third.
Race 3 – Macau-Taipa Bridge Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good to Yielding
Time: 1:10.58 Standard Time: 1:09.30 Course/Class record: 1:08.40 Master Eight
Class dropper PULSAR STRIDER (Foxwedge – Val de Loire) proved too tough for his rivals as the rain continued to fall in the third event. Zac Purton took the four-year-old straight to the front from barrier 10, crossing the field with ease to lead comfortably turning off the back. He was able to catch his breath through the middle stages, before quickening again as they swung the bend into the straight. Purton looked to be travelling comfortably at the top of the straight and the gelding let down strongly when the Australian asked for an effort. He fought off the first challenger and clung on to win by a neck with DUBLIN STAR rattling home at the finish. Karis Teetan's mount was a whopping 4-1/4 lengths back on straightening and stormed down the centre of the track to grab second. MULTISUPER jumped the even-money favourite and looked as though he was going to run straight past the leader at the top of the straight, but couldn't go on with the job, finishing a half-length back in third.
Race 4 – Sai Van Bridge Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good to Yielding
Time: 56.66 Standard Time: 56.40 Course/Class record: 54.94 United We Stand
SPARKLING KNIGHT (Holy Roman Emperor – Connote) was the fastest away from the barriers and was suited by the outside barrier, getting to the best going early in the race along the outside rail. The whole field moved to the grandstand side in running, but it was Antoine Hamelin's mount that was travelling best passing the 400m point. The seven-year-old kicked well when Hamelin asked for an effort, but the gelding was coming under pressure late in the race. He held off the diving STRATHPEFFER to hold on for victory in photo finish. Strathpeffer had the suck-run in behind Sparkling Knight and Karis Teetan peeled off heels to lay down a challenge in the shadows of the post, but he just missed. The second favourite INNOCONSTRUCTION finished 5-3/4 lengths away in 8th place after rearing at the start and lost plenty of ground. Put a line through this effort as he's obviously better than he's shown this time out.
Race 5 – Friendship Bridge Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1400m - Track Yielding
Time: 1:23.88 Standard Time: 1:22.05 Course/Class record: 1:20.08 Perfect Pair
Apprentice jockey Ellis Wong saluted in just his 5th ride since returning to Hong Kong, getting the job done in fine style aboard the Caspar Fownes-trained STORM LEGEND (Night Of Thunder – Kymera). Wong drifted back after the start to settle at the tail of the field, but the pace was hot through the opening stages of the event. He travelled comfortably in the run but gave away a massive 8 length head start as he pushed extremely wide on the track turning for home. The Irish-bred gelding was a winner on Heavy going at Naas as two-year-old, and he loved getting back onto a rain-affected surface, storming right down the outside to take the lead with 125m to run. He pulled away for an emphatic 2-1/2 length win, beating SPEED FAY FAY who stuck on gamely for Zac Purton after settling in behind the speed. It was an open betting race, with WIN WIN jumping favourite at $6. That galloper finished back in 13th position under Jerry Chau, beaten 10-1/4 lengths, with the local hoop telling stewards the gelding did not travel comfortably at any stage of the event.
Race 6 – Friendship Bridge Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1400m - Track Yielding
Time: 1:23.73 Standard Time: 1:22.05 Course/Class record: 1:20.08 Perfect Pair
Derek Leung ended and 24-ride winless streak aboard FLAMINGO TRILLION (Wandjina – Double Dee) and bought up a winning double for trainer Frankie Lor in the process. The three-year-old gelding bounced well from barrier 2 and settled in a handy position on the back of the leader with the pace only moderate through the middle stages. With the deteriorating surface, the field came away from the rail turning for home and headed toward the outside of the track, allowing Leung to duck up the inside. The local hoop when right underneath his rivals to take the lead midway down the straight, before drifting out toward the grandstand rail. He drew clear inside the final 50m to score by 1-1/2 lengths. Matthew Poon and CASA LEGEND ran a strong second placing after being caught wide in the run from an outside barrier. Being wide wasn't a bad thing throughout the card, as it allowed him to make his run right down the outside rail, but he was the only horse to make any significant ground in the closing stages. Last-start winner and race favourite GOLDEN SAMURAI finished 5-1/2 lengths away in 6th, with Vincent Ho questioned about the gelding's settling position in running.
Race 7 – The Hong Kong Macau Trophy (Handicap), HK $3,465,000
Class 1 – Turf - Distance 1400m - Track Yielding
Time: 1:22.96 Standard Time: 1:21.25 Course/Class record: 1:19.92 Encouraging
The feature of the day saw the first six across the line locally trained. RED LION (Belardo – Crystal Idea) jumped well from an outside barrier but initially drifted back from the draw under Alex Badel, but was left racing very wide on the course. The Frenchman rolled forward and slotted into the running line in the one-out-one-back position and enjoyed a handy run around the turn and into the straight. The leader skipped clear at the top of the straight, but the four-year-old was making good headway approaching the furlong pole. Badel took the lead inside the final 150m and strode away to win The Hong Kong Macau Trophy. The odds-on favourite and Derby placegetter BEAUTY ETERNAL didn't look all that comfortable in the going with Zac Purton beginning to niggle at the gelding approaching the 600m point, but ran on nicely from a midfield position to finish in second.
Race 8 – Macau Handicap, HK $1,725,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Yielding
Time: 1:10.99 Standard Time: 1:09.05 Course/Class record: 1:08.11 Victor The Winner
It was a superb Jerry Chau ride that saw WINNER METHOD (Deep Field – Magical Belle) get the job done in the eighth. After jumping on terms, Chau urged his gelding along to hold the rail as they turned off the back, keeping his rivals wide on the track approaching the 800m mark. As his rivals moved wide on the course turning for home, Chau stuck to the inside rail in a bold move, taking the lead at the top of the stretch. It looked as though Chau had extended his lead with a furlong to run, with the field stretched right across the track in a spectacular race. They couldn't reel in the five-year-old though, with Chau celebrating across the line as he won by 1-1/2 lengths. EXCELLENT FIGHTER stuck on well down the outside to run into second position after settling midfield, while it was a good return from FLYING ACE, who had been off the scene for 7 months, finishing in third. Race favourite HAPPY GOLF was a drifter late in betting and came into the race as though he'd have something to say at the finish. He would fade late in the race though, finishing 6 lengths off the leader.
Race 9 – Taipa Handicap, HK $1,725,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1400m - Track Good
Time: 1:24.24 Standard Time: 1:21.75 Course/Class record: 1:20.62 Preciousship
BRAVE DREAMS (Duporth – Mollycat) was a little slow to leave the barriers, settling in the second half of the field for Hugh Bowman. The pace was good through the middle stages and as they worked off the back, with the field away from the rail which allowed Bowman to improve his position through the middle stages. The Australian cut across heels and into the clear out toward the centre of the course as the four-year-old set out after the leaders. They were stretched right across the track again, but the Australian bred took control with 150m to run and toughed out a half-length victory. CALIFORNIA VOCE was rattling home from the rear to grab second in the shadows of the post, while E LEGEND was a strong effort after sitting on the pace throughout.
Race 10 – Coloane Handicap, HK $1,900,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1600m - Track Yielding
Time: 1:37.15 Standard Time: 1:34.70 Course/Class record: 1:33.19 Beauty Fit
UNIVERSAL HORIZON (Shalaa – Aurora's Star) capitalised on his good form this season with a gutsy victory down in the weights. He was drawn a little awkwardly in barrier 5, but Vincent Ho was able to slot into the running line with 1100m to run, sitting midfield with a solid tempo put on by the leaders. Ho began to improve around the outside of his rivals coming to the 600m point and was able to get to the crown of the track on straightening. He sprinted well to take the lead with 150m to run. There was 4 across the track with 50m to run, but the four-year-old held off a fast finishing THE BEST PEACH who was doing his best work through the line. Race favourite HAPPY TOGETHER was well back in the run and despite closing off well in the straight, he could only manage a 6th place finish.
