Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.
Race 1 – Lukfook Jewellery Hexicon Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good
Time: 1:21.98 Standard Time: 1:22.30 Course/Class record: 1:21.53 Exponents
It was a very open Class 5 event to kick off the day, where MANYTHANKS FOREVER (AUS 4yo g Star Witness – Bukzel) made light work of his rivals. From barrier four, the gelding was ridden along to try and hold a spot and take advantage of his handy barrier, with Andrea Atzeni landing the gelding one-out-one-back. The pace was solid through the middle stages of the race and the four-year-old was travelling strongly coming to the turn. At the top of the straight, Atzeni pulled the gelding into the clear as he began to let down, cruising up to his rivals and eventually taking the lead with around 200m left to run. He put the race away shortly after, scooting clear to put his rivals away by 2 lengths on the line. SO AWESOME got away on terms and landed in a handy position just off the speed under Vincent Ho. He was racing on the back of the eventual winner in the run and was there to strike if good enough on straightening as Ho looked to get into the clear. He was left flat-footed as the sprint went on turning for home, but it was in the final 150m where his best work came as he showed plenty of strength to rally back into second position. GLUCK RACER closed off strongly late in the race and crossed the line in third place.
Race 2 – Lukfook Jewellery Wedding Collection Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good
Time: 1:22.39 Standard Time: 1:22.30 Course/Class record: 1:21.53 Exponents
HARRY'S HERO (GB 4yo g Hawkbill – Flora Medici) handed Alexis Pouchin his first win of his Hong Kong stint. After getting away on terms, he didn't have enough speed to hang with the leading division as he ended up about midfield with a hot tempo through the opening stages of the race. He popped off the fence as they turned off the back straight, building into the race nicely as they swung around the bend. Pouchin got out wide and into the clear down the middle of the track, storming down the middle to loom up to the leaders with a furlong to run. He just kept coming under the urgings of Pouchin, hitting the front with 150m to run and getting the job done by a half-length. FLYING PHANTOM was taken back from his wide draw by James McDonald to settle near the tail of the field. He was a long way back on settling with the tempo strong through the first 600m of the race, ending up 12 lengths off the leader as they rolled past the 800m point. The tempo slowed right up as they went around the turn, with McDonald getting a nice cart into the race as he ended up down the middle of the track. He was cut off with around 200m to run and had to change course, but the gelding flashed home following the interference to run into second position in a very strong effort. THE KHAN also sustained a long run right around the outside to finish in third under Hugh Bowman.
Race 3 – Lukfook Jewellery Diapure Handicap, HK $1,170,000,
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.25 Standard Time: 1:09.35 Course/Class record: 1:08.40 Master Eight
Zac Purton and Frankie Lor combined to win the third race of the day with TRIUMPHANT MORE (AUS 4yo g Star Turn – Ready To Reign) leading from barrier to box. From barrier eight, the gelding showed a clear pair of heels to get across from the draw and take up the running for Purton. Once he got to the front, Purton slammed the brakes on through the middle stages, packing the field up with 6000m to run and giving his mount a breather through the middle stages. Purton began to increase the tempo around the home turn before sprinting sharply at the top of the straight and putting up a nice gap on his chasing rivals. There was a couple of rivals coming at him late, but he was unable to be run down in the straight, winning by a half-length on the line. NEWBORN MIRACLE used the inside barrier to his advantage with Jerry Chau punching up along the inside to land on the back of the leader in the run. He was cruising along on the back of the leader, poised to strike as they turned for home, but he was unable to match the sprint of the winner. He eventually worked through his gears, and he loomed as a danger late in the race, though he couldn't reel in the winner. KING OBERON raced in the one-out-one-back position in the run and stuck on well for Lyle Hewitson to finish in third place.
Race 4 – Lukfook Jewellery Love Is Beauty Collection Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good
Time: 56.40 Standard Time: 56.65 Course/Class record: 54.94 United We Stand
John Size and James McDonald combined to win race four with GRAND NOVA (AUS 4yo g Vancouver – Longing) scoring the second win of his career. It was a bit of a messy start, but not for Grand Nova who was able to land just off the speed from his outside barrier down the outside fence. McDonald was positioned right there on the back of the leaders before pulling out into the clear with 400m to run, heading back toward the middle of the track. McDonald was hard at work as the gelding was beginning to wind up toward the inside, gritting his teeth and eventually sticking his nose in front with 50m to run. He was just too strong in the run to the line, winning by a neck and toppling the race favourite. CIRCUIT JOLLY is running out of chances. He was able to take up the running from the outside barrier and was absolutely cruising throughout the race. Passing the 400m point, he ran to a clear lead while still under a strong Zac Purton hold and while he did quicken when asked for an effort, it probably wasn't as much as anticipated. He was only caught inside the final 50m, and he turned in another good run, but there weren't many excuses for him this time. SUMMIT CHEERS stuck on gamely down to the wire and was only a length off the winner at the finish.
Race 5 – Lukfook Jewellery Goldstyle Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1600m – Track Good
Time: 1:34.48 Standard Time: 1:34.95 Course/Class record: 1:33.70 Family Jewel
John Size quickly made it back-to-back victories as BEAUTY ALLIANCE (AUS 4yo g Starcraft – Rezyana) scored his maiden win with Zac Purton in the saddle. The four-year-old didn't show a lot of early speed as a number of runners surged forward from out wide looking for the top. This left Purton near the tail of the field despite jumping from barrier one, with the pace slowing once they sorted their order out. As they rounded the home turn, Purton was in second-last position, locked away on the inside and needed plenty of luck as he looked for an opening. Passing the 200m point, he still had a strong grip on his mount with nowhere to go, before a gap appeared back to the inside. Purton never went around a horse as he stormed home up the inside, taking the lead with around 125m to run and going to the line a very impressive 1-1/4 length winner with Purton easing him down the final 50m. SOLID WIN was the main market danger, and he pressed forward from barrier eight to settle just off the speed. James McDonald rolled forward through the middle stages to be within striking distance on the home turn and he quickly went to the lead on straightening. He quickened well when asked for an effort and was pulling away from his rivals with 150m to run, only for Beauty Alliance to trounce him late in the race. It was a solid effort, but he just found one better on the day. FLYING LUCK was able to weave through traffic and close off well to finish in third position after being well back turning for home as well. He followed the winner up the fence inside the final furlong and closed off well for third.
Race 6 – Lukfook Jewellery Heirloom Fortune Collection Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good
Time: 1:21.90 Standard Time: 1:22.05 Course/Class record: 1:20.80 Perfect Pair
Ben Thompson picked up his third win of the season thus far with the Michael Chang-trained NEW FUTURE FOLKS (NZ 4yo g Savabeel – Kona) relishing the step out to 1400m for the first time. The four-year-old rolled forward from barrier three to put himself on the pace under Thompson, holding his position as they sorted their order out and keeping the leader off the rail, before eventually taking a trialing position turning off the back. Thompson crept up to the leader around the turn to apply the pressure, building up his own momentum in the process and he sprinted impressively as they turned for home. He took the lead and shot away, putting up a big gap on his rivals and he never looked like he was going to be beaten, scoring impressively by 2-1/2 lengths. THE HEIR chased well from his midfield position, ducking up the inside for Ellis Wong early in the straight. He finished off well to be a clear second across the line, with BALLISTIC WIN also finishing off nicely for third under James McDonald, but the winner was in a different postcode.
Race 7 – The Lukfook Jewellery Cup (Handicap), HK $2,840,000
Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good
Time: 55.90 Standard Time: 56.05 Course/Class record: 54.68 Valiant Dream
John Size brought up a winning treble on the card as he scored the feature event of the day with STELLAR EXPRESS (FR 4yo g Zoustar – Darinja) with Brenton Avdulla in the saddle. Avdulla took his mount straight to the front from barrier six, getting across and scraping the paint down the outside fence. He led comfortably as they got onto the course proper and he was still under a strong hold with 250m to run. He kept on strongly when Avdulla asked for the effort, showing superior speed right to the line as his rivals couldn't catch him. Stellar Express scored the first win of his HK career by 1-1/4 lengths. I GIVE had his chance if he was good enough after settling just off Stellar Express in second position. James McDonald sat in a stalking role throughout the race and began to niggle the gelding along as they got to the 400m point. The race was there to win if he was good enough, but he was unable to reel in the winner who was just too speedy. JAMES TAK raced in third position throughout the event with Jerry Chau sitting on the back of the leader. He tried to sneak a run between horses late in the race but could only manage to hold on for third position as he got the nod in a photo finish.
Race 8 – Lukfook Jewellery Beloved Collection Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good
Time: 1:21.42 Standard Time: 1:21.85 Course/Class record: 1:20.62 Preciousship
TOURBILLON PRINCE (AUS 6yo g Rommel – Colleges) caused an upset in race eight on the card with the $33 chance making every post a winner. Luke Ferraris took the gelding to the front of the field from barrier four, setting a good tempo out in front. He wasn't taken on out in front, with Ferraris able to slow the speed through the middle stages and stack the field up around the home turn. The six-year-old sprinted quickly when asked for an effort, shotting over a length in front early in the straight and extending that margin inside the final furlong. He was well in front with 100m to run and he was never losing the race, getting the job done by 1-1/4 lengths. KAHOLO ANGEL ended up near the tail of the field on settling down after Vincent Ho took the gelding back from his outside barrier. With the field bunching on the turn, it allowed Ho to get onto the back of some improving runners around the turn, getting three-wide with cover before continuing to build into the race out wide. The flashy grey came with his run down the middle of the track. He was the only runner who looked likely to catch the winner, but he ran out of time to catch Tourbillon Prince, finishing a clear second. HUGE WAVE stuck on well from his position close to the speed, finishing in third place.
Race 9 – Lukfook Joaillerie Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.61 Standard Time: 1:09.05 Course/Class record: 1:08.11 Victor The Winner
There was some drama in race nine, but it was James McDonald and David Eustace who came out on top with SWIFT ASCEND (AUS 5yo g Lord Kanaloa – Believe Yourself). The $2.30 favourite jumped well and settled just off the speed despite his good barrier, landing three pairs back and along the inside fence. He was midfield as they sorted their order out and McDonald was looking to get off the fence with around 600m remaining. McDonald forced his way into the clear on the turn, forcing another horse wider and causing a fall at the top of the straight. Swift Ascend was trucking in the straight and he let down strongly to join the leaders with 200m to run. He took control shortly after and proved too classy for his rivals, getting his head in front and scoring by a half-length on the line. MEOWTH showed his debut victory was no fluke with another strong performance. Matthew Chadwick positioned the gelding in a great position on the back of the leader, but he was unable to get off the inside rail around the home turn. The gap appeared early in the straight and Meowth was good enough to go through and join the leaders up front. He battled with Swift Ascend down to the line, but the winner was just too good on the day. MAJESTIC EXPRESS was only one length away in third place after avoiding the fall at the top of the straight and closing off nicely.
Race 10 – Lukfook Jewellery Dear Q Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1600m – Track Good
Time: 1:34.01 Standard Time: 1:34.75 Course/Class record: 1:33.19 Beauty Fit
MICKLEY (IRE 3yo g Soldier's Call – Parle Moi) put his name up for 4YO Series contention with a strong victory under Hugh Bowman, bringing up a winning quartet for trainer John Size. He didn't show much early speed from barrier nine and ended up racing in the back half of the field. The pace was solid as they sorted their order out, before the leader slammed on the brakes turning off the back. Bowman was locked away along the inside rail and was forced to ride for luck as they rounded the turn. The field spread across the track, which allowed Bowman to run up behind the leader early in the straight before ducking back to the inside to take the lead. He quickened impressively once he saw clear air, taking the lead and scoring by a neck in an early shot landed for the upcoming 4YO Series. Another Derby contender ran second in CAP FERRAT who raced under the same moniker in Australia. After racing midfield for Vincent Ho, the pace coming out of the race probably wasn't ideal for his chances as he was along the inside rail with 600m to run. In a good piece of riding, Vincent Ho was able to slide across heels and into the clear with around 300m to run and the gelding let down well. He looked like the winner with 150m to run as he got to the front, but Mickley stole the show up along the inside, denying Car Ferrat of his maiden victory. PACKING TURBINE kept on strongly under Purton after sitting close to the speed, finishing a clear third.
