Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.
Race 1 – Banyan Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.80 Standard Time: 1:09.25 Course/Class record: 1:08.46 Trillion Treasure
EXCELLENT DADDY (AUS 8yo g Toorak Toff – Doubtful Diva) ended a two-year winless drought in the opener, running over the top to win narrowly on the post. Luke Ferraris dragged the gelding back toward the tail of the field from an outside barrier, ending up in second last position as they turned off the back straight. Ferraris was already niggling at his mount with 600m to run, though he was beginning to improve under the urgings as Ferraris moved into the three-wide train. The South African hoop continued wider into the straight, being the widest horse in running and making his run right down the middle of the track. He just kept on coming out wide and in a very close finish, it was the flashy chestnut out wide who got his nose down on the wire to score by a short head on the post. CHEER FOR SOUTH wasn't the fastest out of the barriers and didn't muster a whole lot of early speed, but he finally got going after a couple hundred metres to slide through and sit on the back of the leader. Matthew Poon would stalk the pace right throughout the event, before edging his way off the inside and moving into the clear three-wide. The leader skipped away on straightening, but Cheer For South set out after him and he was making plenty of ground inside the final 100m. Just as he was getting to the front, Excellent Daddy loomed up on the outside with the pair going to the line locked together, but the photo finish showed Excellent Daddy had his nose down where it mattered most. SONIC BOOM and DIAMOND SOARS couldn't be split by the judge, running a dead-heat for third. Diamond Soars turned in a very brave effort from out in front and he looked like the winner with a furlong to run as he kicked clear at the top of the straight. He was only gunned down late in the race in a very commendable effort. Sonic Boom made a strong run from his midfield position under Matthew Chadwick and jumped the race favourite. He was solid without exceeding expectations.
Race 2 – Sha Lek Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – All Weather - Distance 1800m – Track Good
Time: 1:49.63 Standard Time: 1:49.45 Course/Class record: 1:47.67 Lucky Bole
Another winless drought was ended in race two with YEABOI (NZ 6yo g Belardo – Spiffy Iffie) scored his first victory in 18 months. After getting away on terms, Matthew Poon was happy to slide across behind runners and settled a little worse than midfield and along the fence. The pace was even and the six-year-old was travelling comfortably down along the inside with no change to the order through the middle stages of the race. Poon started looking for a way clear with 600m remaining, pushing off the inside rail coming to the home turn and running up behind a wall of horses on straightening. Luckily for the local hoop, the leaders kicked strongly which opened up a gap along the inside for Poon to burst through, weaving through the traffic with around a furlong to run and setting out after the leader. He was getting closer with every stride, but so was the finish line as Yeaboi levelled up to the leader in the shadows of the post. But, in the final stride, Yeaboi got his head down where it mattered most and got the job done by a short head on the wire. PRECISION GOAL was ridden a treat by Hugh Bowman after getting across to lead the field relatively easily from the wide barrier. He wasn't taken on out in front as he set just an even tempo through the middle stages of the race. Precision Goal was still travelling strongly coming to the home turn and kicked well under Bowman when asked for an effort. He still looked like the winner with 100m remaining but may have begun to tire late in the race with Yeaboi nabbing him on the line. GO GO GO stuck on well along the inside after tracking the leader throughout the race, finishing 1-1/2 lengths away in third.
Race 3 – Sha Tin Wai Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:08.76 Standard Time: 1:08.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.14 Happy Tour
DRAGON AIR FORCE (NZ 4yo g Swiss Ace – Best Of British) shed the maiden tag in race three with Matthew Chadwick n the saddle for Ricky Yiu. From a sticky barrier, the gelding drifted back under Chadwick to settle just a little worse than midfield. He raced comfortably in his midfield position and had enough space around him to remain one off the fence in running. As they approached the home turn, the gelding was able to push his way into the clear, letting down strongly down the centre of the track. He hit the front with around 150m remaining but was challenged strongly at that point. The son of Swiss Ace dug deep and found another gear when it mattered most, fending off his rival right to the wire and getting the job done by a half-length. FORTUNE WARRIOR jumped from the widest barrier and was taken back by Alex Badel to settle back in the run. He was racing wide throughout, but did have some cover three-wide under the Frenchman as he began to work into the race around the home turn. He got off heels and into clear air on straightening, sprinting sharply at the 250m point to loom up to the eventual winner. He and Dragon Air Force pulled away from the rest of the field late in the race, but Fortune Warrior couldn't get his nose in front. NEBRASKAN finished off well after being caught wide and without cover throughout the race for James McDonald. While he did finish 2-3/4 lengths off the winner, but he lost no admirers in the effort.
Race 4 – Sha Tin Wai Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.03 Standard Time: 1:08.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.14 Happy Tour
MOJAVE DESERT (AUS 4yo g I Am Invincible – Fine Bubbles) turned his form right around following a move to the Mark Newnham barn. Luke Ferraris held his position from barrier four to be just off the speed on settling down, sitting one off the fence with a solid pace being set up front. He was cruising along as they came to the turn with Ferraris giving his mount plenty of space to work into the race. He looked the main danger on straightening as he coasted into the home straight and he quickened impressively to hit the front shortly after. He had a couple of challengers come at him in the stretch, but he was just too good on the night as he went on to win by a half-length on the line, bringing up an early double for Ferraris. VULCANUS was left racing wide throughout the race, though he did have cover after being unable to slot in from barrier four. Vincent Ho was racing on the outside of the eventual winner throughout the race and was right there poised to strike as they worked around the home turn. He put up a strong fight after sitting wide throughout, but he was unable to get in front of Mojave Desert at any stage and he finished half a length away. CHILL KAKA closed off nicely from back in the pack to take third position in a photo finish.
Race 5 – The Prince Of Wales Hospital 40th Anniversary Cup (Handicap), HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:38.90 Standard Time: 1:39.00 Course/Class record: 1:37.74 Mission Bravo
Keith Yeung and Frankie Lor combined to win the feature event of the day with NEVER PETER OUT (AUS 4yo g Grunt – Hateel) getting the job done for the second time in four starts. He wasn't the fastest into stride, but with the aid of an inside barrier, Keith Yeung was able to put the gelding in a handy position on the back of the leader around the first turn. The pace was even as they worked down the back with Never Peter Out travelling comfortably throughout the middle stages. He was there to strike as they approached the home turn with Yeung beginning to urge the gelding along and with the leader kicking strongly on straightening, it allowed the local hoop to make his challenge up the inside fence. He got into the clear with a furlong left to run and mowed down the leader with ease, pulling away under hands and heels to win by a length on the line. HAPPYDEARHAPPYDEER rolled straight to the front from an inside barrier with Angus Chung taking up the running. He was able to set an even speed through the middle stages of the race and wasn't pressured a whole lot throughout the run. Coming to the home turn, Chung was able to break free of his nearest rival and open up a handy break on his opponents, leading by over a length with a furlong to go. It took a good one to run him down, and while he finished a length off the winner, he was 2-1/2 lengths further afield of the third horse. VIVA HUNTER snuck up the inside from his midfield position to run into third position as the joint outside of the field at $43.
Race 6 –Ngan Shing Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:38.95 Standard Time: 1:39.00 Course/Class record: 1:37.74 Mission Bravo
SIGHT SUPREME (AUS 4yo g More Than Ready – Materiality) got the job done in race six for Brenton Avdulla and John Size, running over the top to score narrowly. The gelding was taken back from the outside barrier and settled near the tail of the field for Avdulla with the good speed being set through the first half of the race. As they turned off the back straight, Sigh Supreme was still a clear second-last position and was being ridden along with 600m left to run. Avdulla opted to ride for luck along the inside fence, remaining to the inside as they came to the home turn and scraping the paint beneath his rivals. He was making his challenge up along the inside, getting into the clear with around 100m to run and charging after the leader. He made a late dive right on the post to take the win by a nose right on the post. SPANGLE FORTUNE charged forward from the outside barrier under Britney Wong, pressing on around the first turn to try and slot into a prominent position. The gelding was left racing very wide around the first turn before rolling forward down the back straight, sitting three-wide and facing the breeze. The speed was solid, but the gelding travelled well under the apprentice hoop as she began to challenge for the lead around the home turn. He built into the run nicely around the turn, before moving up to take the lead with 200m remaining. He was getting away from the chasing pack, only for Sight Supreme to sneak up on him late in the race. He couldn't fend off Sight Supreme and was nabbed right on the line. VIVA CHALEUR made a strong run from the back of the pack under Luke Ferraris to take home third place.
Race 7 – Siu Lek Yuen Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:08.26 Standard Time: 1:08.55 Course/Class record: 1:07.40 Dehere's The Love
Jerry Chau hopped back aboard PACKING BOLE (AUS 5yo g Deep Field – Courageous Kitty) and guided the five-year-old to his first victory in over a year. The gelding drew and inside barrier and went straight to the lead under Chau, taking up the running with ease. He led by over a length under a strong hold as he set some quick fractions early in the race, stretching out the field and opening up a margin to lead by 3-1/4 lengths turning into the home straight. He was still well clear with 100m t run but he was beginning to shorten his strides late in the race. It didn't matter though as he had built a big enough gap on his rivals, getting the job done by a half-length on the line. SELF IMPROVEMENT settled in a midfield position from barrier seven and worked into the race stylishly around the turn. The gelding was spotting the leader a big start, but he made a good fist of the challenge as he charged after Packing Bole late in the race. He couldn't reel him in though, but he was very good in second position and is worth following. HAROLD WIN stuck on gamely after sitting on the speed throughout the event and was only beaten 1-3/4 lengths.
Race 8 – Yuen Chau Kok Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:38.18 Standard Time: 1:38.60 Course/Class record: 1:36.79 True Legend
It was a rough end to the night for punters as YOUNG BRILLIANT (GB 5yo g Helmet – Avon Lady) led all the way to score in quick time. The Dennis Yip-trained galloper showed good speed early in the race to get across from barrier nine, eventually working to the front after sitting a little wide around the first turn. Angus Chung took up the running as they went down the back straight, setting a solid speed up front despite being left alone. He was a length clear as they turned off the back and had extended that margin as they swung into the home bend with the five-year-old kicking strongly when asked for an effort. He was there to beat if his rivals were good enough, but they couldn't get past him as he led from barrier to box, winning as a $44 chance. FIGHTING MACHINE looked the only danger in the straight but it was all in vain. After jumping well off an inside barrier, Keagan De Melo was able to hold a position along the inside and made Young Brilliant do a bit of extra work to get around him and find the front. De Melo was then happy to sit on the back of the leader throughout the race, travelling strongly to the turn and being poised to strike if good enough. He couldn't go with Young Brilliant when he kicked at the top of the straight, but he was taking ground off him with every stride inside the final 200m. He got to within a half-length, but not any closer as he was forced to settle for second. TALENTS AMBITION closed off strongly from well back in the run to finish third as the $2.50 favourite.
