Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Dordogne Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.36 Standard Time: 1:10.05 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King
It's been a long time coming for TIMESTORM (AUS 5yo g Outreach – Adriatic), who finally shed the maiden tag at start number 24. After getting away on terms under Hugh Bowman, the Australian hoop was able to position the gelding in a handy position just off the speed. The pace was solid through the middle stages and Bowman was able to let the race unfold in front of him, sitting one off the rail throughout. Around the home turn, Bowman was able to remain on the back of a rival who dragged him into the race three-wide, with the Australian only asking for an effort once they'd entered the home straight. Bowman shifted wider into the clear, ending up down the middle of the track where the gelding quickened well to hit the front with around 100m remaining. He was far too strong in the closing stages and went to the line an easy winner, scoring by three-quarters of-a-length. SONIC BOOM was a little slow into stride, but it didn't hurt too badly as Karis Teetan was able to settle in a midfield position around the first turn. The Mauritian didn't have much room to move through the middle stages and was still hemmed up along the inside as they turned for home. Teetan persisted with an inside run and with around 150m left to go, the gap opened up and Sonic Boom shot through to make a challenge for the lead. While he closed off well, he was no match for the winner who was just too good on the day. A further length back in third was ISLAND SURPRISE who had sat outside the leader in running. He was wobbling about under pressure close to home, but he dug deep to claim third place.
Race 2 – Ciron Handicap, HK $1.170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:40.48 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
Michael Chang brought up his 13th win of the season with BIG RED (AUS 5yo g Starcraft – Jackpot Queen) scoring his maiden victory at start 13. Ellis Wong got the gelding to jump well from a wide barrier and after being caught wide heading into the first turn, the local apprentice was able to parallel park into the one-out-one-back position. The gelding was travelling well through the middle stages, with Wong forced to move three-wide prior to the 400m point as the runner in front of him began to tire out of the race. Despite this, the
gelding moved into the race ominously as the field moved to the middle of the track, grinding away to eventually hit the front with 100m to run. He was able to survive a late challenge late in the race, clinging on to win by a head on the line as a $5.60 chance. I CAN was the one who came with a withering burst late in the race. He settled a little worse than midfield in the run and was spotting the leader 4-1/4 lengths passing the 400m point. Andrea Atzeni was forced wide into the straight as the field headed for the middle of the course, but it didn't impact I Can too much as he began to make plenty of ground down the outside. The gelding just ran out of time, going under narrowly on the wire. SUPER BABY stuck on well after leading the field throughout the event, finishing in a clear third.
Race 3 – Loire Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1800m – Track Good
Time: 1:49.18 Standard Time: 1:49.30 Course/Class record: 1:47.91 Leap Of Faith
It was a perfect Derek Leung ride that helped FLAMINGO TRILLION (AUS 4yo g Wandjina – Double Dee) bring up back-to-back wins. The four-year-old was crowded a little on jumping, but Leung urged him along to take up a front running position, eventually landing out in front. The gelding wasn't pressured out in front but was setting a good tempo through the opening and middle stages. Leung upped the speed of the race as they turned off the back and caught some of his rivals off guard, with a number of his competitors coming off the bit as they approached the home turn. The gelding turned a neat length in front of his rivals and was able to hold that margin almost all the way to the line. The second horse made some ground late, but he never looked like being beaten as he scored by three-quarters of-a-length. WINNING DRAGON had tracked the leader throughout the event, with Brenton Avdulla sitting on the back of Flamingo Trillion from the beginning of the race. The Australian hoop was able keep the leader within striking distance when the tempo went up, sliding along the inside rail before coming off his back turning for home to make his challenge. The race was there for Winning Dragon to win if he was good enough, but he was unable to peg back the margin, eventually finishing in second. AWESOME FLUKE was having his first run for the Ricky Yiu barn, and he stuck on well to finish in the placings.
Race 4 – Rhone Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:40.91 Standard Time: 1:40.30 Course/Class record: 1:38.91 All Joyful
Zac Purton brought up his first winner of the night as TO INFINITY (NZ 5yo g Darci Brahma – Italic) relished the drop in grade to win impressively. From a good draw, Purton was able to let the race pan out in front of him as he landed in a position a little worse than midfield on settling down. The pace was good through the middle stages and as the field passed the 600m point, Purton was able to get into the three-wide trail and begin to improve his position around the home turn. The gelding looked to have plenty to offer as they turned for home, with Purton getting to the outside beyond the middle of the track. The gelding sprinted quickly once Purton pressed the button, moving up to take the lead with 150m to run and he careered away from the rest of the pack, putting up a 5-1/2 length margin in an easy victory. HAPPIHOOD had been racing three-wide and without cover through the early and middle stages, with Keith Yeung eventually taking the bull by the horns and moving up to sit on the outside of the leader as they turned off the back straight. The gelding didn't stop there, moving up to take the lead as they turned for the judge and drawing a length clear of his nearest rival at the top of the straight. He didn't hold the lead for long though as he was given windburn when To Infinity blew right by him, but he kept on well to finish in second position. KEEN UNITY snuck up the inside at the top of the straight to make his run under Luke Ferraris. The gelding quickened well through to take third position close to the line.
Race 5 – The Sauternes Cup (Handicap), HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.37 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
SWEET DIAMOND (AUS 6yo g Zoustar – Adorabubble) made it back-to-back wins as he scored by a length in fine style rising to Class 4. The flashy grey was one of the first into stride and he led the field heading into the first turn, before being passed early in the back straight. Alex Badel took up a stalking role through the middle stages, sitting just off the leader who was running along quickly. Turning off the back, Badel found himself a couple of lengths in front of the third horse in running, with the two leaders pairing off heading into the straight. The son of Zoustar quickly moved up to hit the front with 200m to run and he never really looked like being run down. He was just too good at the bottom of the weights, winning by a length on the line. COSMO NAGIVATOR had to do some work in the early stages to get across from barrier eight, but with the field strung out down the back straight he was able to slot in close to Sweet Diamond. After tracking the eventual winner in the race, he lost touch with the grey around the home turn as Antoine Hamelin was nursing the gelding around the turn. He tried hard to make back the ground he lost in the straight, but he was unable to catch Sweet Diamond, going under by a length. GIMME FIVE darted up the inside at the top of the straight and went underneath his rivals to run home strongly into third position.
Race 6 – Rhine Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good
Time: 57.63 Standard Time: 1:49.55 Course/Class record: 56.39 Gentle Breeze
Vincent Ho and Caspar Fownes combined to win the sixth race on the card, with CAMINO (NZ 4yo g Charm Spirit – Fluorescent) storming over the top to score his maiden victory. Despite jumping on terms, the gelding didn't show as much pace as his rivals as he ended up toward the rear of the field. Vincent Ho remained along the inside as they worked around the home turn, sneaking runs along the paint before getting across heels and into the clear midway down the stretch. The gelding burst through a gap inside the final 150m and packed too many punches in the closer stages. He took the lead in the shadows of the post and was too strong in the concluding stages, winning by a half-length on the line. MA COMET got away on terms and landed in a midfield position along the inside rail. Brenton Avdulla was always within striking distance of the leader, and he began to creep closer around the home turn. Avdulla was scraping the paint as they turned for home, sliding right up the inside rail to make his run in the straight. Burrowing through to hit the front inside the final 100m. He was unable to fend off Camino though, who surged by him out wider on the course. HAPPY HORSE led the field turning for home and was proving hard to get past in the straight. Ma Comet bumped him and knocked some of the stuffing out of him in the closing stages, but the gelding managed to hold on for third position in a photo finish.
Race 7 – Ciron Handicap, HK $1.170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:40.70 Standard Time: 1:40.05 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
It'd been almost a year since SETANTA (AUS 6yo g Fastnet Rock – Legally Bay) had saluted the judge, but he was able to capitalise on his good recent form. From an outside alley, Luke Ferraris snagged the gelding back to the tail of the field, settling a clear last around the first turn. There was no change to the order through the middle stages despite just a moderate tempo being set, but the pace did quicken a touch as they turned off the back with a few horses coming off the bit. Ferraris was already niggling at Setanta to get him moving, but he was still a clear last and 6-3/4 lengths off the leader with 400m remaining. The gelding began to move into the race nicely around the turn and he was the widest runner on straightening, coming down the middle of the track to mount his challenge. He continued to eat into the margin with every stride, eventually moving up to hit the front in
the shadows of the post, scoring by a neck on the line. DRAGON STAR jumped well and worked across from an outside gate to be prominent in the run under Zac Purton, sitting on the outside of the leader. The two leaders were able to dictate the tempo as they slowed the speed down the back straight, before slipping away from their rivals passing the 600m point. Purton's mount looked to travel well approaching the home turn and while he may have lacked the sprint of the leader, he showed plenty of strength to fight back and stick his nose in front close to home. He only held the lead momentarily as Setanta came home with a wet sail, but he was able to put his nose down on the line and claim second in a photo finish. GALLANT CROWN was able to quicken nicely at the top of the straight after dictating the tempo throughout the run. After racing alongside Dragon Star in the race, the pair hit the line locked together with the judge having to split them at the line.
Race 8 – Garonne Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.60 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
It was an easy watch for favourite punters in race eight as PRIME MORTAR (AUS 5yo g Winning Rupert – Call Me Sachi) won comfortably. The gelding was caught wide around the first turn after getting away on terms from an outside barrier, with Angus Chung continuing to slide forward down the back straight. With around 650m remaining, Chung was able to slide across and take up a position on the outside of the leader, with the first two breaking clear of the chasing pack. Entering the home straight, the gelding needed some time to balance himself, but he shot clear once he sorted himself out and quickly put three lengths on the rest of the field. Angus Chung eased him down over the closing stages, with the margin narrowing to two lengths right on the line. SPICY GOLD settled midfield of Alex Badel and enjoyed a cosy run in transit. Turning for home, Badel remained to the inside aboard the Mark Newnham-trained galloper, before eventually shifting off heels and getting into clear air. He closed off strongly for second position, but the race was over by the time he got out. LAPRAS made the most of his run in the race, sitting in behind the leaders after getting away well from an inside alley. He hung in there down the stretch, finishing in third position after jumping a $35 chance.
Race 9 – Seine Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.87 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
The progressive COPARTNER PRANCE (AUS 4yo g Epaulette – Woodstock Hussey) made t four wins in-a-row as he dug deep under the urgings of Zac Purton. The four-year-old showed good early speed to offset the wide draw, slotting in just behind the leading division who were humming along early in the race. During the middle stages, Purton was able to get right down to the inside rail, which allowed him to sneak through underneath a rival as they turned off the back, with the son of Epaulette beginning to make ground on the leader. With 400m to run, the gelding was still 2-3/4 lengths away from the leader who still held a comfortably lead early in the straight. It wasn't until inside the final 200m that the four-year-old really got to work, coming home strongly under the big weight to grab the lead in the final few strides. It was a gutsy victory, with the gelding winning by a head on the line to keep his unbeaten streak alive. CALIFORNIA TOUCH shot out of the barriers from the inside alley and rolled forward to take up the running around the first turn. He was running along at a strong tempo in front, but he was able to hold the lead and sustain the effort right throughout the race. He was still well clear early in the home stretch, and it wasn't until the shadows of the post where the eventual winner gained the upper hand. California Touch finished just a head away from victory with a further 2 lengths back to third. SOLAR PARTNER closed off strongly from a midfield position to finish in third place, running on well down the centre of the track.
