Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.
Race 1 – Tate's Cairn Handicap, HK $810,000
Class 5 – All Weather - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:08.59 Standard Time: 1:09.35 Course/Class record: 1:08.46 Trillion Treasure
Winner: SMART FOLKS (USA 6yo g War Front – Agreeable Miss) was the fastest out of the barriers and rolled straight to the front from his draw. He got to the lead easy enough and was able to hold out his rivals as they turned off the back at a relatively moderate tempo. He sprinted clear turning for home and shot the race to bits within a furlong. The six-year-old powered away under Antoine Hamelin, scoring easily by 2-1/4 lengths in fine style.
Runner-Up: ACA POWER wasn't the fastest into stride and Hugh Bowman wasn't bustling his mount along early doors, settling near the tail of the field. Bowman raced along the inside rail and was able to improve his position through the middle stages, getting within 3 lengths of the leader as he crept along the inside. He worked his way into the clear turning for home and the gelding rattled home strongly to finish second but was no match for the winner.
Run Of The Race: This has to go to SMART FOLKS who blew his rivals away from the front, scoring in very good style. He'll be a big chance stepping up to Class 4 next time out.
Disappointment: LUCK STAR settled in a midfield position under Brenton Avdulla, but was already drifting out of contention a long way from home. He never responded to the urgings of the Australian, finishing back in 11th and beaten 9-3/4 lengths.
Comparison: Well inside the standard time.
Market Mover: STARRY NIGHT had good support late in betting.
Race 2 – Piper's Hill Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.03 Standard Time: 1:09.05 Course/Class record: 1:08.14 Happy Tour
Winner: SMOKEY BEAR (IRE 6yo g Kodiac – Shamankiyna) couldn't go with the hot tempo early on but settled in a handy position about midfield under Zac Purton. The pace was searing out in front and Purton found himself in a handy position turning for home, creeping into the race four-and-five-wide at the top of the straight. He continued to find under Zac Purton, inching closer and closer to the lead with every stride, getting his nose down on the line to score by a short head in a three-way photo finish.
Runner-Up: COOL BLUE was taken back from the draw to settle at the back of the field under Derek Leung. The local hoop tacked onto the back of the eventual winner turning off the back straight and trailed him through the middle stages before coming off heels and into the clear at the top of the straight. The gelding let rip down the centre of the course, making his run alongside the eventual winner, but he couldn't stick his nose in front as he went down narrowly at the post.
Run Of The Race: COLOURFUL PRINCE sat up on the hot tempo throughout the race and was only beaten a short head by the winner. A gutsy performance and one that will hold him in good stead moving forward.
Disappointment: CALL ME TEDDY charged forward from an outside draw and was under pressure through much of the race as he struggled to keep in touch with the leaders. He was a beaten force at the turn and was eased down over the final 200m by Silvestre De Sousa, finishing in 10th and beaten 12 lengths.
Comparison: Just inside the standard time.
Market Mover: SMOKEY BEAR and COLOURFUL PRINCE were both specked after the scratching of Noble One.
Race 3 – To Fung Shan Handicap, HK $810,000
Class 5 – All Weather - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:38.87 Standard Time: 1:39.25 Course/Class record: 1:38.30 Apolar Warrior
Winner: LUCKY VICTOR (AUS 6yo g Champions Gallery – Images) burst out of the barriers from his inside barrier and rolled straight to the front under Angus Chung. He was able to do what he wanted out in front, setting just a moderate tempo through the middle stages. Chung wasn't pressured out in front and kicked away as they turned for home, kicking clear in the straight and leading all of the way to score by 2-3/4 lengths.
Runner-Up: EL VALIENTE got away well from his wide barrier but eased back approaching the first turn. He raced near the back of the field early on, settling in the three-wide line with cover as they worked down the back. He was probably unsuited by just a moderate tempo on offer, with Bowman working hard approaching the home turn to get him into the race. He worked home solidly out near the centre of the track, doing his best work in the closing stages to run into a clear second.
Run Of The Race: EL VALIENTE for me is the run of the race. He didn't have the most suitable of tempos, but the gelding just continued to whack away to finish second.
Disappointment: Non disappointments in this event.
Comparison: Inside the standard time.
Market Mover: Plenty of money moves in this event. CHIRON, CIRCUIT ELITE, RUN RUN GOOD, SPEED FORCE and SPLENDID STAR were all backed, and all at double-figure odds.
Race 4 – Sha Tin Pass Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1800m - Track Good
Time: 1:47.46 Standard Time: 1:48.75 Course/Class record: 1:47.45 Mission Bravo
Winner: GALLANT HERO (IRE 5yo g Fast Company – Bett's Gift) got away well from an inside barrier and was able to hold a handy position just off the speed under Zac Purton. He got a cosy run in behind the speed with an even tempo being set out in front. He lost some ground turning off the back as the leader skipped away, with Purton reaching for the whip 600m from home. He was spotting the leader 3-3/4 lengths heading for home and the gelding, but he was responding to the urgings of Purton. The champion jockey came off heels and really started to motor in the final furlong, lengthening beautifully to claim the leader in the final few strides and score with relative ease in the end.
Runner-Up: MISSION BRAVO jumped quickly and was ridden along to find the front for Luke Ferraris in the early stages, getting across heading into he first turn to lead the field. He set an even tempo out in front but wasn't challenged, doing as he pleased and even slowing the tempo down travelling down the back straight. He skipped away as he upped the speed turning of the back and led comfortably as they turned for home. He had fought off his nearest danger in the straight, but Gallant Hero was charging at him late. Ferraris threw everything he had at the gelding but couldn't hold off the winner.
Run Of The Race: GALLANT HERO looked miles off the leader at the top of the straight and looked as though he'd run a nice placing behind an impressive winner. The gelding had other ideas, however, storming home late to score in fantastic style.
Disappointment: No disappointments in this race.
Comparison: Over a second inside standard time.
Market Mover: Plenty of money came for GALLANT HERO late in betting, while VINCY and SURREALISM were also tried at longer odds.
Race 5 – Piper's Hill Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:08.68 Standard Time: 1:09.05 Course/Class record: 1:08.14 Happy Tour
Winner: IMPERIAL MAGEE (BRZ 5yo g Mellon Martini – Principessa Carla) jumped with them, but couldn't match it with the rest of the field early on as he found himself in last position down the back straight. Harry Bentley was able to work into the race on the back of a hot tempo, swinging wide with cover and getting a great trail into the race. The five-year-old burst down the middle of the track to take the lead inside the final 50m, running right over the top of his rivals to score by 1-1/4 lengths.
Runner-Up: MEGA BONUS stepped slowly but mustered well under Ruan Maia as he improved three-wide with cover to be midfield on settling. The galloper travelled well through the middle stages as he stayed wider on the course, improving heading into the straight and using his momentum to catch the leaders. He rounded up most of the field with ease, but the winner blew right by him down the outside. He stuck on gamely to run second, but the winner was just too good.
Run Of The Race: IMPERIAL MAGEE stormed over the top with a withering burst to win easily in the end.
Disappointment: TURBO POWER didn't have the best of luck in the home straight. He settled toward the rear under Vincent Ho and looked to be making steady ground early in the straight, but struck trouble which halted his momentum. He was able to pick himself up again once he got out, but the race was over by that point as he finished 4-3/4 lengths away in 8th.
Comparison: Well inside standard.
Market Mover: GLORY BO BO and HANDSOME REBEL were both specked at decent odds.
Race 6 – Eagle's Nest Handicap, HK $1,725,000
Class 3 – All Weather - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:07.98 Standard Time: 1:08.60 Course/Class record: 1:07.40 Dehere's The Love
Winner: GUMMY GUMMY (AUS 3yo g Snitzel – Nayeli) showed superior pace early on to take the lead under Zac Purton, but was caught racing three-wide early on. The gelding pressed on to take outright control heading off the back straight and was able to slow the tempo slightly through the middle stages. Purton had plenty of horse underneath him turning for home and when asked for an effort, the three-year-old kicked clear of his rivals. He always had the second placegetter's measure despite the margin being only three-quarters of-a-length.
Runner-Up: MARK THE MOMENT was urged along from his outside draw by apprentice Ellis Wong, surging forward to sit outside the leader as they sorted their order out. He travelled well through the middle stages and was always within striking distance of the leader around the turn, being head-and-head with the leader at the top of the straight. The winner put in a good kick when asked though which put the race to bed, but the gelding stuck on well to hold on to second position.
Run Of The Race: GUMMY GUMMY had to do a little bit of work to find the front early, but he was very strong at the end and justified his short quote.
Disappointment: No disappointments again in the sixth race.
Comparison: Inside standard.
Market Mover: The money came for the favourite GUMMY GUMMY who jumped $1.50.
Race 7 – Hung Mui Kuk Handicap, HK $2,640,000
Class 3 – All Weather - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:37.16 Standard Time: 1:38.45 Course/Class record: 1:36.79 True Legend
Winner: ERIMO (USA 5yo g Street Boss – Undo) jumped well and rolled forward early on under Alex Badel, getting across to settle on the back of the leader as they rounded the first turn. The pace slowed down the back, with Badel coming off the rail to sit in the one-out-one back position down the back straight. He was able to stick with the leaders as the pace quickened and moved four-wide on the turn as he went up to join the leaders at the top of the straight. He breezed past the leaders and booted clear when Badel asked for an effort. The race was over in a matter of seconds as Erimo pulled away to win by 4 lengths.
Runner-Up: ADEFILL reared at the start and was one of the last to leave the barriers, with Karis Teetan rushing through the field early on to improve his position. He would settle three-wide with cover in a midfield position early on, before improving to be just off the pace passing the midway point of the race. He was alongside the eventual winner with 600m to run, but the Mauritian hoop was already nudging his mount along. He was on the back of the eventual winner turning for home but couldn't match motors with him in the straight. He closed off fairly to hold on to second place, but the winner was in a league of his own.
Run Of The Race: It's hard to go past ERIMO as the run of the race. He bolted in by 4 lengths and never looked like getting beat 600m from home.
Disappointment: CAN'T GO WONG was heavily backed in betting and looked to be travelling in a good spot in the run. He tried to follow the eventual winner into the straight but was kept in a pocket turning for home with Silvestre De Sousa trying to work his way through traffic. He was forced to halt his momentum as he was tightened for room early in the straight and the gelding never recovered, finishing in 12th and beaten 10-3/4 lengths.
Comparison: Over 1 second inside standard.
Market Mover: CAN'T GO WONG was heavily backed prior to the start.
Race 8 – Sha Tin Heights Handicap, HK $2,900,000
Class 2 – All Weather - Distance 1650m - Track Good
Time: 1:37.02 Standard Time: 1:37.85 Course/Class record: 1:36.15 Hongkong Great
Winner: HAVA NAGEELA (IRE 4yo g Aclaim – Quad's Melody) got away well and settled in a handy position heading into the first turn, sitting just off the leader. Silvestre De Sousa was happy to sit on the outside of the leader down the back, keeping a rival wide on the course as he eyeballed the leader turning off the back. De Sousa looked to have plenty of horse underneath him as they swung into he straight, with the majority of his rivals already under heavy pressure. He kicked powerfully in the straight to burst clear of his rivals and open a handy advantage approaching the furlong pole. There was a rival taking ground off him late, but it was never in doubt, with the four-year-old bringing up a hat-trick of wins.
Runner-Up: HANDSOME TWELVE was urged along at the start to try and hold a position, settling midfield for Jerry Chau. He was racing in a handy position heading ingo the back straight but was being niggled at throughout the middle stages to try and keep up with the genuine tempo being set. He began to improve turning off the back and Chau was able to slice across the field and into the clear at the top of the straight. The gelding stuck on gamely out wide to run into a clear second placing, taking ground off the winner late, but it was too late to mount a challenge.
Run Of The Race: HAVA NAGEELA was far too good for his rivals, bringing up his third win in-a-row in handy style.
Disappointment: GALAXY WITNESS disappointed on the back of his Derby effort. He was forced to make a long and sustained effort to the finish, but couldn't run out the journey as he peaked on the run late, finishing 4 lengths back in 7th.
Comparison: Well inside the standard time.
Market Mover: No market moves to speak of with HAVA NAGEELA jumping the $2.30 favourite.
