Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.

Race 1 – Tung Chung Handicap, HK $875,000,

Class 5 – All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Wet Slow

Time: 1:39.50 Standard Time: 1:39.45 Course/Class record: 1:38.30 Apolar Warrior

YODA’S CHOICE (AUS 5yo g Good Journey – Unbridled Ambience) was too good in the opening event of the day, making every post a winner for Luke Ferraris and Pierre Ng. He was away quickly from the inside barrier and Ferraris was able to hold the lead into the first turn. They set a good tempo through the early stages of the race with the field stretching out down the back straight, but the grey gelding was travelling strongly off the back straight with 700m remaining. Coming to the turn, Yoda’s Choice was still travelling sweetly under the South African hoop with all of his rivals chasing at the top of the straight. There was a couple of rivals there to challenge midway down the straight, but they couldn’t reel him in down the stretch, getting the job done by three quarters of-a-length. NIGHT PUROSANGUE wasn’t the fastest into stride and ended up in a tricky position heading into the first turn, racing wide as they entered the back straight. Brenton Avdulla moved forward down the back straight to slot into the running line down the back straight, and the Australian continued to improve around the home turn. He was there to strike at the top of the straight if he was good enough, and despite making some ground late in race, it wasn’t enough. VIVA CHALEUR jumped the $2 favourite and had a dream run just off the speed under Angus Chung. The local hoop got him into the clear with plenty of time, but he couldn’t catch the winner Yoda’s Choice and was edged out in a photo finish for second position.

Race 2 – Nam Sang Wai Handicap, HK $875,000,

Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good

Time: 1:22.15 Standard Time: 1:22.30 Course/Class record: 1:21.40 Fight Time

DECRELOT (NZ 4yo g War Decree – Shantaine) made it quickfire double for Luke Ferraris, with the four-year-old picking up his maiden victory. The gelding jumped well from out wide and rolled forward under Ferraris who was able to roll across and slot into the one-out-one-back position and enjoy a lovely run in transit. Ferraris pulled him out with plenty of time remaining and the gelding began to get into his work. He was just plugging early in the straight, but he began to inch closer with 200m remaining and stick his nose in front at the 100m point. He was too strong late in the race, holding off his rivals to score by a short head on the line as a $37 chance. CIRCUIT FIERY was caught wide in the early stages from barrier 14 and Zac Purton had to push on to get across, landing on the outside of the leader as they sorted their order out. He travelled well in the run just ahead of Decrelot, with Purton and Circuit Fiery moving up to take the lead quickly at the top of the straight. Decrelot came off his back in the straight to wear him down in the concluding stages. DRACO stormed home from a mile back to finish in third position under Hugh Bowman. He was at the tail of the field and needing luck in the straight, but when the gaps came finished off very strongly to finish in third position.

Race 3 – Sai Kung Handicap, HK $1,170,000,

Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Good

Time: 1:40.02 Standard Time: 1:39.05 Course/Class record: 1:37.74 Mission Bravo

David Hayes and Luke Ferraris combined again with PRECISION GOAL (NZ 7yo g Tavistock – Miraculous Miss), bringing up a hat-trick through three races for the South African hoop and a winning double for trainer David Hayes. From barrier 11, Ferraris put the foot down out of the barriers to roll across and eventually get to the lead as they entered the back straight. He kept the field running down the back straight and then kicked away with 700m remaining. Precision Goal was looking to break the field apart, but there was a rival right on his back at the top of the straight. He was getting tired close to home, but the gelding held on to score by a head on the line. LUCK IS BACK was racing a little wide around the first turn, though Lyle Hewitson was able to roll forward down the back straight to put himself into a better position through the middle stages. While he was three-wide still, he moved up to third position as they turned off the back and was there to strike if he was good enough. He continued to respond to the urgings of Hewitson, coming down the middle of the track with a good run, but he ran out of time to mow down the winner. RELIABLE PROFIT finished off strongly after sitting just off the tempo in running. He was very impressive over the concluding stages, just missing out on second position in a photo finish as a $31 chance.

Race 4 – Pak Tam Au Handicap, HK $1,170,000,

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:21.58 Standard Time: 1:22.00 Course/Class record: 1:20.76 Top Dragon

STRATHPEFFER (AUS 6yo g Dundeel – Quizzed) picked up his second career victory, almost a year after his maiden success, with Lyle Hewitson and Douglas Whyte combining. The gelding got away well from the inside barrier and was able to kick up to hold his position through the early stages, eventually landing on the back of the leader as they sorted their order out. The speed was good, and Hewitson was enjoying a perfect run in transit, with the South African just needing a way out of a pocket rounding the home turn. Hewitson had to get physical on straightening, pushing his way into the clear approaching the 300m point and setting out after the leader. He moved up to hit the lead with 100m to run and he pulled away in the closing stages to score by 1-1/4 lengths. YOUNG BRAVO was a little slow into stride and ended up in the second half of the field and along the fence for James Orman. The Australian hoop rode for luck up the inside and followed the eventual winner through a gap back to the inside. He closed off well between horses to finish in second position in a very eye-catching performance. AUDACIOUS PURSUIT landed midfield for Luke Ferraris and had to bump his way into the clear at the top of the straight. There was plenty of jostling down the middle of the course, but Audacious Pursuit was able to handle the contact and find again under Ferraris, finishing off strongly to take third position in a photo finish.

Race 5 – South Bay Handicap, HK $1,170,000,

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:08.84 Standard Time: 1:09.35 Course/Class record: 1:08.36 Jubilant Winner

Britney Wong and Manfred Man joined forces with RUBY SAILING (AUS 5yo g Starspangledbanner – Mutate) getting the job done in a very close finish. The gelding wasn’t the fastest out of the barriers, though he mustered good speed to burrow through and take up the running as they turned off the back straight. The speed was solid through the middle stages and Ruby Sailing looked to have plenty to offer on straightening. He kicked strongly under the urgings of Britney Wong to lead by a couple of lengths at the furlong pole, though he was beginning to curl up as they came to the wire. It was a three-way drive to the line, but Ruby Sailing got his nose down where it mattered most to hold on for the win. REZEKI eased out of the speed battle early on to drop into a position just off the speed for James Orman. He raced in a handy position along the fence, and the Australian began easing his way off the fence and into the clear on straightening, setting out after the leader. He stuck on gamely down the outside, digging in over the final 50m to make it very interesting. He missed out by a short head on the line in very strong performance. CALIFORNIA BLITZ was on the outside of Rezeki in the run and those two made their runs together. He may have just felt the pinch close to home, but he was still very good finishing just a neck away.

Race 6 – Pak Tam AU Handicap, HK $1,170,000,

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:21.67 Standard Time: 1:22.00 Course/Class record: 1:20.76 Top Dragon::

ETALON OR (AUS 4yo g Heroic Valour – Golden Sunset) notched up his maiden victory after knocking on the door all last season. The Ricky Yiu-trained gelding landed in a midfield position under Badel who was very easy on the gelding through the early stages of the race. The speed was strong early in the race with the field stretching out by the 800m point. Alexis Badel was able to maneuver himself off the fence as they approached the home turn, but the Frenchman ducked back to the inside on straightening with the fence opening up. He sprinted through along the paint before coming off heels and hitting the front with 100m to go. He was able to pull away in the closing stages to win by three quarters of a length.  FIGHT TIME was able to slot into a lovely position just off the speed for Britney Wong after jumping from barrier four. The apprentice hoop tracked the speed throughout and was able to build into the race nicely on the turn, peeling four wide around the turn and ending up down the middle of the track. He made a strong impression out wide to join the leader midway down the straight, but he couldn’t fend off the winner who was just too good back to the inside. BETTER AND BETTER tracked Fight Time into the race and came off his back to make his challenge at the top of the straight. He was solid to the line without being a flashing light, ending up in third place, 1-1/4 lengths off the winner.

Race 7 – The Association Of Hong Kong Racing Journalists 40th Anniversary Cup (Handicap), HK $1,860,000,

Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 56.54 Standard Time: 56.45 Course/Class record: 54.89 Voyage Warrior

WONDERSTAR (AUS 6yo g Starspangledbanner – Wangaala) had been knocking on the door so far this season and notched up his second career victory for Me Tsui with Matthew Chadwick in the saddle. The gelding jumped well for Chadwick who landed close to the speed, sitting just off the favourite and leader of the event. He was only a half-length away throughout the run. He stuck his nose in front with 300m remaining and continued to inch away over the concluding stages, proving too strong and winning by 1-1/4 lengths. WE ARE HERO settled in a midfield position nearer the outside fence under Ellis Wong. The gelding needed some luck in running as Wong tried to find his way into the clear back to the middle of the course, gradually sliding across before finally seeing daylight with around 150m remaining. He closed off well to finish in second position, but he never really looked like a winning chance. YOUTHFUL SPIRITS stalked the eventual winner in the straight and came off his heels to make his challenge in the straight. He stuck on well to finish in third place.

Race 8 – High West Handicap, HK $3,120,000,

Class 2 – All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Sealed

Time: 1:38.57 Standard Time: 1:38.40 Course/Class record: 1:36.15 Hongkong Great

SING DRAGON (AUS 6yo g Written Tycoon – Secret Doubt) led home a Mark Newnham-trained trifecta, with Karis Teetan leading all of the way. The gelding went straight to the front from barrier nine and set the tempo under the Mauritian hoop. He opened up a 3-1/2 length lead down the back straight and was making every post a winner down the side of the course. The field were catching up to him at the top of the straight, though Teetan waited until the 200m point before asking the gelding for an effort. He skipped away again close to the line to win by 1-1/2 lengths in a very strong performance. TALENTS AMBITION settled in the second half of the field under Lyle Hewitson and found himself a long way off the leader with 800m to run. The margin narrowed down as they entered the straight with Hewitson sneaking up the fence early in the straight, before coming off heels to finish off strongly. He was eating into the margin late in the race, but he just had too much ground to make up. MOJAVE DESERT was poised to strike at the top of the straight and made good headway early in the straight, though he might have felt the pinch close to home, ending up 1-3/4 lengths back in third. 

Race 9 – Tung Lung Chau Handicap, HK $1,860,000,

Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:08.24 Standard Time: 1:09.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.11 Victor The Winner

BULB GENERAL (NZ 4yo g Embellish – Stylish Achiever) stamped himself as a horse to watch moving forward, bolting in at the top of C3 for Zac Purton and Jamie Richards. He was away on terms and slid across to land in the second half of the field with a solid tempo on offer. He travelled well in the run and peeled into the clear at the top of the straight, building nicely into the race as he loomed up to the leading division. He took the lead with around 250m to run and shot away in the concluding stages, winning by 2-3/4 lengths in very easy fashion. INFINITE RESOLVE settled midfield for Luke Ferraris and was just in front of Bulb General in the run. The South African hoop peeled out to make his run at the top of the straight, giving Bulb General a back to follow. Infinite Resolve quickened nicely as well, but he was no match for the winner late in the race, finishing a clear second. LUCKY EIGHT stuck on boldly after sitting on the speed throughout, finishing in third position under Ellis Wong.

Race 10 – Nam Long Shan Handicap, HK $2,050,000,

Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1800m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:47.27 Standard Time: 1:47.50 Course/Class record: 1:46.18 Glorious Forever

It was an upset in the last event of the day with MIGHTY STRENGTH (NZ 5yo g Time Test – L’Accord) getting the job done as a $56 chance. Dylan Mo was able to roll across and land in a handy position just off the speed in a stalking role, with the tempo quite strong in the early stages. Mighty Strength was racing one off the fence throughout the run in a great position, with runners peeling wide on the turn and giving him a lovely tow into the race. Mo peeled out wide to make his run in the straight and the $56 chance loomed large in the straight before taking the lead with 100m to run. He was too strong late in the race, fending off his more fancies rivals to score by three quarters of a length. GENTLEMEN LEGACY ended up a long way back in the run without early speed present. The field packed up with 600m to run and this allowed the gelding to peel wide on the turn and begin making his run. He was 4-1/2 lengths off the leader at the top of the straight and although he closed off well late in the race, he was unable to peg back the margin. ARIEL stuck on gamely along the inside after setting the tempo under Ellis Wong in a bold performance.