Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.
The final meeting of the Hong Kong racing season did not disappoint. Wild weather, close finishes and exciting racing encompassed everything that the 2022/23 season was. Zac Purton ended the season on a winning note, scoring a treble and John Size trained a four-timer as attention now turns to the 2023/24 season.
Race 1 – Mr Award Handicap, HK $880,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m - Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:10.34 Standard Time: 1:09.70 Course/Class record: 1:08.64 Iron King
Luke Currie drew first blood on the final raceday of the season, saluting aboard FINGERS CROSSED (Super One – Cupcakes) for this season's champion trainer John Size. After getting away on terms, the Australian put his mount in prime position in behind the speed which was genuine through the middle stages. After sliding along the rail, Currie was able to slide across heels and into the clear on straightening. He continued to grind away at the leaders down the stretch and really started to make ground passing the 150m point. He took the lead with 50m to run and drew away from his rivals to win by three-quarters of-a-length. SOARING TOWER ran on strongly to finish in second position, just edging out I GIVE who led the field in the run.
Race 2 – Miraculous Handicap, HK $810,000
Class 5 – Turf – Distance 1400m - Track Good
Time: 1:23.31 Standard Time: 1:22.30 Course/Class record: 1:21.53 Exponents
Richard Gibson's final day as a trainer was successful with ERNEST FEELING (Epaulette – Melancolia) storming over the top. The gelding was very slow into stride and had to be ridden along in the early stages to tack onto the back of the field. The five-year-old was racing at the tail of the field throughout, but they weren't going too hard up front as the field bunched up turning for home. Antoine Hamelin looked in a spot of bother early in the straight, but he was able to get the gelding into the clear and he began to run on strongly. He stormed right over the top of the leader to claim victory in the final stride, with the official margin being a short head. VANTASTIC CHOICE was the one who was capture, with the $2.10 favourite only going down narrowly, with FORTUNE MASTER crossing in third, 1-1/2 lengths off the winner.
Race 3 – Victory Marvel Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf – Distance 1200m - Track Track Good
Time: 1:09.84 Standard Time: 1:09.30 Course/Class record: 1:08.40 Master Eight
It was a dead-heat in the third with FUN N GLORY (Akeed Mofeed – Topaque) and HONG KONG HALL (Charm Spirit – Lets Have Some Fun) unable to be split by the judge. HONG KONG HALL rolled to the front under Zac Purton in the early stages, crossing from the wide draw to lead the field while FUN N GLORY was caught three-wide and without cover settling just off the pace. The pace was pretty solid out in front and HONG KONG HALL was tugging a little out in front, while Matthew Chadwick and FUN N GLORY were cruising nicely heading into the straight. The pair set down to fight it out over the final 100m, with Chadwick inching closer and closer with every stride as the two hit the line locked together and couldn't be split by the judge. They were 1-1/4 lengths ahead of BEATO with the favourite BABY CRYSTAL ending up in fifth.
Race 4 – Solar Hei Hei Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf – Distance 1800m – Track Good
Time: 1:48.48 Standard Time: 1:48.20 Course/Class record: 1:46.54 Crown Avenue
BULLETPROOF (Dissident – Tempting Delight) caused a boil over in the fourth event with Hugh Bowman and Ricky Yiu combining. The gelding got away on terms but didn't show much pace in the early going, settling in the back half of the field for Bowman. The six-year-old was hemmed up along the inside through the middle stages and was able to continually improve his position throughout the run, being midfield at the 800m point. The field bunched up passing the 600m, but most rivals came away from the rail allowing the Australian hoop to slide up the inside. He quickened well as he weaved his way around some tiring horses, taking the lead at the 100m point and proving far too good for his rivals, scoring by 1-1/4 length and holding off race favourite BILLIONAIRE SECRET. Vincent Ho made a late surge on his mount but was unable to peg back the margin while PROSECCO finished in third. Prosecco looked the winner on straightening and even got a couple of lengths in front turning for home, but couldn't hold off the first two across the line.
Race 5 – Big Profit Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1400m - Track Good
Time: 1:23.42 Standard Time: 1:22.05 Course/Class record: 1:20.80 Perfect Pair
Karis Teetan joined the party in Race 5 with PARTERRE (Flower Alley – Square Dance) getting the job done. The Tony Millard-trained galloper was quickly into stride and rolled forward for Teetan, sitting on the outside of the leader in the run. The pace was even throughout, but the gelding was travelling very comfortably as he took the lead turning into a severe headwind at the top of the straight. This didn't phase the galloper though as he broke clear from his rivals in the straight, leading by almost 2 lengths with a furlong to run. He was running out of steam close to the finish, but clung on to win by a neck in a fantastic effort. MASTER HERO made a late dive at the winner after not having the best of luck in the straight. There could be an argument that he was a touch unlucky, so it's a solid effort to run the winner to a neck. JUNE PLANET continued to make things difficult for himself, running on well from the back once more to end up in third.
Race 6 – Medic Kingdom Handicap, HK $1,080,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1400m - Track Good
Time: 1:22.43 Standard Time: 1:22.05 Course/Class record: 1:20.80 Perfect Pair
Six races had been run and won on the final day in Hong Kong, but a favourite still hadn't crossed the line first with KARMA (Turn Me Loose – Lovingthelimelight) saluting from the third line of betting. He got away on terms but eased back from the draw, settling midfield in the run for Vincent Ho. He was slightly held up passing the 600m as the field bunched together around the home turn. The seas parted shortly after straightening and the gelding was able to work through the gaps and really let rip approaching the 300m point. The leader had skipped clear approaching the 150m point but Karma was digging in for Ho. He rounded up the leader with 50m to run and drew clear to win by a length on the line. ARIEL had a beautiful run in transit and looked nearly home-and-hosed with a furlong to run, but couldn't hold off the fast-finishing winner. ENDEARED crossed in third, 3-1/2 lengths back from the winner while race favourite COPARTNER AMBITION finished a well beaten 13th.
Race 7 – Pingwu Spark Handicap, HK $1,725,000
Class 3 – Turf – Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.56 Standard Time: 1:09.05 Course/Class record: 1:08.11 Victor The Winner
Former Queenslander ENTERPRISE ATTACK (Spill The Beans – Granada) was very impressive in his Hong Kong debut, bringing up a race-to-race double for Vincent Ho. The gelding jumped cleanly from his inside stall and landed just off the pace in a genuinely run contest. The field strung out as the rain fell and Ho was trying to get away from the inside as they began turning into the straight, but was put back into a pocket by his rival. The local hoop and this season's Tony Cruz Award winner ducked back to the inside and weaved through traffic to join the leader with 200m to run. He took over shortly after and drew clear to win by 1-1/2 lengths in an impressive debut effort. GLOBAL HARMONY sustained a big run from the tail of the field to finish a clear second with DRAGON'S LUCK crossing the line in third. Odds-on favourite and impressive debut winner PACKING BOLE capitulated shortly after turning for home, ending up 14 lengths back in 13th position.
Race 8 – The Hong Kong Racehorse Owners Association Trophy (Handicap), HK $3,800,000
Class 1 – Turf – Distance 1600m - Track Good
Time: 1:34.93 Standard Time: 1:34.00 Course/Class record: 1:32.24 Preciousship
Manfred Man took out another feature race this season with ENCOUNTERED (Churchill – Enrol) bringing up a hat-trick of wins. Derek Leung was neutral on the gelding early doors as he eased back from barrier 7 to try and slot in. He was left race three-wide in the run, but did have some cover as the field worked down the back straight. The local hoop was running about midfield as they turned off the back with the pace fair through the middle stages in driving rain and howling wind. Leung began to take off approaching the 600m point and was only 3 lengths from the winner at the top of the stretch, cruising under Leung. He just kept coming under the urgings, grinding away to stick his head in front close to the post and score by a neck on the line. He edged out CIRCUIT STELLAR who was very brave in second position. He's a horse that doesn't know how to run a bad race and a win is coming very soon for him. Race favourite TUCHEL was upgraded to third place after the protest lodged was upheld.
Race 9 – Sight Winner Handicap, HK $1,900,000
Class 3 – Turf – Distance 1600m - Track Good
Time: 1:35.30 Standard Time: 1:34.70 Course/Class record: 1:33.19 Beauty Fit
Hugh Bowman bought up a double in race 9 with LEADING FORTUNE (Siyouni – Nayara) saluting for John Size. The gelding got away on terms and landed just off the speed early doors but was unable to slot into the running line. Bowman rolled forward approaching the 1000m point to then settle outside the leader through the middle stages. He was already under the pump as they swung into the straight, but the big horse continued to grind away as the leader got away a touch midway down the straight. He edged in front with 150m to run and proved too strong at the finish, scoring by a neck on the line and holding off UNIVERSAL HORIZON who made a hard charge late. He hit the line locked together with E LEGEND, with the first 3 across the line gapping the rest of the field.
Race 10 – All You Wish Handicap, HK $1,725,000
Class 3 – Turf – Distance 1400m - Track Good to Yielding
Time: 1:23.09 Standard Time: 1:21.75 Course/Class record: 1:20.62 Preciousship
Zac Purton bought up his second winner on the night with SIMPLE HEDGE (Sebring – Lovani) getting the job done as the $1.90 favourite. This year's champion jockey settled near the tail of the field from his middle draw but looked to be travelling comfortably in trying conditions. Purton began to weave his way through the traffic approaching the home turn and was slightly held up at the top of the straight. Purton pushed the gelding into the clear with about 300m to run and began to let down strongly over the closing stages. He ran to the front with 50m to run and held on by a neck, fending off HAPPY DAILY who made a strong run along the inside. He loomed as the winner at one point but just couldn't edge out Simple Hedge. CIRCUIT MIGHTY stuck on well from an on-pace position to finish a comfortable third.
Race 11 – Joy And Fun Handicap, HK $2,640,000
Class 2 – Turf – Distance 1200m - Track Good to Yielding
Time: 1:10.26 Standard Time: 1:08.80 Course/Class record: 1:07.89 Thanks Forever
Zac Purton bought up a winning treble and provided John Size with a four-timer as progressive gelding GOLDEN EXPRESS bounced back after a last-start defeat. Purton eased back from barrier 11 after getting away on terms, settling in the back half of the field. The champion hoop got into the three-wide trail through the middle stages and got a lovely cart into the race and moved into the clear at the top of the straight, getting to the middle of the track. It took a while for the gelding to reel in the leader, gradually getting closer to stick his nose in front in the shadows of the post. He snuck in to score by a short head right on the line in an exciting finish to the 2022/2023 season. BUNDLE OF CHARM was very strong to the line under his light weight, just missing out on the victory with PACKING TREADMILL hanging on for third spot.
