Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.

Race 1 – Forth Road Bridge Handicap, HK $875,000

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

Time: 1:10.70 Standard Time: 1:10.10 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King

LEGEND STAR (AUS 4yo g Deep Field – Ma Can Do It) got the night off to a winning start for James McDonald and Danny Shum, breaking his maiden at start 12. The gelding drifted back from barrier nine, ending up in the second half of the field as they sorted their order out. The speed was just even throughout, and it wasn't until the 400m point where the moves came. With runners peeling three wide, McDonald got into the trail and continued to course wider as they turned into the straight, ending up as one of the widest runners on straightening. The gelding finished off strongly out wide, looming large in the final 100m and sticking his nose in front in the shadows of the post. He was too strong in the end, winning by a short head on the post. GLORY CLOUD was caught wide around the first turn from barrier seven but eventually slotted into the running line down the back straight. He was racing just ahead of the eventual winner and Alex Badel took off from the 450m, making a move three-wide around the home turn as he looked to work into the race. He came with a strong run out wide, quickening nicely to hit the front with 100m to run. He couldn't fend off Legend Star in the dying stages, but it was a good performance in defeat. SONIC BOOM kept on well to the line to finish in third position after setting the tempo.

Race 2 – Queensferry Bridge Handicap, HK $875,000

Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:40.15 Standard Time: 1:40.30 Course/Class record: 1:38.91 All Joyful

It was another big priced winner in race two, with $27 chance YIU CHEUNG VICTORY (AUS 6yo g Shooting To Win – Ray Of Sun) turning his form right around to break his maiden. He jumped on terms from barrier two and Avdulla was keen to hold his position as they sorted their order out, crossing down to the inside around the first turn and settling on the back of the leader. He travelled well in the run, enjoying the run of the race throughout with the pace even. Turning off the back, Avdulla was poised to strike and just needed some room to move, sliding up the fence on straightening to make his run. He didn't quicken like his rivals on straightening, but he showed plenty of strength in the run to the line, sticking his nose in front with around 50m remaining and scoring by a neck on the line. After being beaten 13-1/2 lengths last start at Sha Tin, it was a big turnaround. TSUEN WAN GLORY got away well and rolled forward for Hollie Doyle, getting across from barrier 10 to sit on the outside of the leader on settling down. There was no change to the order through the middle stages and Doyle began to creep closer to the leader as they turned off the back. On straightening, Doyle and Tsuen Wan Glory took the lead, though he was doing plenty wrong as he was hanging about and sliding back to the inside under pressure. Doyle had to straighten him up late, which cost him some momentum, but Yiu Cheung Victory had already stuck his nose in front. STAR BROSE followed the eventual winner in the run and remained to the inside as well on straightening. The gelding took a little while to wind up, but he was very good late in the race, squeezing between horses late in the race. The first three across the line cleared out from the rest of the pack.

Race 3 – Glenfinnan Viaduct Handicap, HK $1,170,000

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

Time: 1:09.89 Standard Time: 1:09.90 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends

There was another sharp form reversal in race three, with SOMELOVEFROMABOVE (AUS 4yo g Lonhro – Sabia) getting the job done at his first try around Happy Valley. After getting back and finishing 5-3/4 lengths away at Sha Tin last start, the gelding took much closer order from the inside barrier today, landing on the back of the leader as they settled into stride. He travelled well down the back straight with a good tempo being set, and Matthew Chadwick was right on the leader's tail as they turned for home. The local hoop stayed nearer to the inside on straightening and made his charge beneath his rivals, hitting the front with around 100m left to run. It was a tight three-way finish on the line, but the judge went in favour of Matthew Chadwick and Somelovefromabove, scoring by a nose on the line. FLOW WATER FLOW was a touch slow into stride and ended up in the second half of the field as they rounded the first turn. Hugh Bowman remained to the inside fence through the middle stages and still looked to have plenty of horse beneath him as they approached the home turn. The gelding let rip once he got off the fence and Bowman was able to slide through between horses with 100m to run. He made a late charge, but didn't get his nose down in time, finishing in second position. NEVER SETTLE worked into the race strongly on the home turn and loomed as a winning chance down the middle of the course under Vincent Ho. He was finishing strongly out wider but couldn't reel in the winner and Flow Water Flow sprouted wings late to edge him out for second position.

Race 4 – Brig O'Doon Handicap, HK $1,170,000

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

Time: 1:10.22 Standard Time: 1:09.90 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends

It was another tight finish in race four with EVERSTAR (AUS 5yo g Epaulette – Myhro) getting the job done in a photo finish for Me Tsui and James Orman. After looking to settle in the first half of the field early on, Orman eased back to settle in the second half with a strong tempo set through the opening and middle stages of the race. He was midfield in the run, racing three-wide with cover as they turned off the back and Orman continued to improve wider out as they came to the home turn. He was still a while off them at the furlong pole, but it was at that point he began to launch, storming home down the outside despite being bumped a couple of times in the run to the line. In a tight finish, Orman and Everstar got their nose down where it mattered most, stealing victory from the jaws of defeat as a $4.9 chance. DENFIELD ended up midfield under Bowman from his inside barrier and was improving his position as they turned off the back straight. The Australian hoop shoved his way into the clear on straightening and made his run alongside Everstar down to the line. Denfield looked like the winner with 50m to run but just missed out on the victory by a bob of the head. CHARMING STEED had enjoyed a great run one-out-one-back but was under heavy pressure around the home turn as David Probert started to wind him up. It looked as though he was tiring, but he picked up again as Denfield loomed large, finishing in third position. The first seven across the line were only separated by three quarters of-a-length.

Race 5 – The St Andrew's Challenge Quaich (Handicap), HK $1,170,000

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1800m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:50.09 Standard Time: 1:49.65 Course/Class record: 1:48.10 Acclaimed Light

James McDonald made it a winning double on the night as OCEAN IMPACT (NZ 5yo g Embellish – Preetha Varma) got the job done to break his maiden. Despite jumping from a wide barrier, McDonald rolled forward and looked to slot into the running line, eventually bulldozing his way into a midfield position once off the fence. He was perfectly placed as they made the first turn and with an even tempo on offer, there was no change to the order through the middle stages. As they turned off the back, some moves came with McDonald urging his mount along and swinging wide, allowing his mount to build into the race strongly around the turn. He had a few lengths to make up on straightening, but it didn't take long for him to hit the lead, gaining the upper hand at the 200m point. He was just too good in the end, scoring by a neck on the line as a $7.8 chance. KASA PAPA settled on the back of Ocean Impact in the run and stalked the eventual winner throughout the event. Andrea Atzeni tracked Ocean Impact everywhere he went, following that runner out wide and coming off his back to mount a challenge. He lacked the sprint showed by the winner on straightening, though he closed off strongly in the final furlong to get within a neck. OUR LUCKY GLORY stuck on well to take third position in a tight three-way photo finish, getting his nose down on the line for Alex Badel.

Race 6 – Clyde Arc Handicap, HK $1,170,000

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

Time: 1:10.16 Standard Time: 1:09.90 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends

Jery Chau and Cody Mo combined to win race five on the card with MEOWTH (AUS 5yo g Showtime – Avanti Rose) retuning to the winner's stall for the first time since his debut. After jumping from an inside barrier, Chau had to use the whip to ensure the five-year-old could hold his spot on settling down, ending up on the back of the leader. It was just a moderate tempo through the middle stages with the field bunched as they turned off the back straight, though Meowth was enjoying a lovely run in transit and was poised to strike as they turned for home. Chau cut the corner and went up the inside on straightening, sprinting well to hit the front with 100m to run. He had plenty of rivals challenging late in the race, but the gelding had enough left in the tank to keep them at bay, scoring by a neck on the line. ROBOT LUCKY STAR was taken back from the wide barrier to land in the second half of the field on settling down, racing three-wide with cover under Purton. He was over racing a touch through the middle stages with the lack of speed on up front, with Purton biding his time until they'd entered the straight to ask for an effort. He finished off impressively down the outside to get into second position and continues to knock on the door of another win. DAN ATTACK looked like the winner midway down the straight when he was produced down the middle of the course, but he just couldn't find the extra gear to reel in Meowth, with Robot Lucky Star flying over the top late.

Race 7 – Kylesku Bridge Handicap, HK $1,170,000

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:40.45 Standard Time: 1:40.10 Course/Class record: 1:38.42 Highland Rahy

ALLCASH (BRZ 5yo g Kentuckian – Desequilibrada) scored his maiden victory at start 15, continuing the tough night for punters after jumping a $26 chance. The grey gelding was one of the first into stride from barrier seven and rolled forward under Hugh Bowman, getting across to land in the one-out-one-back position as they rounded the first turn. The speed was even as they worked down the back straight and the five-year-old was travelling sweetly, remaining within striking distance of the leader as they turned off the back. Bowman then began to work into the race, urging his mount along and swinging three-wide around the hom turn as he let down strongly to hit the front at the furlong pole. He was inching away from the chasing group, and while Fortune Star came through late to challenge, the damage was already done with the Brazilian bred gelding winning by a neck. FORTUNE STAR ended up in the second half of the field on settling down after jumping from barrier nine. Luke Ferraris stayed away from the fence early in the race before sliding down to go beneath runners down the side of the course. He was still well back on straightening with plenty of horses in front of him, but there was a gap for Ferraris to shoot through with 200m to run. He got through the gap and made a late charge at Allcash, but he ran out of time. It was a dead heat for third between the $44 chance PRESTIGE RICKY and $20 pop TAKE ACTION. Prestige Ricky snuck up the inside late in the race to hit the line locked together with Take Action, who felt the pinch late in the race after sitting on the speed throughout.

Race 8 – Glen Ogle Viaduct Handicap, HK $2,050,000

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

Time: 1:40.29 Standard Time: 1:39.90 Course/Class record: 1:38.34 Highland Rahy

THE BOOM BOX (AUS 5yo g Spirit Of Boom – Token Of Love) returned to winning ways at his first try around Happy Valley, storming home in an impressive performance. Despite getting away on terms, Vincent Ho eased the gelding back to settle in the second half of the field. After settling near the tail through the opening stages, Ho moved into the three-wide trail as they turned down the back with a very sedate tempo being set up front. The gelding settled well in a more midfield position, though there was no move to increase the tempo until they passed the 600m point. When the sprint went on, The Boom Box travelled strongly to the turn and although he was pushed very wide on straightening, he sprinted quickly beyond the middle of the track. He came with a strong run to take the lead inside the final 100m and shot away late, getting the job done by three quarters of a length. KING LOTUS enjoyed a lovely run up on the speed throughout for Lyle Hewitson after crossing from barrier 11 to sit outside the leader. He travelled sweetly throughout the run, although he was a little flat footed when the sprint went on around the home turn. It took a bit for him to pick back up, but he ran to the lead with 150m to run under the South African's urgings. He couldn't fend off The Boom Box late in the race however, ending up in second. MIGHTY STEED kicked strongly off the turn and looked like he would go on with the job, though he couldn't sustain the effort late in the race. He held on for third place, finishing 1-3/4 lengths off the winner, though you'd be forgiven for expecting more out of him with the run he had.

Race 9 – Culloden Bridge Handicap, HK $1,860,000

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

Time: 1:10.06 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision

Vincent Ho secured his spot in the International Jockey's Challenge in a fortnight's time, making it a race-to-race double aboard the Francis Lui-trained KING MILES (AUS 5yo g Exceed And Excel – Epitomise). The gelding was away on terms from barrier nine, though Ho was forced to sit out very wide around the first turn. He faced the breeze three-wide in the run as he raced in a midfield position aboard the gelding, creeping closer as they turned off the back straight. Ho nursed the five-year-old into the race around the turn and despite the tough run in transit, he was there to strike on straightening. He stuck on gamely down the middle of the course, hitting the front with 50m to run and getting his nose down on the line to secure the victory in a very tight finish. PRESTIGE ALWAYS landed midfield from barrier three and had a dream run in transit. Despite the lovely run, he was under the pump around the home turn and King Miles blew right by him early in the straight, but it was the last furlong that he did his best work. The gelding found another gear late in the race, rallying strongly over the final 100m to just miss out on victory by the barest of margins. KYRUS DRAGON had been a touch worse than midfield in the run and had to sneak up the inside on straightening with a wall of horses in front of him at the turn. He made a late charge also, sneaking through late to finish a nose away in third position, with just 2-1/2 lengths covering the first 10 horses across the line.