Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.

Race 1 – Speedy Handicap, HK $1,170,000

Class 4 – Turf – Distance 1000m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 56.88 Standard Time: 57.20 Course/Class record: 56.39 Gentle Breeze

BEAUTY THUNDER (IRE 4yo g Night Of Thunder – Tawayna) picked up his maiden win at start 14 to kick off proceedings at Happy Valley. The gelding wasn't the quickest into stride, but with the aid of an inside alley he was able to land in a midfield position on settling down, not far off the leader despite a good tempo up front. Alex Badel was well position coming to the turn and he was able to sneak up the inside on straightening with the leaders wobbling off the fence as they turned for home. The four-year-old was there to strike and when Badel pushed the button, he ran to the lead with around 150m to go. He pulled away over the concluding stages to record a strong victory, with the official margin being 1-1/4 lengths. ZETA HEDGE was a $24 chance but bounced straight to the front under Jerry Chau. The gelding led the field at a good tempo through the middle stages but didn't handle the turn all that well, giving plenty of space for Beauty Thunder to come through underneath him. He was no match for the winner once he took control, but he fought gamely to the line to hold on for second place. LEAN MASTER carried the top weight in this event and was building into the race strongly around the home turn, having to check off the heels of the winner on the apex to keep his momentum flowing. He was there to win if good enough but failed to pick up Zeta Hedge in the run to the line, finishing in third place as he got the nod in a photo finish.

Race 2 – Success Handicap, HK $875,000

Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:09.87 Standard Time: 1:10.10 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King

Zac Purton and Danny Shum combined in race two with TALENTS SUPREMO (GB 6yo g Bated Breath – Tested) ending a near two-year winning drought. The gelding was crowded out of the gates but was able to rally back along the inside to end up in a midfield position of what was a bunched field down the back straight. The speed was good however, with Purton cruising along the fence three pairs back and just needing some clear air on straightening to get his chance. Purton only had one option on straightening, diving back to the inside and scraping the paint to get through and hit the front with 150m left to run. The horse responded brilliantly to quicken away from his rivals and go to the line a very easy winner, scoring by a length at the post. RUN RUN TIMING got away well from barrier one and kicked up to hold a position on the back of the leader as they raced around the first turn. Matthew Poon gave his mount every chance in the run, just niggling at him to keep him within striking distance past the 600m point. He was there to win if good enough on straightening as he got into the clear, but he lacked the dash that Talents Supremo showed. PDOIUM was the eye-catcher late in the race, flying home down the middle of the course to round out the placings as a $73 chance.

Race 3 – Swifty Handicap, HK $1,170,000

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

Time: 1:09.70 Standard Time: 1:09.90 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends

LOOKS OUTSTANDING (AUS 4yo g All Too Hard – Pop Girl) hadn't shown much in his career to date, but he turned that form right around on his seasonal return with an emphatic victory under Lyle Hewitson. He was quickly out of the barriers from gate nine and rolled across to challenge for the lead early, before Hewitson eased back to take a sit behind the leader around the first turn. He enjoyed a lovely run in transit with an even tempo being set up front and Hewitson was there ready to pounce as they swung around the home turn. The response was immediate when Hewitson pushed the button, with the lightly framed gelding getting up along the inside to take the lead with 200m to run. It was all over from that point onwards as Looks Outstanding raced away to win very impressively, getting the job done by three lengths after being backed from $26 into $9.2. YEE CHEONG SPIRIT couldn't slot into the running line from a sticky barrier and was left racing three-wide throughout the event, with Richard Kingscot rolling forward as they travelled down the back straight. The gelding ended up on the speed as they turned off the back straight and Kingscote made his run down the middle of the track aboard the $10 chance. He was in a different postcode to the winner, though he stuck on gamely after the tough run to finish in second position. WRITTEN CASA flew home from back in the field to just miss Yee Cheong Spirit in a photo finish, ending up in third position under Hugh Bowman.

Race 4 – Swifty Handicap, HK $1,170,000

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

Time: 1:10.39 Standard Time: 1:09.90 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends

KING OBERON (AUS 6yo g Divine Prophet – The Fairy's Kiss) returned to winning ways as he returned to Happy Valley for the first time since April 2024. The gelding jumped well from out wide, but Luke Ferraris didn't rush across, allowing the gelding to glide over once they'd entered the back straight to sit on the outside of the leader. He was shuffled back through the middle stages with a couple of rivals making a mid-race move, but he was well positioned one-out-one-back at the 600m marker and travelling strongly up to the home turn. After being held up momentarily on straightening, Ferraris got the gelding into the clear and he began to eat into the margin, getting there with every stride to eventually put his nose in front coming to the 50m marker. He would inch away to score by a neck on the line in good fashion. STAR FIGURE landed in a midfield position along the rail from his inside barrier and had enjoyed a lovely run in transit. He was coiled up on the home turn but had plenty of horseflesh around him, with Hewitson forced to duck back to the inside at the top of the straight. The South African had to thread the needle along the inside but he finished off strongly once he was able to get through the gap, finishing in second position, but arguably should have gone close to winning. NEBRASKAN held on to run third after setting the tempo for Karis Teetan.

Race 5 – Racing Spirit Handicap, HK $1,170,000

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good

Time: 1:39.54 Standard Time: 1:40.10 Course/Class record: 1:38.42 Highland Rahy

Andrea Atzeni brought up a winning double for trainer Mark Newnham as SUPER UNICORN (NZ 6yo g Savabeel – Lovetessa) turned his form right around. The Sicilian hoop kicked up to hold his position into the first turn, finding a position on the back of the leader after jumping from the inside barrier. The gelding travelled well but didn't get much of a breather as a mid-race move came just as the tempo slackened. It ramped up again from the 700m point and Atzeni had to take some evasive action to get around tiring horses, getting to the outside and tracking into the race boldly out wide. He only had the leader to reel in turning for home and it was clear early in the straight he was reeling him in. A couple of horses flashed late but it was never in any doubt, with Super Unicorn winning by three quarters of-a-length. CONSPIRACY WITNESS dropped back from barrier 11 right after the jump but was able to improve his position along the fence as they travelled into the first turn. Luke Ferraris was still in the second half of the field, but much closer than he would have been without that smart ride in the opening furlong or two of the race. When the moves came, he was shuffled back a touch in the run, but he was travelling well to the turn and let down strongly when clear in the straight. He weaved back to the inside to keep his run going and he finished off strongly to take second position. He's worth following moving forward, particularly when he draws a gate. TAKE ACTION stuck on well from midfield under Zac Purton to finish in third, 1-3/4 lengths off the winner.

Race 6 – The Longines Cup (Handicap), HK $2,840,000

Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 56.23 Standard Time: 56.40 Course/Class record: 55.89 Whizz Kid

YOUTHFUL SPIRITS (AUS 6yo g Shamus Award – Rocket Baby) picked up his first win in over a year, making it a winning double for Luke Ferraris and a treble for Mark Newnham. From gate four, the gelding showed his usual early speed to roll to the front under Ferraris, leading quite comfortably in the end. He was a clear leader off the back straight and looked to have plenty to offer on straightening despite a rival closing in on the point of the home turn. The South African jockey had a look back with 200m to run and that was the sign Ferraris knew he was travelling well. The gelding wouldn't be caught in the run to the line, scoring by 1-1/4 lengths with sustained speed. COLOURFUL KING settled back in the run under Andrea Atzeni and had stacks of ground to make up in the straight. The gelding was able to have an unobstructed run to the finish line where he closed off very strongly, but he never looked like a winning chance as the $2.7 favourite. SUPERB CAPITALIST was poised to strike on the turn and looked the main danger to Youthful Spirits on straightening, though he was unable to make any ground on the eventual winner. He just held his position down to the line, ending up in third place, 1-1/2 lengths away.

Race 7 – Swifty Handicap, HK $1,170,000

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

Time: 1:10.40 Standard Time: 1:09.90 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends

SILVER SPURS (NZ 5yo g Charm Spirit – The Pearler) continued his hot run of form to begin the season, being heavily backed into $1.5 and making every post a winner. The gelding showed good speed from the inside barrier, jumping straight to the front and setting the tempo through the early and middle stages. Wong wasn't challenged up front and was able to steady the pace through the middle stages before quickening things up from thr 500m point. The gelding travelled well to the turn and kicked strongly when asked for an effort, putting a break on his rivals which was pivotal to his chances late in the race. They were coming back at him late, but he had enough in the tank to hold on and score by a neck on the line. GOLDEN LUCK surged across from out wide to sit on the outside of Silver Spurs in the run and didn't challenge the leader at all in the run. As they turned for home, Derek Leung couldn't stick with the leader when Silver Spurs sprinted, but he rallied back late in the race to launch one last attack. It wasn't enough as he finished in second place, two lengths clear of GRAND NOVA in third. Grand Nova stormed home down the middle of the track to finish in third position as a $22 chance after getting well back from an outside barrier.

Race 8 – Songs Of Victory Handicap, HK $2,050,000

Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:39.48 Standard Time: 1:39.90 Course/Class record: 1:38.34 Highland Rahy

Zac Purton secured a winning double on the night as SOUTH STAR (NZ 4yo g Wrote – Wild Rock) went one better than he did on his season return. The gelding jumped on terms from an inside barrier and was able to hold his position heading into the first turn, though he was racing keenly under Purton in the early stages of the race. Purton spent much of the first half of the race getting the gelding to settle, which he did much better passing the 800m point with Purton able to get him off the fence and into the running line as he remained just off the speed. Purton didn't push out wide around the home turn, instead holding his line with the gaps opening up on straightening, allowing the $1.8 favourite to improve through. He quickened impressively to take the lead with 200m remaining and he was well in front with 50m left to run. Purton eased him down late in the race with the margin only being three quarters of-a-length on the line, but it would've been much bigger had he been ridden out right to the finish. A AMERIC TE SPECSO ended up out the back of the field under Andrea Atzeni after being taken back from the wide draw. He raced at the back of the field throughout but was able to get off the fence and make a move by the 400m pole. He worked into the race around the home turn and was the widest runner in the straight, storming home right down the outside to run into a clear second place. IVY LEAGUE stuck on well from his position close to the speed to finish in third position for Richard Kingscote.

Race 9 – Flying Handicap, HK $1,860,000

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

Time: 1:09.83 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision

Zac Purton quickly made it a winning treble on the card as AKASHVANI (AUS 4yo g Alpine Eagle – Roses In The Glen) saluted for David Hayes in the final event of the evening. After getting away on terms, Purton urged the gelding along to be avoid the congestion into the first turn and continued to roll forward down the back straight. The Australian hoop eventually got across to be one off the fence on the outside of the leader, with the gelding travelling well off the back and looming large as they turned for home. He looked to be just plugging away early in the straight, but he eventually got his nose in front with 100m to run and edged away late, scoring by a half-length on the line. TRIUMPHANT MORE rolled to the front from barrier one and looked to control the tempo under Jerry Chau. The local hoop kicked up to keep Purton to his outside in the run with the tempo just even through the middle stages. He picked up well around the turn and kicked strongly on straightening, proving tough to get past but he ultimately couldn't fend off Akashvani in the final 100m. KING LOTUS stuck on well after being on the back of the leader in running to finish in third position, 1-1/2 lengths off the winner.