Brett Davis provides exclusive review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Maisons-Laffitte Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good to Yielding
Time: 57.91 Standard Time: 57.15 Course/Class record: 56.52 Shanghai Power
Jerry Chau and Dennis Yip combined to win the opening event on the card with MODEST GENTLEMAN (IRE 5yo g Slade Power – Princess Kyka) who jumped the $5.10 favourite. After being a little slow into stride, the gelding mustered good speed and used the inside draw to his advantage, burrowing through to hold a position in behind the leaders. He travelled strongly to the turn and as runners fanned wide, the local hoop had plenty of time and space to make his presence felt. He shot through along the rail before coming off the leader's back to challenge late in the race. The five-year-old stuck his nose in front inside the final 50m and proved too strong late in the race, winning by a neck on the line. KING INVINCIBLE wasn't the fastest away from the machine either but showed plenty of early speed to sneak through along the inside and sit on the pace. Derek Leung was able to hold out his rivals and lead the field along the inside and broke a length in front passing the 400m point. He went further in front early in the straight, leading by two lengths at the furlong pole before Modest Gentleman started eating into the margin. He stuck on well from in front, but he couldn't hold off the late challenge, ending up a neck away on the line. AUGUST MOON turned in a bold effort for third. He was left racing three-wide throughout the event but did have cover as he settled on the outside of the eventual winner in the run. Keagan De Melo moved four-wide as they turned for home and the gelding was there to win if he was good enough. He was beginning to tire late in the race, but he finished a clear third.
Race 2 – Chantilly Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Yielding
Time: 1:40.34 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
Dennis Yip brought up a race-to-race double as CORDYCEPS ONE (AUS 6yo g Hinchinbrook – Shamardal Gold) returned to the winner's stall with Ellis Wong in the saddle. After getting away strongly from an outside alley, Wong burned across to lead the field before they'd reached the winning post. He wasn't slowing them down once he got to the front, setting an even tempo through the middle stages of the race. He wasn't taken on out in front and
Wong had them all off the bit and chasing with 500m remaining, while the six-year-old travelled well out in front. He was over a length in front as they turned for home and he kicked clear when Wong pressed the button at the top of the straight. He never looked like being run down as he made every post a winner, scoring by 1-3/4 lengths on the line. BRAVE WITNESS was urged along out of the barriers by Karis Teetan as he looked to slot into the running line. Eventually, Teetan rolled forward to land outside the leader in running, travelling well with the even tempo being set. The gelding came under plenty of pressure with 500m remaining with the Mauritian hoop already hard at work asking him to pick up. He chased hard in the straight, but he was no match for the winner who was just too good on the night, though he was able to hold off his nearest rival to hold on for third. FRUITY WARRIOR was the third horse around the turn and finished in that position. Lyle Hewitson tried to sneak up the inside of Brave Witness in the run to the line after the leader had kicked well clear, but he was unable to get past the second placegetter.
Race 3 – Auteuil Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Yielding
Time: 1:41.62 Standard Time: 1:40.30 Course/Class record: 1:38.91 All Joyful
DRAGON DELIGHT (AUS 5yo g Wandjina – Pediment) didn't just notch up a race-to-race double for Ellis Wong, but it was also the apprentice's 20th winner in Hong Kong. The local jockey pressed on from barrier 7 to get across and settle on the outside of the leader on settling down and was travelling nicely in the run. The pace wasn't strong throughout the event, though much of the field were feeling the pinch approaching the 400m point. The son of Wandjina was still travelling strongly though, as Wong moved up to take the lead at the top of the straight as he pressed the button. The gelding shot away in the straight and led comfortably with a furlong to run. He extended his margin down to the wire, getting the job done by 2-1/2 lengths with the win sealed with a fist pump. BIG TWO had taken a trail from barrier four, settling on the back of the eventual winner in the run. Hugh Bowman was able to get the gelding to relax better through the middle stages after he travelled strongly earlier in the race, with the Australian hoop remaining on the back of the leader turning for home. He had his chance if he was good enough Big Two, but the winner just sprinted much faster as he ground away to the line. He clung on to run second ahead of MASTER OF LUCK who was bursting through late in the race. Brenton Avdulla had been well back in the run but rode for luck on straightening, weaving his way through the traffic close to the inside. He hit the line full of running but could only manage third.
Race 4 – Saint-Cloud Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Yielding
Time: 1:10.97 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
The drop in class worked wonders for MEGA BONUS (AUS 6yo g Shooting To Win – Exceed And Excite) as he returned to winning ways. The gelding showed plenty of early speed from barrier 8, getting across with ease under Antoine Hamelin. The two leaders broke clear turning down the back, with Hamelin eventually easing back to take a trailing position off the leader through the middle stages. Turning off the back, the leader was coming back to the chasing group which prompted Hamelin to get away from the inside and move up on the outside of the leader. The Frenchman continued to pour the pressure on around the turn, with the six-year-old kicking well when asked for an effort and setting out after the leader. Mega Bonus took the lead with 100m left to run, and while he was getting tired late in the race, he had enough of a gap to keep his rivals behind him, scoring by a neck on the line. EMBRACES wasn't the fastest out of the barriers and ended up in the back half of the field on settling down. He was cluttered up along the inside rail as they turned off the back, with the field packing up around the galloper before fanning on the turn. This allowed Jerry Chau to sneak up he inside with an unobstructed run, going under his rivals to get into third position inside the final 100m. He had to go around the tiring leader late in the race, but he just kept coming late in proceedings, only just missing out on victory in a very eye-catching effort. SPEEDY CHARIOT looked to have plenty to offer turning for home after sitting midfield in the run. He had his chance if he was good enough, racing with plenty of clear air in the straight but he could only manage third, beaten a length on the line. Race favourite Double Bingo finished back in eighth position, beaten 4-1/2 lengths.
Race 5 – The French May Trophy (Handicap), HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Yielding
Time: 1:10.66 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Zac Purton scored his first win of the night as BEAUTY DESTINY (AUS 4yo g Star Turn – Cocoexcel) shed the maiden tag in a sharp form reversal. The gelding jumped well from gate four and rolled forward around the first turn to sit on the outside of the leader. The pace was good through the early and middle stages with the field stringing out as they turned off the back. Beauty Destiny was travelling strongly as they turned for home while many of his rivals were under heavy pressure, which led to Zac Purton moving up and taking the lead shortly after straightening. The four-year-old kicked strongly when Purton pressed the button, shooting away to lead by three of four lengths with 100m to run. The gelding had absolutely no idea what to do once he hit the front, looking around and pulling himself up in the closing stages of the race, but luckily for connections and punters, Purton was able to shove him over the finish line for him to win by a half-length at the post.
LYRICAL MOTION was able to hold his position from the inside alley, sitting on the back of the leader in the run. Ellis Wong was enjoying the run of the race in third and was poised to strike as they turned into the straight, getting onto the back of Beauty Destiny. He didn't have the turn-of-foot the winner showed with Purton's mount bursting clear in the straight to put up a big gap on his rivals, but Lyrical Motion didn't give up, chasing hard right to the line to finish just a half-length away. SHINKANSEN settled midfield in the run for Keagan De Melo and ran on well overt the closing stages to claim third, finishing 1-1/2 lengths off the winner.
Race 6 – Chantilly Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Yielding
Time: 1:40.78 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
JUMBO FORTUNE (AUS 5yo g Hinchinbrook – Morinda) hasn't won since October 2022, but the gelding got back to winning ways today as he stormed right over the top of his rivals. Jumping from a wide barrier, the gelding was taken back to the rear of the field shortly after jumping and remained at the rear of the field through the first half of the race. Passing the 800m point, Vincent Ho began to make a move, going three-wide around his rivals to move into a more midfield position turning off the back. Ho was niggling at his mount a long way from home but he was building good momentum around the outside as they swung the bend, coming widest in the straight to make his mark. Coming down the middle of the track, he moved up to join the lead with 50m left to run and he proved too good in the dying stages, winning by a neck on the line. JOYFUL PROSPERITY enjoyed a cosy run on the back of the leading pair throughout with the pace quite good through the opening and middle stages. Despite enjoying a comfortable run, Karis Teetan still had the gelding under heavy pressure prior to the home turn as he bustled his way into the clear on straightening. The gelding moved up to hit the front with 100m left to run and was strong late in the race, but he was just collared close to the line by the winner. PACKING WISHER had sat up on the speed throughout the event and stuck on well in the run to the line, beaten just 1-1/2 lengths.
Race 7 – The France Galop Cup (Handicap), HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Yielding
Time: 1:10.40 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
COPARTNER PRANCE (AUS 4yo g Epaulette – Woodstock Hussey) made it three wins in-a-row in the seventh, with Zac Purton bringing up a winning double on the night. The son of Epaulette rolled forward from barrier six to sit on the outside of the leader on settling down, with the pace quite good through the opening and middle stages of the race. Purton was happy to sit just off the leader as they turned out of the back straight, before moving up boldly at the 400m mark to take the lead turning for home. The gelding kicked strongly on straightening and put a gap on his rivals with 150m left to run. Purton eased him down inside the final 50m despite the second horse flashing late, with the final margin 1-1/2 lengths. NEVER TOO SOON had settled in the back half of the field from barrier five and was cluttered up along the inside rail turning off the back. As the race began to unfold, Keagan De Melo was able to get away from the inside and try to pick his way through the traffic, eventually getting into clear air with 200m left to run. The gelding flashed home late in the race in a very eye-catching performance, but the winner was already off and gone by the time he got out. KA YING CHEER sat on the back of Copartner Prance in the run with Andrea Atzeni peeling three-wide at the top of the straight to make his challenge. He couldn't match it with the winner and only plugged away late in the race, ending up 3-1/4 lengths away in third after being backed into favouritism.
Race 8 – Deauville Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Yielding
Time: 1:40.33 Standard Time: 1:39.85 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters
It was a successful return to Happy Valley for YELLOWFIN (AUS 5yo g Territories – Clearly Foxy) after some handy performances on the All Weather surface this campaign. The five-year-old was the first horse out of the barrier and he ran straight to the front under Lyle Hewitson, holding the lead around the first turn despite some pressure from wider out. Once the field had sorted their order out, the gelding was left alone out in front and was able to do as he pleased, stacking the field up down the back straight before quickening the tempo from the 600m point. He travelled strongly to the home turn where he got a length clear at the top of the straight and extended that margin approaching the furlong pole. He had a rival bearing down on him over the closing stages, but he was too strong in the run to the line, winning by a half-length. ROMANTIC LAOS used the inside draw to his advantage and settled on the back of the leader in running, tracking him wherever he went in the run. Derek Leung was right there to strike as they turned for home, getting off Yellowfin's back and attempted to chase him down. He was there to win if he was good enough, but the winner was just too good over the concluding stages. The first two gapped the rest as GALAXY WITNESS stormed home down the outside for third position, but was four lengths off the winner.
Race 9 – Parislongchamp Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Yielding
Time: 1:09.93 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
Angus Chung booted home the favourite COLOURFUL EMPEROR (IRE 4yo g Holy Roman Emperor – Elaysa) for his master Tony Cruz. The gelding pinged out of the barriers and was running up front in the early stages, eventually sitting on the outside of the leader who snuck up the inside around the first turn. The pace was good from the outset with the four-year-old sticking with the leader around the home turn and looking to pounce as they swung the bend. As Chung pushed the button, the gelding moved up and took the lead with 200m remaining. The rest of the field were tiring behind him, but there were no issues for Angus Chung as he saluted the crowd on his way to a big three length victory. SOLAR PARTNER had tracked the leader in the run for Harry Bentley, who was able to stick with the leading pair as the field broke up heading around home turn. Bentley got onto the back of the eventual winner on straightening, but he lacked the sprint that Colourful Emperor possessed. He stuck on well to the line, running into second position but the winner was just too good. CALIFORNIA TOUCH took up the running around the first turn and set a strong tempo out in front. He was still in front turning for home but felt the pinch late in the race, ending up in third position and beaten 3-1/4 lengths
