Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.

Race 1 - Ashley Handicap, HK $875,000

Class 5  - All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Good

Time: 1:39.52 Standard Time: 1:39.45 Course/Class record: 1:38.30 Apolar Warrior

FOREMOST TEDDY (AUS 5yo g Fastnet Rock – Moqueen) finally shed the maiden tag in impressive fashion, setting the tempo and running away to score for Karis Teetan and Danny Shum. The gelding wasn't the fastest away from barrier three, but the Mauritian hoop urged him along into the first turn to take the lead, eventually getting across to the rail as they passed the 1200m point. Teetan was able to dictate the speed through the middle stages with the field bunched as they turned off the back straight. Around the home turn, Teetan was travelling sweetly as he upped the tempo before sprinting away on straightening, putting up a winning break on his rivals. He wouldn't be caught in the straight, leading throughout to post a big three length win to break his maiden. HAILTOTHEVICTORS settled near the tail of the field and was unsuited by the moderate tempo being set through the middle stages. Racing toward the inside, Luke Ferraris was shuffled back and ended up a clear last as they turned off the back with the South African hoop urging his mount along. He was still last around the turn, with Ferraris riding for luck up the inside fence. The gelding stayed on impressively up the fence, getting through to take second position as a $57 chance in a strong performance. PHANTOM CYCLONE was another who closed off strongly from beyond midfield, getting to the outside under Maxime Guyon. It looked as though he would finish in second position before Hailtothevictors snuck up the inside in the final couple of strides.

Race 2 - Cameron Handicap, HK $875,000

Class 5 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good

Time: 1:09.28 Standard Time: 1:09.35 Course/Class record: 1:08.46 Trillion Treasure

GLORY CLOUD (NZ 6yo g Charm Spirit – Lucky's Revenge) finally got the job done after knocking on the door his past few starts. Ellis Wong ended up in the second half of the field on settling down after dragging his mount back from barrier seven. He was racing three-wide in the run but did have some cover in the second half of the field as the apprentice got into the clear on the point of the home turn. The gelding let down strongly and loomed as a winning chance at the furlong pole, before taking control coming to the 100m point. Once he took the lead, he never looked like losing, winning by three quarters of a length on the line. COLOURFUL WINNER jumped the $3.3 favourite for James McDonald and Chris So, landing in a midfield position just off a solid tempo. McDonald worked into the race around the home turn, but his mount was already under heavy pressure coming to the 400m point. He was responding to the urgings of McDonald, but he was claimed by Wong and Glory Cloud with around 150m left to run. He kept on well down to the line, holding on for second position ahead of MODEST GENTLEMEN who finished off strongly from the back half of the field, finishing a length away from the winner in third position.

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

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good

Time: 1:09.90 Standard Time: 1:09.35 Course/Class record: 1:08.36 Jubilant Winner

Matthew Poon and Frankie Lor caused a boil over in race three on the program, with $60 pop EMBRACE ABERDEEN (AUS 3yo g All Too Hard – Gentle Persuasion) getting the job done on debut. The gelding jumped well and rolled across from barrier nine and was able to slot into the run, landing in the one-out-one-back position. He enjoyed a lovely run throughout, peeling three-wide at the top of the straight to make his challenge. He sprinted quickly under Poon to take the lead with around 250m to run and was in for the fight as rivals loomed large. He wouldn't lay down in the straight, with Poon getting his head down on the line to score in a photo finish, upsetting his more fancied rivals. AURIO settled a long way back in the run for James Orman and Manfred Man and was the widest runner in the straight. He kept coming out wide and looked as though he may run right by Embrace Aberdeen, but he couldn't stick his nose in front at any stage, going down in a photo finish. VIGOR EYE jumped the race favourite and was no match for the first two across the line, finishing in third position 1-3/4 lengths away.

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

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good

Time: 1:22.85 Standard Time: 1:22.00 Course/Class record: 1:20.76 Top Dragon

Hugh Bowman and Jogn Size combined to win race four with WUKONG JEWELLERY (NZ 4yo g Too Darn Hot – Orphea) breaking his maiden in good style. Despite jumping well from out wide, Bowman didn't push forward, slotting into a handy position just off the speed as they sorted their order out. The speed was solid early on before slowing substantially around the turn, prompting Bowman to move three-wide and build into the race. He looked very confident aboard the four-year-old on straightening, with the son of Too Darn Hot ambling up to the leaders early in the straight, before quickening impressively when Bowman asked for an effort. He took the lead and shot away from his rivals in the run to the line, scoring by two lengths in a very solid performance. TOP PEAK sat on the speed for Karis Teetan, being part of the early speed battle before easing back approaching the 800m point. He was crowded by runners shifted in as they turned off the back, but he recovered well to be on the back of the leader around the home turn and was travelling strongly into the straight. Teetan had to wait for the run to appear, and the gelding quickened well when finally,out into the open. Wukong Jewellery flew down the outside to take the win comfortably, but he stuck on well to finish in second position. FORTUNE KINGO finished off boldly down the outside after getting well back in the run, rounding out the placings with a $40 pop.

Race 5 – Kimberley Handicap, HK $1,170,000

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good

Time: 1:22.21 Standard Time: 1:22.00 Course/Class record: 1:20.76 Top Dragon

Zac Purton notched up his first winner on the program, combining with Chris So to win aboard WITH A SMILE (NZ 4yo g Merchant Navy – Dreamtesta). Purton didn't have to do much work from barrier two, allowing the speed to roll forward as he cruised along. Purton wasn't panicking as the leader extended his margin through the middle stages, being shuffled back to a midfield position through the middle stages. The field fanned and Purton was able to pinch some ground on the leader coming to the home turn, with a gap appearing early in the straight for the four-year-old to shoot through. He took the lead and cruised to an easy win, scoring by three quarters of a length. FIT FOR BEAUTY ended up back in the run from barrier seven with James McDonald racing on the back of With A Smile through the middle stages. McDonald came off his back to make his challenge in the straight but couldn't go with the winner when he sprinted through the gap. He was strong late in the race, but the race was won at the top of the stretch. POSITIVE SMILE finished off strongly under Keith Yeung, getting his nose down in a photo finish.

Race 6 – Middle Handicap, HK $1,860,000

Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good

Time: 56.96 Standard Time: 56.45 Course/Class record: 54.89 Voyage Warrior

STELLAR EXPRESS (FR 5yo g Zoustar – Darinja) made it a winning double for trainer John Size as he returned to winning ways with an impressive all-the-way win. From barrier 13, the gelding was quickly into stride with Brenton Avdulla taking up the running aboard the $8.8 chance. He led by a neck coming onto the course proper but began to inch away from his nearest rival with 400m to run and sprinted quickly when asked for an effort. He was there to be beaten if his rivals were good enough, but they couldn't catch him as he scored by 1-1/4 lengths. FAST RESPONDER was able to stalk the speed from barrier 12, sitting on the back of Stellar Express and Avdulla throughout the race. Maxime Guyon got off his back to make a challenge with 300m remaining, though he couldn't reel in the leader who was just too strong. LUCKY EIGHT stuck on well down the middle of the track to finish in third position.

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

Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good

Time: 1:08.84 Standard Time: 1:08.95 Course/Class record: 1:08.14 Happy Tour

We were back onto the All Weather circuit for race seven, where NOTTHESILLYONE (AUS 5yo g Super One – Silly Sally) made it back-to-back wins, leading all of the way. The five-year-old jumped sharply from barrier 10 and got across rather easily to find the front under Luke Ferraris. He wasn't waiting around in front, setting a solid tempo through the middle stages as he travelled sweetly up to the home turn. He led by a length on straightening and extended his margin down by the 200m point, before Ferraris got busy atop of the $6.2 chance. Vulcanus came at him late in the race, but he was just too speedy, making every post a winner to score by a half-length. VULCANUS ended up in the second half of the field from barrier four with the gelding lacking some early speed. Hugh Bowman was able to improve his position slightly on settling down, before swinging wide from the 450m point and building into the race on straightening. He had 4-1/2 lengths to make up in the straight, and while he did finish very well, he ran out of time to reel in Notthesillyone. STAR FIGURE also flashed home from the back of the pack to finish in third position under James McDonald, 1-3/4 lengths off the winner.

Race 8 – Chatham Handicap, HK $2,840,000

Class 2 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good

Time: 1:08.06 Standard Time: 1:08.35 Course/Class record: 1:07.27 Winner Supreme

Danny Shum and Hugh Bowman both secured winning doubles on the card as GORGEOUS WIN (AUS 5yo g Press Statement – Hollywell) returned to winning ways for the first time since January. He jumped well from barrier three but with a hot tempo early, Bowman elected to settled in a midfield position. The leading group got away from the rest of the pack in the middle stages, though that gap did begin to close by the 500m point as those in the leading division began to feel the pinch. Bowman and Gorgeous Win were poised to strike around the home turn as the Australian got his mount into the clear and the gelding let down impressively when asked for an effort. He mowed down the leader in the final 50m to take the lead and get away to score by a length on the line in a sharp performance. SING DRAGON did very well to hold on for as long as he did. He was very quick out of the machine and speared across to lead the field on settling down. The gelding had no peace in front as he was taken on throughout the early and middle stages, though his rivals couldn't go on with the job on straightening. Sing Dragon kicked away at the top of the straight, with Gorgeous Win emerging as the only danger with 200m to run. He couldn't fend off the winner late in the race, but it's a run that holds plenty of merit in defeat. SWIFT ASCEND flew down the outside late in the race to take home third position, finishing 1-3/4 lengths away.

Race 9 – Mody Handicap, HK $2,050,000

Class 3 – All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Good

Time: 1:38.21 Standard Time: 1:38.60 Course/Class record: 1:36.79 True Legend

It was a great finish to the penultimate event on the card, with ANOTHER WORLD (AUS 5yo g Kermadec – Our Squeezer) getting his nose down on the line to score in a photo finish for Vincent Ho and Dennis Yip. After being a touch slow into stride, Ho was able to boot up from the inside barrier and land on the back of the leader as they sorted their order out. The speed was just even through the middle stages, but with some moves down the back straight, the tempo went up a notch from the 800m point. Ho was enjoying a lovely run in transit and just needed some luck on straightening as he had to wait for the run to appear. The local hoop had to go back and around the leaders, getting off heels and into the clear as Reliable Profit came with his run. He was clearly behind Reliable Profit at the 100m point, but the gelding dug in late in the race, fighting back to the inside and getting his nose down on the line to steal the victory. RELIABLE PROFIT settled in a midfield position, sitting on the back of the eventual winner in the run as Hugh Bowman saved all the ground from an inside barrier. At the 600m point, Bowman angled off the fence and worked into the clear around the home turn, seeing daylight at the top of the straight as the gelding let down impressively. He moved up to take the lead with around 100m to go, but Another World was coming back at him to his inside. In a good tussle to the line, Reliable Profit just missed out by a bob of the head. ALLCASH was on the back of Reliable Profit turning for home and didn't have the best of luck under Zac Purton as he tried to weave his way through the traffic. He was held up late in the race which cost him the chance at the win and had to settle for third.

Race 10 – Salisbury Handicap, HK $1,860,000

Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:21.95 Standard Time: 1:21.65 Course/Class record: 1:20.62 Preciousship

Zac Purton secured a winning double as LITTLE PARADISE (AUS 4yo g Toronado – Devil In Her Heart) continued to work his way through the grades. The four-year-old worked across from barrier eight to settle on the speed, rolling forward to be on the back of the leader momentarily. As a rival moved up on Purton's outside, he kicked up to be on the outside of the leader off the back stretch, keeping his rival three-wide around the turn as he cruised through the middle stages. The Australian still had a good grip of his mount as he took the lead with around 300m to run, with the gelding responding impressively when shaken up. He got to the font and wouldn't be caught in the run to the line, scoring by a length at the post and highlighting his credentials for the 4YO Series next year. TOP DRAGON was left racing three-wide in the turn but did have cover after being left stranded under James McDonald. The Kiwi hoop improved his position around the turn and peeled into the clear at the top of the straight to make his challenge. He was there to strike if good enough, but he couldn't reel in Little Paradise who looks a nice horse on the up. ETALON OR finished off well from a midfield position to claim third.