3 minute read

Brett Davis provides exclusive review of Happy Valley races.

RACE 1 - YUE WAN HANDICAP, HK $967,000

Class 4 – Rating 60-40 – Turf 'B' Course – Distance 1800m – Track Good
Time: 1:49.25 Standard Time: 1:50.10 Course/Class Record: 1:48.10

Winner: Outsider SHADOW BREAKER (IRE 4yo g Excelebration – Kramer
Drive) was terrific given he had to work along early in a three-way battle for
the front. Once there, rider Chad Schofield maintained a strong gallop,
kicking again well before the corner, holding a margin all the way home. In
seven previous starts just a lone placing at 1200m, but trainer Jimmy Ting has
endeavoured to get the chestnut up in distance this campaign, and fourth up
in 2020 now successful at 1800m.

Runner Up: EVERYONE'S ELITE came into the race as favourite off five
consecutive second placings – you can now make that six. Joao Moreira gave
him a lovely ride three-deep on the fence out of a cosy barrier of three, cut
the corner turning for home, but the $2.10 favourite was unable to reel in the
winner.

Run Of The Race: ENJOYABLE SUCCESS was slow out and always at the tail of
the field but charged home. The son of former champion Frankel has now
contested the 1800m in his last three starts and will win again soon in Class 4
at this trip.

Disappointment: FANTASTIC BOY had a lovely sit fourth the outer but
couldn't run it out. After finding the line well previously he was well fancied
to run very well but did not perform.

Comparison: Clearly a better time than the standard and therefore all credit
to the winner who ran close to a second under the standard for the distance.
Market Mover: EVERYONE'S ELITE $2.60 to $2.10 was the hot one to open
the night.

RACE 2 - YIU TUNG HANDICAP, HK $967,000

Class 4 – Rating 60-40 – Turf 'B' Course – Distance 1650m – Track: Good
Time: 1:39.76 Standard Time: 1:40.45 Course/Class Record: 1:38.83

Winner: FOCUS (NZ 4yo g Per Incanto – Princess Alexandria) received a
beautiful trip on a red-hot pace after rider Karis Teetan took the early
initiative from gate 10. He tracked a fleet-footed Polymer Luck throughout
and obviously enjoyed the strong gallop. Interestingly, he was successful in
his first try at the 1650m off a diet of 1200m and 1400m racing. Trainer Ricky
Yiu may well get him to 1800m yet.

Runner Up: ELECTRIC LIGHTNING showed improved form, placed just once in
his eight starts this campaign all at the distance. Another to cut the corner
turning for home, briefly held up then strong through the line. Encouraging
effort in fastest final 400m split in the race.

Run Of The Race: HAPPY WARRIOR lost some momentum wide on the bend
but carved out a quick final split to charge in third carrying equal top-weight.
At 1650m or 1800m he's due to salute the judge at the Valley.

Disappointment: Both favourites LETS TAKE IT EASY and CHARITY GRAND
carried all the money with Purton and Moreira on board respectively from
gates one-and-two. After tracking the quick speed neither finished it off as
expected.

Comparison: Another strong time against the standard, as expected after
that hot clip in front. Track seems quick early in the evening.

Market Mover: CHARITY GRAND $3.50 to $2.70

RACE 3 - WAN TSUI HANDICAP, HK $967,000

Class 4 – Rating 60-40 – Turf 'B' Course – Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.45 Standard Time: 1:10.10 Course/Class Record: 1:08.92

Winner: GOOD SHOT (NZ 5yo g Swiss Ace – Nana Jean) quickly puts behind
him a disappointing debut in Hong Kong with a swift finish to reel them in.
Lovely ride from Matthew Chadwick, never wasting a nice inside gate and
settling fifth and ready to strike. Those who were on this gelding first up
simply abandoned him, letting him go around at long odds.

Runner Up: SUPER ALLIANCES sped out to lead for Joao Moreira and seemed
to have their measure at the turn, and though gallant just unable to hold out
this strong bid from the winner. He'll win soon for John Size.
Run Of The Race: MASTER ALBERT caught the eye from last making nice
ground in the best final section of 22.98 (400m). He'd won his previous two
starts at 1200m and a switch from 1200m to 1400m could possibly prove
fruitful for him.

Disappointment: HARMONY N HOME was not sighted and could well do
better from an improved barrier. Gate 12 was of no use to him here.

Comparison: Slow tempo compared to the longer trips earlier on the card.
They race outside standard time here and Moreira turned it into a sprint
from the home turn.

Market Mover: SUPER ALLIANCES $4.40 to $2.40

RACE 4 - WAN TSUI HANDICAP, HK $967,000

Class 4 – Rating 60-40 – Turf 'B' Course – Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.22 Standard Time: 1:10.10 Course/Class Record: 1:08.92

Winner: SIMPLY FLUKE (NZ 5yo g Heartache – Casual Lies) wins first up for
the Douglas Whyte stable. And put it down to a Joao Moreira special. Into
one-off the fence from gate 12, Moreira then angled wider nearing the turn
to avoid traffic troubles and he sped to the front soon after turning in. The
first win for the Kiwi-bred in 10 Hong Kong starts.

Runner Up: TRAVEL DATUK just can't win one, placed in 11 of 39 starts now.
Nothing but brave in the chase home from a nice run near the leaders. His
eighth runner-up finish but a $HK2.4 million earner.

Run Of The Race: If you saw DESTINE JEWELLERY get home quickly you'll be
on next time around. Huge run. Winless in eight starts here, that will soon
change for the John Size stable. And not far off that standard with a slick
finish wide out was outsider MILLENIUM FALCON - mark him down as one to
follow, too.

Disappointment: The disappointing angle was the slow start from the well-
favoured AMAZING. He missed the kick under Zac Purton to settle last and
was scooting home nicely but just had too much to do after they'd run 200m.

Comparison: 1:10.22 was again outside standard and again quite easy
through the middle stages, sprinting hard off the bend.

Market Mover: SIMPLY FLUKE $3.75 to $2.35

RACE 5 - HONG TUNG HANDICAP, HK $1,450,000

Class 3 – Rating 80-60 – Turf 'B' Course – Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.42 Standard Time: 1:09.85 Course/Class Record: 1:08.68

Winner: YOUNG LEGEND (GB 6yo g Exceed And Excel – Ivory Gala) was
unraced since October 16, 2019. Back fresh off two very tidy trials for trainer
Danny Shum he was ready to go and the late replacement rider in Zac Purton
would of course do no harm. Trailing third he angled off after the turn and
sprinted best. The six-year-old has performed at 1400m in the past so a rise
to that distance looks likely.

Runner Up: PING HAI GALAXY was also well favoured. Sitting fourth in a
leader-dominated affair he tried hard wider but just failed to pick up the
winner. Two starts for two wins in Queensland, Australia before export.
Another win comes soon for John Size.

Run Of The Race: YOUNG LEGEND seems the real improver out of the race,
should only be improved in first run in nearly six months.
Disappointment: Warm favourite DIAMOND BRILLIANT wasn't poor by any
means in third money, though costly in the fact he seemed to travel too
keenly in front under Joao Moreira and just couldn't withstand the finishes
from the former pair.

Comparison: Not surprisingly under standard. Leader DIAMOND BRILLIANT
was very keen and the 1200m time was well under earlier times on the night.
He was quick through the middle 400m sectional in 22.48, well ahead of
other leaders on the night.

Market Mover: YOUNG LEGEND $9.00 to $4.00

RACE 6 - HING WAH HANDICAP, HK $1,450,000

Class 3 – Rating 80-60 – Turf 'B' Course – Distance 1000m – Track Good
Time: 0.56.79 Standard Time: 0.57.00 Course/Class Record: 0:56.11

Winner: LARSON (AUS 3yo g Better Than Ready – La Tikka Rosa) was twice a
winner in Australia at the Sunshine Coast and Gosford before being exported.
And he'd come up winless in seven Hong Kong runs before this. But rewarded
for consistency off three consecutive placings at Sha Tin, he found the
winning formula again in his second look around Happy Valley. Rider Chad
Schofield bagged his second winner for the night, putting the gelding outside
leader and proving too tough in good time.

Runner Up: BE READY looked likely to win 250m out after scooting along the
inside near the turn. But he couldn't grab a gritty Larson who refused to give
in. Be Ready's middle and final sectionals were the best of the field.
Run Of The Race: ALLIED AGILITY was trapped three-deep on the pace and
still doing his best to win 100m from the line. Peaking very late to run fourth
his effort was rather noteworthy.

Disappointment: Leader and well favoured VERY SWEET ORANGE seemed to
get the right run in front but couldn't kick when needed.

Comparison: Under standard for the 1000m and a tick over a half-second
from the class record so under those circumstances ALLIED AGILITY really
good three-wide the trip.

Market Mover: LARSON $5.40 to $3.30

RACE 7 - OI TUNG HANDICAP, HK $1,450,000

Class 3 – Rating 80-60 – Turf 'B' Course – Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:39.89 Standard Time: 1:40.00 Course/Class Record: 1:38.61

Winner: BEAR AGAIN (SA 5yo g Frequent Flyer – Silvano) gets Aussie jockey
Blake Shinn back into the winners circle, utilising barrier one to the full,
trailing the leader off the fence to take command before the home turn and
too strong. He's been consistent at 1650m this year having won two of his
last four at the distance in Class 3. A fair transition for the South African-
bred who was regarded a 1000m sprinter in 2019, though without success.

Runner Up: FLASH FAMOUS hits the line strongly from a rearward position
under Joao Moreira and clocks some smart second-half sectionals. He's a
course and distance specialist, now four wins and a second in seven
appearances at 1650m this campaign.

Run Of The Race: A few to include here, a trio outside the top pair all making
good ground and worth noting. GREEN REIGN, GOOD OMEN, and BRAVE
LEGEND were strong to the line on the eye, and sectional times confirmed
that.

Disappointment: HOLY HEART jumped the $2.40 favourite and tracked the
winner every step of the way but could not quicken when Zac Purton asked
for more. Returned having bled.

Comparison: Just below standard here and a race that never really got
moving. Off such a sweet trip the winner had a big advantage in what did
develop into a sprint home.

Market Mover: FARSHAD $10.00 to $7.00

RACE 8 - HING MAN HANDICAP, HK $967,000

Class 2 – Rating 100-80 – Turf 'B' Course – Distance 1000m – Track Good
Time: 0:56.66 Standard Time: 0.56.65 Course/Class Record: 0:56.25

Winner: THIS IS CLASS (AUS 5yo g So You Think – Pride Of The Class) steps to
Class 2 for the first time and keeps a hot-streak running with his third win in
succession for Francis Lui. And at a distance short of his best, three-wide
without cover – very strong win under Vincent Ho. Back to 1200m he'll be
better again if the handicapper doesn't punish him too much.

Runner Up: LOVING A BOOM glides through a gap on the turn after travelling
sweetly and looms to win, just can't reel that margin back in the final stages.
If he can sneak back into Class 3 he'll win very quickly.

Run Of The Race: MR LUMIERES dashes a staggering and very rarely matched
22.03 final 400m sectional to pick up huge ground from last to fifth at 47/1.
He's a winner of four from 20 starts. Returned having bled, so very
disappointing for connections.

Disappointment: Favourite STRANGER was disappointed for a run at a crucial
stage just after turning for home when ready to strike. However, once clear
he didn't dash at the line as others did.

Comparison: Smack bang on standard time, a solid gallop throughout.

Market Mover: THIS IS CLASS $7.20 to $4.40