Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Back to the "City Circuit" for nine races on the "C" course. Much like last week's fixture at this track, there was a definite advantage to being close to the speed in running. Only one favourite saluted on the night, so it was tough going for punters throughout the nine-race card.
Race 1 – Bellflower Handicap, HK $810,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 2200m - Track Good
Time: 2.16.11 Standard Time: 2:17.65 Course/Class record: 2:15.87 Sky Gem
The staying race of the night kicked off the card with FORTUNE TRIPLE (Lope de Vega – Kerry Gal) saluting in the first. The six-year-old was unable to keep up in the early stages with the gelding sitting worse than midfield as they worked around the first turn. He was able to get off the rail travelling down the straight on the first occasion and Chadwick commenced a move down the back straight. The local hoop scooted around the field to take the lead passing the 500m point and extended his margin to lead by 1-1/2 lengths as they swung into the straight. He just kept on running in the straight and never looked like being run down, pulling away to score by 2-1/4 lengths. VINCY was always prominent in the run but couldn't reel in the leader after the mid-race move. He stuck on gamely to run second while FORTUNE WINNER and CLASSIC ARCHI showed good staying ability to run third and fourth respectively. RING BELLS led the field but was a spent force at the top of the straight and ended up 22-1/2 lengths back in 10th after jumping the second favourite.
Race 2 – Cornflower Handicap, HK $810,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good
Time: 57.40 Standard Time: 57.25 Course/Class record: 56.52 Shanghai Power
Kiwi Mick Dee had his first ride in Hong Kong in Race 2 and made it a winning debut aboard the David Hayes-trained STARRY NIGHT. The gelding jumped well from barrier 2 and raced in a handy position around the speed as they sorted their order out, sitting on the back of the leader in running. They ran along through the opening stages and Dee got the lovely trail into the straight, ducking back to the inside rail at the top of the straight. The leader rolled back to the inside, prompting the New Zealander to come off the rail and mount his challenge again. He dug in over the final 100m to run over the top of the leader and score
by a neck in nice style. STRIVE FOR GLORY did well to hold the lead in running and be right there at the finish, but he just couldn't hold off the winner who had the run of the race. Race favourite TRONIC MIGHTY ran on well in the closing stages but was too far back in the run to make an impact at the finish.
Race 3 – Hyacinth Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:40.43 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
It was a surprise winner of the third race with CHRYSOS (Medaglia d'Oro – Crowley's Law) leading all of the way to score by 1-1/2 lengths. He was away only fairly under Harry Bentley but mustered good speed to cross from gate 9 and lead the field heading out of the straight. He bowled along out in front, not stacking the field up through the middle stages and stretching out the field at the halfway stage of the race. He had broken clear by 2-1/4 lengths heading around the home turn and many of his rivals were under immense pressure a long way from home. He was getting weary late in the race, but he went on to win in very easy style, scoring by 1-1/2 lengths. The first four in the run were the first 4 across the line with DURHAM STAR making some good late ground. CORDYCEPS ONE jumped as favourite but reared at the start and missed the start hopelessly, ending any chance he had to win. Karis Teetan did lodge a protest to have the gelding declared a non-runner, but that was dismissed with the gelding running into 6th place, beaten 6 lengths.
Race 4 – Jasmine Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.14 Standard Time: 1:09.95 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Matthew Chadwick brought up a winning double with FLAMING PASSION (Headwater – Red Duchez) scoring in the fourth. The gelding jumped well from gate 3 and lobbed in a very handy position right on the back of the leader through the middle stages. He got a lovely run in behind and Chadwick had a stack of horse underneath him as he tured into the straight. He darted back to the inside at the top of the stretch and came through underneath to take the lead 50m from home. He had a fight on his hands but was inching away in the shadows of the post and scored by a head on the line. DENFIELD made the gelding work for it, coming down the more favourable centre of the track and hit the front 150m from the finish. That pair gapped the rest of the field in the slower of the two Class 4, 1200m races.
Race 5 – Hyacinth Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:40.17 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
It was another all-the-way victor in race 5 with LONDON LUCKYSTAR (Holy Roman Emperor – Midnight Partner) leading all of the way for Lyle Hewitson and Francis Lui. The gelding had to do some work to find the front heading into the first turn, but found the front and began to slow the tempo through the middle stages of the race. He got a nice breather passing the midway point of the race before ramping the tempo up once more approaching the 400m point. He showed a nice turn-of-foot turning into the straight to break clear from his rivals and put a big gap in them approaching the furlong pole. He continued to extend the margin and won by 2-1/4 lengths eased down. AMAZING BOY made a good run from midfield to run into second position with race favourite LIFELINE VISION finishing 4-1/2 lengths off the pace in 5th. This was the quicker of the two Class 4, 1650m events on the night.
Race 6 – The French May Trophy (Handicap), HK $1,725,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good
Time: 56.85 Standard Time: 56.70 Course/Class record: 55.85 Stoltz
It took 6 races, but the first favourite of the night finally won. It was the Jamie Richards-trained SEASONS WIT (Capitalist – Grand Gesture) that would get the nod in a photo finish. He was a little slow into stride under Zac Purton, but showed good early pace to improve his position to settle just off the speed. He had a lovely run throughout the race with a quick tempo being set through the middle stages. The three-year-old got off heels and into the clear at the top of the straight, making his run down the centre of the track. It was a tight finish with four runners all within a half-length of each other, but Purton threw everything he had at the gelding and got him across the line first, scoring by a short head. HARMONY N BLESSED was right there throughout the race and was a brave run in defeat while ATOMIC ENERGY ran right up to his form, holding on for third despite running off on the turn.
Race 7 – Jasmine Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.96 Standard Time: 1:09.95 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Dylan Mo was the next rider to put his name on the winners' list, bringing up his third win of the season aboard COLONEL (Ferlax – Outrageous Fortune). The gelding was quickly away from barrier 1 and was able to hold the lead from an inside draw as they headed down the back straight. They weren't waiting around up front, running along at a genuine tempo as Mo broke 1-3/4 lengths clear turning for home. He went even further in front early in the straight with Mo still motionless atop of the gelding, but that was until the 150m point when he began to weaken. A couple of rivals were coming at him late, but it was a perfect ride by the local hoop who held on to score by a head. The fast-finishing SIGHT HERO was the obvious "flashing light" run, storming home from well back to only go down narrowly. Michael Dee looks set for a solid stint in Hong Kong based off what we've seen tonight. PRIME MORTAR was handy enough in the run but was unable to make his presence felt in the concluding stages, fading to finish 3-1/4 lengths away in 8th after jumping favourite.
Race 8 – Snapdragon Handicap, HK $1,725,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.82 Standard Time: 1:09.75 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision:
It was then turn for Lyle Hewitson to bring up his winning double, holding on to win narrowly aboard MAGIC PHOENIX (Choisir – Exotic Blend) for Jimmy Ting. The five-year-old was one of the quickest into stride from barrier 5 and was sitting outside the leader as they headed into the first turn. The leader kicked up along the inside of Hewitson, prompting the South African to ease back into the trail and settle on the back of the leader approaching the halfway point of the race. The first two in running skipped away from their rivals with 400m to run with Hewitson getting out of the trail and taking the lead early in the straight. He looked to have his rivals beat at the 100m point but began to tire close to home. Despite tiring, he'd built enough of an advantage to hold on for the win, holding off WONDER KIT who was absolutely storming home from near the tail of the field. MAGNIAC was the post-time favourite but failed to fire a shot, tiring out of contention to cross the line 9-3/4 lengths away in 11th place.
Race 9 – Iris Handicap, HK $1,900,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:40.35 Standard Time: 1:39.85 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters
The last race looked very competitive on paper and it did not disappoint with the Ricky Yiu-trained PRIME MINISTER (Makfi – Khagan) seeing off his rivals. Derek Leung gave him a beautiful steer early in the race to land three pairs back and along the fence, with a genuine tempo being set through the middle stages of the race. There was no change to the order throughout with Leung just having to niggle at the gelding with 500m remaining to stay within striking distance. The local hoop wedged himself between runners turning for home before pushing his way into the clear 150m from the finish. Once he got out it was all over, with the gelding taking control 50m from home and winning by three-quarters of-a-length. VIVA HUNTER stuck on well for second after sitting on the pace throughout, while race favourite EIGHTEEN PALMS looked to have every chance in the run but could only manage third.
