Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
The track was rated as good throughout and rain stayed away despite the threat of a thunderstorm in the latter stages of the card. It was definitely an advantage to be close to the speed, with only 2 winners on the 9-race card coming from a settling position worse than third. Only one favourite scored on the night.
Race 1 – Waterfall Bay Handicap, HK $810,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.87 Standard Time: 1:10.20 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King
Course and class record holder ALLOY KING (Zoffany – Terhaab) got the night underway with a handy victory. He enjoyed a lovely run in transit, settling on the back of the leader after getting away well from the inside barrier. Harry Bentley was niggling at his mount passing the 600m point to keep in touch with the leader as he skipped away turning off the back, with the gelding beginning to improve nicely as they turned into the straight. The gelding came off heels and began to grind away at the leader, eventually sticking his nose in front with 200m to run. He was just too strong at the finish and pulled away over the closing stages to score by three-quarters of-a-length. THETA HEDGE was the post-time favourite and stuck on well to hold on for second placing after leading throughout, whilst JACK WIN was a flashing lite over the concluding stages. He was hitting the line strongly to finish in fourth position and is worth keeping an eye on next start.
Race 2 – Tathong Channel Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:39.57 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
The only favourite to win on the card was ROMANTIC LAOS (Pins – Zaburn) and he was backed as if unbeatable late in betting, jumping $1.60. After jumping well from an inside draw, Purton landed in a handy position just off the pace, staying away from the fence with the early pace very strong. They ran well inside standard time for the first half of the race, with the champion hoop licking his lips with his in-running position. The leader came back to the field turning off the back straight and Purton was able to improve his position around the turn as one of his rivals drifted off the track, not handling the tight-turning course. He was tracking into the race beautifully as they turned for home and it was ominous signs for his rivals at the top of the straight. The New Zealand-bred four-year-old took over at the 100m point and proved too good for his rivals, streaking away to win very comfortably. FEARLESS FIRE did well to finish as good as he did after running quick times in front through the first half of the race, and those runners cleared out from the rest of the field.
Race 3 – Siu Sai Wan Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.29 Standard Time: 1:09.95 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Race 3 saw three-year-old gelding E UNIVERSE (Super One – Classic Rush) shed the maiden tag. He bounced quickly from the draw and rolled forward from barrier 8 to take the lead early in the back straight. He set an even tempo through the middle stages and was left alone out in front with Hugh Bowman doing as he pleased. He still had plenty of gas in the tank as they turned into the straight, with Bowman sitting motionless while his rivals were under the pump. The Australian jockey shook the reins and the gelding kicked clear, scoring by 3-1/4 lengths in an emphatic victory. It was a blanket finish behind them with YOUNG LIFE FOREVER getting the nod in a photo finish, while HAPPY SOUL made plenty of late ground to finish in third.
Race 4 – Tathong Channel Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:40.46 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
It was another leader who scored in the fourth event of the night, with the Caspar Fownes-trained THE HULK (Spirit Of Boom - Friendly Glow) going all of the way. He jumped quickly from his gate, but jockeys were starting to get onto the on-pace bias of the night, making the seven-year-old work a touch to hold that position around the first turn. Once he got to the front, Currie slowed the tempo throughout the middle stages, doing as he wanted out in front with no pressure being applied. He skipped clear turning off the back and opened up a 1-3/4 length advantage as they turned for home with many of his rivals off the bit and chasing. Currie extended the lead early in the straight and the race was all over, with the gelding scoring by 2-1/4 lengths. NICE BIRDIE made plenty of ground late in the race to finish second, sticking along the inside rail, while MANAGEMENT FOLKS stormed down the outside in a very eye-catching run to round out the placings.
Race 5 – Sha Wan Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good
Time: 57.27 Standard Time: 57.10 Course/Class record: 56.39 Gentle Breeze
There was plenty of speed over the short course with SUPER COMMANDER (Vercingetorix – War Path) coming out on top. The South African-bred galloper settled on the back of the leader who had to work very hard to find the front, while Luke Ferraris had the aid of an inside draw. The field stretched out throughout the race, but the gelding was always within striking distance, sticking on strongly to take the lead 150m from the finish. It was an easy was for backers of the six-year-old as he went on to score by three-quarters of-a-length. SAVVY DELIGHT raced in a midfield position and cut the corner at the top of the straight, sprinting up the inside to finish in second, while race leader and market mover SUPER AXIOM stuck on well for third.
Race 6 – Siu Sai Wan Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.17 Standard Time: 1:09.95 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
ONE FOR ALL (No Nay Never – Mystical Tale) jumped quickly form an outside barrier and surged straight to the front for Luke Ferraris. The gelding ran them along down the back straight, breaking up the field through the middle stages as he still held a comfortable lead with 6000m remaining. He had plenty of rivals off the bit and chasing as they turned for home, with only 1 rival close to him at the top of the straight. He quickly fought him off and ran clear to score by 1-1/4 lengths, bringing up a race-to-race double for Luke Ferraris. The top three in running filled the placings with CHARMING STEED and CHEER FOR SOUTH finishing second and third respectively. PRECISION GOAL jumped single figures but ended up 6-3/4 lengths off the winner in 12th place, with Matthew Chadwick telling steward's he's better suited when able to lead.
Race 7 – Kong Sin Wan Handicap, HK $1,900,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1800m - Track Good
Time: 1:49.27 Standard Time: 1:49.40 Course/Class record: 1:47.91 Leap Of Faith
The 1800m event on the card saw a return for the winners stall for MEANINGFUL STAR (Pivotal – Adore) after nearly a year off the scene. The six-year-old jumped well and rolled into a handy position one-out-one-back early on, before pressing forward when the pace slackened heading down the back straight. Vincent Ho pressed on to sit outside the leader as they passed the 600m point, and the six-year-old looked to be travelling strongly at the top of the straight. He took the lead with a furlong to run but did have a number of rivals chasing after him close to home. He was able to keep them all at bay though, scoring by a short head at the finish. ROCKET SPADE continued his solid form, running a narrow second after sitting much closer in the run. He continues to knock on the door and a victory is looming for that gelding. PEGASUS GENERAL jumped the second favourite but ended up crossing the line in 9th place, beaten 3-1/2 after a settling in a good spot in running. Matthew Chadwick spoke was questioned by stewards' post-race, with the local hoop saying his mount was unsuited by sitting closer in the run tonight, which was against his usual racing pattern.
Race 8 – Victoria Harbour Handicap, HK $2,640,000
Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.53 Standard Time: 1:09.30 Course/Class record: 1:08.26 Rewarding Together
EASON (Written Tycoon – Prete A Partir) was only fairly into stride from his wide barrier and settled in the back half of the field. The pace was very quick through the opening and middle stages, with Alex Badel finding himself 9-1/4 lengths off the pace with 800m left to run. The field split in two approaching the halfway point, but began to come back together as the leaders weakened and the back markers began their runs. Badel was still 7-3/4 lengths away as they turned for home, but was suited by the hot tempo on offer as he began to make ground out near the centre of the course. The gelding ran on strongly to stick his nose in front in the shadows of the post and claim victory by a short head. He was the only runner to settle worse than midfield and score on the card. The progressive HOWDEEPISYOURLOVE put in another great performance, but couldn't hold off the fast-finishing winner after being smacked by the handicapper for his latest victory. IMA SINGLE MAN was heavily backed late in betting and didn't feature at all, settling near the tail and remaining there throughout finishing 6-3/4 lengths away in 11th.
Race 9 – Aldrich Bay Handicap, HK $1,725,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.39 Standard Time: 1:09.75 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
It was the lightly-raced SUPERB CAPITALIST (Capitalist – Shamana) who saluted in the last event. Angus Chung bounced well from the inside draw and bustled the gelding along to lad the field as they turned down the back. The gelding was turning in some quick sectionals through the middle stages and held a clear advantage over the rest of his rivals through the middle stages. He led by 2-1/2 lengths coming to the home turn and didn't look like stopping, with all of his rivals under pressure a long way behind him and not making any ground. The margin never changed throughout the entire race as the three-year-old went on to score by 2-1/2 lengths, leading all of the way. ALLGREEKTOME was the one doing the chasing throughout the race and finished in second, with EXCELLENT PEERS storming home in the late stages to run third. Race favourite BRAVE STAR clocked in 8-1/2 lengths away in last place, with Vincent Ho telling stewards' that the gelding dipped a number of times on the home turn and did not finish off as he had lost his confidence.
