Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.

Race 1 – Ventris Handicap, HK $875,000

Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good

Time: 1:40.73 Standard Time: 1:40.30 Course/Class record: 1:38.91 All Joyful

Joao Moreira wasted no time getting reacquainted with the Happy Valley turf, saluting in the first aboard the Caspar Fownes-trained FAMILY FORTUNE (NZ 5yo g Derryn – Waiana Gold).  The gelding wasn’t the fastest into stride and ended up in the second half of the field on settling down, with Moreira getting to the rail through the opening stages of the race. There was n change to the order through the middle stages with just a moderate tempo being, set, with Moreira getting off the fence at the 500m mark and looking for some room to move. One horse shot right around the field which sparked some life into the race, with the Brazilian hoop getting into the clear out wide on the course. He had plenty of ground to make up on straightening, but the gelding was just too good in the run to the line, scoring by 1-1/4 lengths in fine style. STERLING WONGCHOY had every possible chance under Hugh Bowman, landing in the one-out-one-back position and enjoying the run of the race. When the move came off the back, Bowman was quickly in the trail and building into the race nicely around the home turn. He joined the leaders midway down the straight and just as he looked to take control, Family Fortune flew by him down the outside. He stuck on well to finish in second position, but the winner was just a cut above. PERFECTO MOMENTS set the tempo under Keith Yeung and was given a great steer by the local hoop. He was able to dictate from up front and kicked strongly on straightening. He wouldn’t go down without a fight, but came across the line in second position, beaten just 1-1/4 lengths.

Race 2 – Morrison Hill Handicap, HK $875,000

Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good

Time: 1:10.51 Standard Time: 1:10.10 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King

Fownes and Moreira quickly made it a winning double on the night, getting the job done once again, this time with LUCKY GENERATIONS (AUS 5yo g Russian Revolution – Virani) who broke his maiden at start 17. The gelding jumped well from barrier four and Moreira urged him along to hold a forward position on settling down, ending up in the one-out-one-back position. The speed was moderate and as they turned off the back, Moreira began to make his move, coursing three-wide and joining the leaders on straightening. It took a little while for him to wind up, but he eventually gained the upper hand with 100m to run and ran away from his rivals, winning by 1-1/4 lengths. RIDING HIGH jumped the $2.7 favourite and settled on the back of the leader in the run. Hugh Bowman was held up as Moreira got going around the home turn and on straightening, the Australian hoop had to nurse his way through a tight gap at the furlong pole. Once clear he finished off well to take second position, but the leader was already off and gone. NOBLE DELUXE had settled on the outside of the leader in running and stuck on gamely in a blanket finish for the minor placings. Andrea Atzeni got his mount’s nose down where it mattered, holding on for third in a photo finish.

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

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good

Time: 1:40.14 Standard Time: 1:40.10 Course/Class record: 1:38.42 Highland Rahy

Race three saw a blowout with $71 chance FIVEFORTWO (GB 3yo g Time Test – Naïve) breaking his maiden in good fashion with the drop in class. After getting away well from barrier four, landing just off the speed under Luke Ferraris with a good tempo on offer early in the race. He raced comfortably in a midfield position, tracking along nicely as they turned off the back with no change to the order to the 400m point. Ferraris edged off the rail around the home turn and got into the clear on straightening, with the three-year-old letting rip down the outside. He hit the front with 100m to run and ran away like he was the odds-on favourite, not the 70-1 outsider. He got the job done by three quarters of a length, a big turnaround from his 21-3/4 length defeat at his last start. SUNDAY’S SERENADE settled in the second half of the field under Barzalona after being a touch slow into stride. The gelding travelled well throughout, and the French hoop waited patiently to the turn, looking to slice through the traffic on straightening. He eventually followed the winner through a gap and was coming hard at him late in the race, but the race was already over by the time he got through. INCANTO STAR snuck up the fence to claim third as a $32 chance, rounding out a big tierce.

Race 4 – Longines International Jockeys’ Championship (Handicap) – 1st Leg, HK $1,404,000

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

Time: 57.25 Standard Time: 57.20 Course/Class record: 56.39 Gentle Breeze

The first leg of the IJC went the way of William Buick as he partnered BUNTA BABY (AUS 5yo g Cable Bay – Ahhh) to a maiden victory. He didn’t have as much speed as his rivals in the early stages, with a strong tempo being set up front as they sorted their order out. Buick ended up near the tail of the field on settling down and was spotting the leaders 5-1/2 lengths at the 400m point, with the Englishman getting off the fence and looking for a passage through. Around the home turn, he was able to find clear running inside the final 200m and the gelding exploded. He shot through the gap, chased down the leader and secured his maiden win, scoring by a neck on the line. BEAUTY THUNDER jumped well from barrier five and rolled across to land in a beautiful position in behind the speed. Zac Purton was licking his lips as the leaders carved each other up, with Purton having the drop on them around the home turn. The Australian looked confident at the top of the straight and the gelding ran to the lead when he finally asked for an effort. He looked like the winner with 100m to run, but that was before Bunta Baby sliced through and found clear running. He couldn’t fend off Bunta Baby, but it was a strong performance in second position. HEALTHY HEALTHY came from a mile back to finish in third position as a $12 chance, doing his best work late in the race.

Race 5 – Longines International Jockeys’ Championship (Handicap) – 2nd Leg, HK $1,404,000

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good

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

CORLEONE (AUS 5yo g Dundeel – Whispering Brook) was backed as if unbeatable, jumping the $1.8 favourite and bringing up back-to-back wins, in turn, making it a treble on the night for Caspar Fownes. Ryan Moore took luck out of the equation, rolling straight to the front aboard the hot favourite and leading the field into the first turn. He was challenged around the first turn, though Moore kicked up to keep his rivals out and led clearly down the back straight. He cruised down the back at an even gallop, maintaining his advantage up front and the gelding kicked well around the home turn. On straightening, he broke away from his nearest challenger, though he was beginning to feel the pinch late in the race. He had a few rivals coming at him, but Corleone had enough left in the tank to score by a short head. Rachel King came very close to spoiling the party with ACE WAR who had stalked the leader throughout the event. He was well positioned by King after getting away on terms from the inside draw and got to the outside at the top of the straight to make his challenge. He was taking ground off the leader with every stride, but he couldn’t reel the winner in quick enough. FORTUNATE SON landed in the one-out-one-back position and made his run alongside Ace War in the straight. He stuck on well after having every chance, finishing a half-length away in third.

Race 6 – Sports Handicap, HK $1,170,000

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

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

FREE PONY (AUS 5yo g Dundeel – Madeenaty) broke his maiden at start nine, getting over the top to score in a tight finish. Keith Yeung let the speed go early on, settling in the back half of the field with a solid tempo being set up front. Yeung stayed away from the fence down the back straight, racing between horses as they travelled by the 600m point. The gelding was racing a touch keen as they turned off the back, with Yeung looking to thread the needle on straightening. The gap appeared and the local hoop got his mount into the clear, sprinting powerfully down the outside. He took the lead in the final 50m of the race and held his rivals at bay to score by a head. FLYING WROTE jumped on terms from an inside barrier and settled in a midfield position between horses for Jerry Chau. The gelding race comfortably throughout the event despite being cluttered up in traffic, with the local hoop edging his way into the open around the home turn. He had every chance if he was good enough and Chau waited until the 200m point to ask for maximum effort. Just as he was coming up on the leader, Free Pony got his nose in front and took the victory, with Flying Wrote settling for second. WINNING MONEY led the field throughout but maybe had to spend too much fuel in the early stages to find the front. He finished third, only a neck away.

Race 7 – Longines International Jockeys’ Championship (Handicap) – 3rd Leg, HK $2,460,000

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

Time: 1:40.03 Standard Time: 1:39.90 Course/Class record: 1:38.34 Highland Rahy

SILVERY BREEZE (AUS 5yo g Dundeel – Ain’tnofallenstar) ended his winning drought spanning over 12 months, reeling in his rivals to hand Hugh Bowman the third leg of the International Jockeys’ Championship. The gelding ended up in the second half of the field as they sorted their order out. The speed was slow through the early stages as the leaders looked to control the tempo, before the pace picked up down the back straight. The leaders got away from the chasing group, though Bowman wasn’t in a hurry just yet, waiting until the 400m point before asking for an effort. He needed to slice his way through the field, with the gap coming at the 200m point and the gelding coming home strongly once clear. He took the lead inside the final 50m to get the job done by a neck on the line. FLYING FORTRESS settled midfield under Zac Purton, racing along the rail throughout the event. The Australian hoop edged off the fence coming to the home turn, pushing his way into the clear on straightening with his mount coming with a strong run in the straight. He took the lead with 100m to run, but he couldn’t fend off Silvery Breeze in the dying stages. MAX QUE flew home down the outside to take third position after settling last in the run. 

Race 8 – Longines International Jockeys’ Championship (Handicap) – 4th Leg, HK $2,232,000

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

Time: 1:10.00 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision

Ryan Moore claimed the International Jockeys’ Championship with a barnstorming victory aboard TRIUMPHANT MORE (AUS 5yo g star Turn – Ready To Reign) for the Frankie Lor stable. The gelding was one of the slowest out of the barriers and Moore crossed down to the fence around the first turn, settling near the tail of the field. The speed was strong, suiting Moore out the back of the field with the Englishman improving his position through the middle stages. Coming around the home turn he needed plenty of luck, though the gaps came when he needed, and the horse underneath him was up to the task. When the split came with 200m to run, the gelding let down powerfully, reeling in the leaders to take control with 50m to run and sprinted away to win impressively, scoring by three quarters of a length. TOURBILLON GOLFER stuck on very well after sitting up on the speed in the run. He was facing the breeze throughout the event but was still there to strike on straightening. Rispoli threw everything he had at the gelding, but just as he was looming large, Triumphant More stormed over the top. MIGHTY COMMANDER flew down the outside to take third position under Christophe Lemaire.

Race 9 – Wong Nai Chung Handicap, HK $3,120,000

Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1800m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:49.11 Standard Time: 1:49.15 Course/Class record: 1:47.61 Time Warp

Hugh Bowman made it a winning double on the night, guiding home HELENE FEELING (IRE 5yo g Sioux Nation – Cynthia Calhoun) to his sixth career win. After jumping well from barrier one, Bowman was able to put the gelding to sleep early on, settling on the back of the leader. The speed was good through the opening stages of the race and Bowman was perfectly positioned in the run, stalking the leader wherever he went with no change to the order through the middle stages. Off the back, Bowman was poised to strike, and he got off the fence on the point of the home turn, asking for the five-year-old to sprint. He let down impressively when asked for an effort, moving up to take the lead with 100m to run and he pulled away late, scoring by three quarters of a length. AWESOME FLUKE stuck on well after rolling forward in the early stages to settle on the outside of the leader. He was a $23 chance, but he was rather hard to get past, turning in another bold performance. NUMBERS was very impressive in his Hong Kong debut, leading the field throughout and battling away gamely. He was placed in a Queensland Derby, so he’s on track for the 4YO Series.