Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Chester Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf – Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1.09.53 Standard Time: 1:10.15 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King
WOODFIRE CHAMP (NZ 5yo g Turn Me Loose – Te Hana) picked up his second win of the year as he held on to win narrowly under Derek Leung. After jumping well, Leung kicked up on the inside of rivals to lead the field heading into the first turn and set the tempo up front aboard the $11 chance. The speed was good throughout and the five-year-old travelled sweetly into the home straight as rivals began to launch their attacks. He was holding his rivals at bat inside the final 100m of the race and while Ragnarr was inching closer back to the inside, Woodfire Champ had enough gas in the tank to hold him off and score an all-the-way victory. RAGNARR jumped well off the inside barrier and settled on the back of the leader in running. He enjoyed a lovely run in behind the speed and with the leader wobbling off the fence on straightening, the gap appeared for Ragnarr if he was good enough. He was coming home strongly inside the final 50m, inching closer and closer, but he ran out of time to peg back Woodfire Champ. TRIUMPHANT WARRIOR sat outside Woodfire Champ in the run and stuck on well down to the line to finish in third position, beaten a length as a $10 chance.
Race 2 – Hereford Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.55 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
MY DAY MY WAY (AUS 4yo g Overshare – Madame Bookworm) broke his string of second placings to secure his maiden victory at start seven. The gelding got away on terms but was left racing three-wide from a tricky barrier. He did have cover out there in a bunched field, with a good tempo being set up front. He was still travelling strongly past the 400m point as Chau swung down the middle of the track on straightening. He finished off strongly right down the outside, pegging back a couple of lengths in the final 75m to take the lead and the victory in the shadows of the post. NEW POWER jumped quickly and worked across to sit on the outside of the leader as they settled into stride. Keith Yeung was able to negate the tricky barrier, and the gelding was travelling nicely up on the speed as the local hoop kicked up to keep a rival three-wide down the back. Around the home turn he looked to have plenty to offer, and he quickly took the lead when Yeung asked for an effort. He was over a length in front with 50m to run but was gunned down close to home in a heartbreaking defeat. CHARMING BABE had the leader's back in running and was there to win if good enough with an unimpeded run up the inside rail under James Orman. He only held his ground to the finish, ending up in third place, beaten a length.
Race 3 – Hereford Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.59 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
After finishing in the placings in the first two events of the night, James Orman finally got on the board with AMAZING VICTORY (AUS 6yo g Sizzling – Stitchery) for the Michael Chang stable. After getting away on terms, the Australian hoop eased back out of the speed battle to land just off the pace. He was stalking the speed through the middle stages and Orman couldn't hold him up coming to the 400m point, allowing the gelding to stride three-wide around the home turn. The six-year-old ended up down the middle of the track on straightening and while it took a little while to wind up, it was inside the furlong pole where he did his best work. He finished off strongly to get the job done by a neck on the line, causing an upset as a $31 chance. FUN ELITE jumped the race favourite and rolled forward under Zac Purton to be on the outside of the leader on settling down, after being wide around the first turn. He travelled nicely off the back and took the lead with 200m remaining. He shook off the first challenger but couldn't fend off Amazing Victory who had the last crack at him. WINNING MONEY stuck on strongly after leading the field and finished only a half-length off the winner.
Race 4 – Lancashire Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:39.35 Standard Time: 1:40.20 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
AMAZING RUN (AUS 4yo g Zoustar – Global Glamour) scored his second career victory under Lyle Hewitson as he stormed over the top in impressive style. The South African hoop snagged back toward the tail of the field at the start after getting away from a wide barrier with a solid temp being set up front. There was no change through the middle stages and Hewitson didn't panic, remaining in his position near the back as they passed the 600m point. As the moves came, Amazing Run was able to get a lovely cart into the race, ending up as one of the widest on straightening but lengthening impressively beyond the middle of the track. He mowed down the leaders to take control with 100m to run and sprinted clear to score by 1-1/2 lengths in very good fashion. FORTUNE STAR was taken right back and bought up the rear under Luke Ferraris after jumping from a wide gate. He was on the back of Amazing Run as they turned into the back straight but crossed back to the inside rail down the back stretch. As they worked around the home turn, Ferraris rode for luck along the inside, getting a dream run as the field fanned wide. He was able to slice through a gap with 100m to run and finish in second place, but the winner was just too good on the day. WAH MAY WAI WAI had a lovely run on the back of the leader throughout the race and presented to make his challenge on straightening. The race was his to win if he was good enough, but he bumped into a couple better on the day.
Race 5 – The St George's Challenge Cup (Handicap), HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 56.44 Standard Time: 56.70 Course/Class record: 55.85 Stoltz
Race five was marred by a fall that saw Lyle Hewitson taken to hospital, though it was SUPERB CAPITALIST (AUS 5yo g Capitalist – Shamana) who returned to winning form for the first time in over a year. He jumped well from a soft barrier and showed good speed early on to settle on the back of the leader. The speed was hot early, but he found himself in a lovely spot under Matthew Chadwick as the local hoop got him to the outside in the straight. It was inside the final 200m where the gelding did his best work, closing off strongly to join the leader at the 50m point and sticking his nose in front in the dying stages. He would go on to win by a neck at the post in a strong return to form. YOUTHFUL SPIRITS worked across from the wide barrier to sit outside the leader in second position throughout the race, showing his usual early speed. The leader kicked away early in the straight, but Luke Ferraris didn't panic, and he eventually took control coming to the 100m point. He couldn't fend off Superb Capitalist close to home, but it was a good return to form after a disappointing effort last start. SKY CAP managed to avoid the chaos in the straight to finish in third position for Ben Thompson as an $18 elect.
Race 6 – Hereford Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.93 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
It's been a long time between drinks, but NEVER TOO SOON (AUS 7yo g Written Tycoon – Best Yet To Come) returned to the winner's stall with a dominant victory under Brenton Avdulla. The gelding wasn't bustled along from an inside barrier and landed in a midfield position under the Australian hoop with a solid tempo set up front. Avdulla was able to hold his position through the middle stages with the field packing up as they turned off the back straight. The Australian needed some luck around the home turn, and he got it as the field spread across the track, allowing Avdulla to sneak up the inside fence with an unobstructed run. The gelding let down strongly to hit the front inside the final 150m and race away for a dominant win, scoring by three lengths on the line. EXCEED THE WISH blew the start under Andrea Atzeni and was a clear last around the first turn. Atzeni stayed away from the fence in the run, sitting in the running line down the back straight and moving into the three-wide trail as they turned off the back. He was able to build into the race nicely around the home turn and was the widest runner on straightening as he was right under the grandstand. He was no match for the winner, but he closed off nicely to finish in second position, just getting his nose down on the line. HONEST WITNESS raced wide and with cover throughout and made his run alongside Exceed The Wish in the straight. He just missed out on second position in a photo finish, but it was a solid performance in third place.
Race 7 – Lancashire Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:39.82 Standard Time: 1:40.20 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite
WROTE A NEW PAGE (NZ 3yo c Wrote – My Amazing Cool) made it back-to-back wins with an all-the-way victory for Danny Shum and Harry Bentley. From barrier seven, Bentley took luck out of the equation and rolled forward to lead the field into the first turn. He set an event tempo up front and when taken on with 1000m remaining, kicked up to hold the lead entering the back straight. He travelled well through the middle stages and when his rivals were coming off the bit with 500m to run, he still had plenty in the tank. He quickened impressively on straightening to break away from his closest rivals and while he was wobbling about midway down the stretch, Bentley was able to balance him up with the three-year-old going on to score by three-quarters of-a-length. CAPITAL LEGEND got away nicely and put himself close to the speed, with Atzeni landing in the one-out-one-back position around the first turn. He was shuffled back through the middle stages, but was never outside of striking range, before being held up for a run coming to the home turn. Atzeni had to dive back to the inside to make his challenge in the straight and while he closed off well, he couldn't reel in Wrote A New Page. CALIGORNIA MOXIE tried to repeat last start's heroics with a mid-race move but never really looked like in the process. He did a good job holding on for third, beaten 1-1/2 lengths, but he was never a winning hope.
Race 8 – Renfrew Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:39.09 Standard Time: 1:40.00 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters
Matthew Chadwick secured a winning double on the night as ANOTHER ZONDA (AUS 4yo g The Autumn Sun – Miss Marielle) got the job done in the penultimate event. After jumping well from barrier five, Chadwick rolled forward aboard the gelding to settle on the back of the leader around the first turn, before improving his position down the side of the course. The pace was good early, and Chadwick moved up to sit outside the leader early in the back straight, before continuing to roll forward and taking the lead with 600m to run. He dropped the hammer from that point, ramping the tempo right up and breaking away from his rivals around the home turn. He was well in front with 200m to run and while he was getting tired, the gap he had built was big enough. He would win comfortably on the line despite the margin only reading a half-length. ROMANTIC LAOS ended up in the second half of the field under Zac Purton. He wasn't too far back passing the halfway point of the race, though when the lead changed hands, he was left with plenty to do as Purton got to work. He spotted the leader five lengths at the 400m point with Purton getting into the clear on straightening, letting down well in the middle of the track. He closed off nicely to take second position, but the leader was just too far in front. HARMONY GALAXY was there to strike on straightening as he built into the race nicely around the turn but looked to peak on his effort late in the race as he ended up in third place.
Race 9 – Selkirk Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.46 Standard Time: 1:09.75 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
DRAGON FOUR SEAS (AUS 4yo g Shooting To Win – My Thousand) made it back-to-back victories, and four wins in his last 5 starts as he was too good from the front. Zac Purton took luck out of the equation by rolling forward and leading the field into the back straight. He set a solid clip up front but wasn't challenged as he led the field with no change through the middle stages of the race. The field packed up as the tempo slowed slightly off the back straight, giving the gelding a breather around the turn before kicking strongly on straightening. He was just too sharp for his rivals, breaking away from the chasing group to lead comfortably with 100m to run and scoring by three-quarters of-a-length in a strong win. POWER KOEPP landed in the one-out-one-back position under Alexis Badel and enjoyed a lovely run in transit. He was held up slightly on straightening, but once he got to the outside he let down strongly. Being slightly held up may have cost him a chance at victory, but he finished off nicely to grab third. YOUNG ARROW was very impressive from a long way back, sprinting quickly to finish in third position, just being edged out in a photo finish by Power Koepp.
