3 minute read
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.
A big Group 1 day of racing saw a couple of upsets throughout the 11-race card, along with a four-timer for Zac Purton, who didn't finish worse than fifth in any race he competed in on the card.
Race 1 – Pakistan Star Plate, HK $880,000
Griffin – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:10.72 Standard Time: 1:09.45 Course/Class record: 1:08.47 California Spangle
The first of Zac Purton's wins came up in the first event of the day, with the Pierre Ng-trained SUPER BONUS (Bungle Inthejungle – Rohesia) saluting in his third career start. He jumped well from the wide barrier and Purton rolled across to sit on the outside of the leader as they sorted their order out. The pace was only fair through the middle stages and the gelding showed a strong kick at the top of the straight to take the lead with 400m remaining. He broke away from his nearest rivals to lead by over a length with a furlong to run and although he was getting tired late, the gelding won comfortably by three-quarters of-a-length. HOLY LAKE was the only runner to really make any ground on the winner as he came from a midfield position to challenge late in the race. He's yet to win, but he has improved with every run this campaign and appears to be closing in on his maiden victory. Race favourite CHANCHENG GLORY stuck on well down near the inside to hold on for third in a blanket finish for the minor placings.
Race 2 – Viva Pataca Handicap, HK $1,900,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 2000m - Track Good
Time: 2:03.05 Standard Time: 2:01.95 Course/Class record: 2:00.37 Champion Supreme
PACKING HURRICANE (Mondialiste – Storming Sioux) bought up a hat-trick of wins, and all over this course and distance in the second event. Harry Bentley put the gelding in a handy position just on the back of the leader after getting away well from a midfield draw. The gelding was able to keep up when a mid-race move came with about 1000m left to run, remaining within striking distance in his stalking role. Bentley moved three-wide as they rolled into the straight, but he did have 1-3/4 lengths to make up turning for home. The gelding just wouldn't lay down and stuck his nose in front with 50m to run, holding off his rivals to win his third in-a-row, with a head being the official margin. HIT THE SHOT took up the running at just a steady tempo throughout the early stages but hung on well after he was taken on turning off the back. He kept on well over the concluding stages but was unable to hold off the winner.
Race 3 – Helene Super Star Handicap, HK $810,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.77 Standard Time: 1:09.70 Course/Class record: 1:08.64 Iron King
It was a dominant win in the Class 5 event with THE GOOD DEAL (Deep Field – Prinny's Girl) winning very impressively. The pace was on early on and Luke Ferraris was happy to sit just off the quick tempo, relaxing into a stalking position through the middle stages of the race. He was locked away on the inside for most of the race but took an opportunity to get into the clear with 500m, beginning to build into the race nicely turning for home. He was still some 3-3/4 lengths off the leader at the top of the stretch but was motoring over the top of them to take control at the 150m point. The race was all over from that point onwards as he pulled away to score a fantastic win by 2-1/2 lengths. FINGERS CROSSED made plenty of late ground to run into second position.
Race 4 – River Verdon Handicap, HK $2,640,000
Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1000m - Track Good
Time: 56.07 Standard Time: 56.05 Course/Class record: 54.68 Valiant Dream
The only straight race of the day saw Zac Purton bring up win number 2 aboard the Francis Lui-trained STOLTZ (More Than Ready – Decelerator) getting the job done. The five-year-old settled in a lovely position, sitting just off the leaders throughout the running and looked to be travelling strongly heading into the concluding stages. Purton took the lead with 150m to run and pulled away from his main rivals to score a three-quarter length victory. CARROLL STREET ran an improved race dropping back to the 1000m straight course, sticking on well behind the winner to claim second place while the second favourite NERVOUS WITNESS continued his average run of form, finishing in sixth potion and beaten 3 lengths.
Race 5 – Makarpura Star Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.85 Standard Time: 1:09.30 Course/Class record: 1:08.40 Master Eight
It was the favourite's way home from the fifth event with MODULECONSTRUCTION (Overshare – Spring Burst) getting the job done by a half-length to shed his maiden tag. He wasn't the fastest into stride for Vincent Ho but raced in a forward position from his inside draw. He was sitting one-out and one-back in the run, travelling dstrongly into the straight and getting off heels very early on to take the lead 300m from the finish. He was still a length in front with 100m to run and was strong to the line, holding off his main danger to get the job done. HERO ICON ran a superb race from the rear of the field, running into second position for Manfred Man and Alex Badel. That's the best run of his career as he's been working his way down to Class 5 company.
Race 6 – California Memory Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1400m - Track Good
Time: 1:21.79 Standard Time: 1:22.05 Course/Class record: 1:20.08 Perfect Pair
CIRCUIT MIGHTY (El Roca – Summalucky) was pushed along from the outside draw to settle in a forward position early on. After being caught three-wide, Zac Purton slotted into the one-out-one-back position, getting a lovely run in transit. He was under pressure turning for home and looked as though he was fading out of contention as the leader got away with a furlong to go. He found another gear close to home though to reel in the leaders again to take the lead and score by a neck on the line. YELLOWFIN went ever so close to breaking his maiden status, but could only manage another placing. MASTER HERO showed plenty of dash over the closing stages and was definitely the 'flashing light' run of the race.
Race 7 – Exultant Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1400m - Track Good
Time: 1:21.99 Standard Time: 1:22.05 Course/Class record: 1:20.08 Perfect Pair
It was a blowout in the 7th event with the David Hayes-conditioned SETANTA (Fastnet Rock – Legally Bay) running over the top to score at massive $67 odds. He got away on terms under Lyle Hewitson but drifted back to settle near the tail of the field. The pace was solid up front and Hewitson was nicely positioned away from the rail in the run, getting wide on the turn and into the clear as they worked into the straight. He was making steady ground down the outside, ranging up to the leaders with 50m to run and sticking his nose in front in the shadows of the post, scoring narrowly by a head. Plenty of merit has to go to PUBLICIST for the run that he had. Michael Dee was left racing three-wide and without cover, but the gelding was strong to the line and only went down narrowly in a very good effort.
Race 8 – The Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup, HK $12,000,000
Group One – Turf - Distance 2400m - Track Good
Time: 2:26.87 Standard Time: 2:26.75 Course/Class record: 2:24.60 Viva Pataca
It was another upset in the feature of the day with RUSSIAN EMPEROR (Galileo – Atlantic Jewel) claiming back-to-back wins in the Champions & Chater Cup. He got away cleanly from barrier 5 and settled in a midfield position for Hugh Bowman who put the gelding to sleep as they rounded the first turn. Bowman was one off the rail and the pace wasn't fast early as the red-hot favourite ROMANTIC WARRIOR led them through the first half of the race. The pace lifted passing the 1000m point and a few horses were already under pressure with 600m remaining, but not Russian Emperor who was warming into the race brilliantly. Bowman had shifted three-wide on the six-year-old and had plenty of clear air as they turned into the straight, spotting the leaders 3 lengths turning for home. He was still a couple of lengths off them at the 200m point, but was sticking on boldly as he ranged up to the tiring leader and scored his second Champions & Chater cup by a neck on the line. ROMANTIC WARRIOR jumped $1.20 and was forced to lead the race in a surprising move that saw MONEY CATCHER take up a trailing position. Despite getting it easy through the first half of the race, Money Catcher and Derek Leung took it up to the favourite from the 1000m point, upping the tempo and forcing Zac Purton to make a long and sustained run. The son of Acclamation was running out of steam late and couldn't hold off Russian Emperor who's staying ability came to the fore.
Race 9 – Vengeance Of Rain Handicap, HK $2,640,000
Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1400m - Track Good
Time: 1:21.55 Standard Time: 1:21.40 Course/Class record: 1:20.28 Fantastic Treasure
After a narrow defeat in the race prior, Zac Purton bounced back with RED LION (Belardo – Crystal Idea) bringing up his second win in-a-row. Purton drifted back from an outside draw to settle a little worse than midfield in the run, but the pace was solid in the early stages. He got onto the back of a rival that took him into the race passing the 600m point and Purton popped off heels at the top of the straight to make his run. He sprinted sharply out wider on the track to take the lead inside the 100m point and proved too good for his rivals as he scored by three-quarters of-a-length. It was a tight go for second but ERIMO stuck on well rising in grade, finishing just ahead of GALAXY WITNESS who had probably over-achieved in the 4YO Series before a disappointing run on the All Weather last time out. His get-back racing style means he needs things to go his way, but he showed good improvement back to 1400m.
Race 10 – Oriental Express Handicap, HK $1,725,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.21 Standard Time: 1:09.05 Course/Class record: 1:08.11 Victor The Winner
The penultimate event saw another long-priced winner with BUNDLE OF CHARM (All Too Hard – Dubleanny) getting the job done at $20. The gelding jumped well and rolled forward from the draw to sit up on the pace. After being caught three-wide initially, Alex Badel was able to get across to sit outside the leader through the middle stages. He enjoyed a relatively easy run in transit and showed a good sprint at the top of the straight to wrestle the lead away and scoot clear of his rivals with a furlong to run. It was that sprint that won him the race with his rivals unable to peg back the margin, as the four-year-old scored by a length. DANCING CODE stuck on well for second after having the back of the eventual winner throughout the race. He couldn't reel him in though after losing that ground between the 400 and the 150m points, but he was solid enough in second. The favourite SUPREME LUCKY was taken back to last from the wide draw and simply had too much ground to make up, but he did run on well to finish 4th and beaten 2-3/4 lengths.
Race 11 – Indigenous Handicap, HK $1,900,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1600m - Track Good
Time: 1:35.08 Standard Time: 1:34.70 Course/Class record: 1:33.19 Beauty Fit
The last race of the day saw CHING (Frosted – Darci Dancer) bring up a double for Lyle Hewitson. The Michael Chang-trained galloper was only fairly away from barrier 12 and was taken back from the draw to settle in last position. The field was tightly packed through the first section of the race, just jogging along before the pace was injected with 1200m left to run. The South African hoop found himself nearly 10 lengths off the lead turning off the back stretch, but was able to move into the three-wide trail which took him into the race. Hewitson remained with cover throughout, before getting out and sprinting quickly on straightening. The gelding was the widest in the straight and had 6-3/4 lengths to make up, but he showed a powerful turn-of-foot to join the leaders with 50m remaining and stick his nose down on the line to score in a photo finish. HELENE FEELING was the one on the wrong side of the photo finish, but his run deserves plenty of merit as they put over a length between the first two across the line and third.
