Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.
Race 1 – Tai Hang Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – All Weather - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:08.93 Standard Time: 1:08.50 Course/Class record: 1:07.40 Dehere's The Love
Zac Purton wasted no time getting on the board, booting home SELF IMPROVEMENT (AUS 4yo g Deep Field – Jerry's Witness) in the opener. He bounced out well and settled on the outside of the leader with a quick tempo on offer through the middle stages. He sat just off the leader around the turn before popping off heels at the top of the straight to lay down the gauntlet. He took the lead with a furlong to run and held off his nearest rival to score by a half-length. EURO ROCKS had his chance to run straight past the winner in the straight but couldn't stick his nose in front. The first two across the line put a gap on FIERY DIAMOND who finished 3-1/2 lengths back in third.
Race 2 – So Kon Po Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf – Distance 1400m - Track Good
Time: 1:22.37 Standard Time: 1:22.35 Course/Class record: 1:21.53 Exponents
SURE JOYFUL (NZ 5yo g Tarzino – Kayleen) won comfortably for Hugh Bowman and Ricky Yiu. The gelding jumped well and landed in the one-out-one-back position in the run for Bowman as the pace slowed turning off the back. The Australian hoop was able to work his way into the clear at the top of the stretch with the gelding letting rip to take the lead approaching the 200m point. He pulled clear from the rest of the pack to win by 1-1/2 lengths on the line, defeating M M NEBULA who stuck on well from midfield to edge out NOBLE STEED who peaked on the run late in the race.
Race 3 – Causeway Bay Handicap, HK $2,840,000
Class 2 – Turf – Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 56.07 Standard Time: 55.90 Course/Class record: 54.68 Valiant Dream
It was an upset in the third event with the outsider of the field KURPANY (FR 6yo g Mayson – One River) getting the better of his more fancied rivals. It was a bit of a messy start, but Ellis Wong rolled to the front aboard Kurpany to take up the running right down the outside rail. He extended his lead to 1-1/2 lengths with 400m to run and had plenty of rivals under the whip chasing. He was still over a length in front with 100m to run and although he was getting very tired close to the line, he held on to score by a head. WHIZZ KID was making a late charge at the winner under Zac Purton and only just missed right on the line. The gelding is usually better at Happy Valley, but showed he's in for a great season with a big run first-up. CARROLL STREET ran third with the deep odds-on favourite DREAM WINNER finishing last.
Race 4 – So Kon Po Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf – Distance 1400m - Track Good
Time: 1:22.37 Standard Time: 1:22.35 Course/Class record: 1:21.53 Exponents
Bowman bought up an early double with the flashy grey CHIU CHOW BROTHER (AUS 6yo g Zoustar – Muscatels) getting the job done. He sprung out of the gates and rolled forward to take up the running for Bowman, extending his lead down the back straight to lead by 2-1/4 lengths at the 800m point. He came back to the field around the turn but had done it all his own way up front. The field began to catch him at the top of the straight but the six-year-old was travelling comfortably under the Australian rider. When Bowman shook the reigns he responded very well, holding his rivals at bay all the way to the line to score by three quarters of-a-length. SUNNY BABY was doing the chasing in second, coming from a long way back in the run to steal second position on the line. It was a very impressive run and he looks ready to win. FIRE BALL was edged out for second right on the line but stuck on gamely as he attempted to chase down the leader all the way down the straight.
Race 5 – The Tung Wah Group Of Hospitals Challenge Cup (Handicap), HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.35 Standard Time: 1:08.85 Course/Class record: 1:08.14 Happy Tour
KILLER INSTINCT (NZ 6yo g Power – La Muchacha) bought up the first winner on the card for Luke Ferraris. The gelding drifted back from the wide draw and settled in the second half of the field. Ferraris took off around his rivals turning off the back straight and was doing it easily despite being way off the track. He worked into the race beautifully and continued his run down the centre of the course. He continued to find under the urgings of
Feraris to score by a neck on the line in a fantastic effort by horse and rider. RED DESERT had burst to the front with 100m left to run under Brenton Avdulla but couldn't hold off the winner as they ran over the top of them in the shadows of the post. FLYING DRAGON was another who made plenty of ground from the rear to run into the placings, coming from near last to finish in third. Race favourite MAN STAR finished back in 10th place, beaten 6 lengths with no abnormalities found in the post-race veterinary exam.
Race 6 – Wan Chai Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1600m - Track Good
Time: 1:35.09 Standard Time: 1:35.00 Course/Class record: 1:33.78 Morethanlucky
PAKISTAN FRIEND (AUS 9yo g Not A Single Doubt – Heaven Beneath) made it three wins in-a-row, scoring by a half-length. He got away well under Jerry Chau and settled in fourth position, but was racing wide and without cover down the back stretch. Chau was unable to slot in on as they turned off the back stretch and was forced to race three-wide and without cover throughout. It took the gelding a little while to wind up in the straight and did appear to be going backwards before catching his second wind at the furlong pole. Chau was throwing everything he had at the gelding, taking the lead with 50m to run and pulling away to score by a half-length, defeating LUCKY ETERNITY who was game down along the inside. FOREVER GLORIOUS led the field in the run and was still right there at the finish, finishing just three quarters of-a-length off the winner.
Race 7 – Admiralty Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf – Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.58 Standard Time: 1:09.05 Course/Class record: 1:08.11 Victor The Winner
Karis Teetan won his first race of the afternoon, teaming up with David Hayes to salute aboard LUCKY ENCOUNTER (AUS 4yo g Epaulette – Miss de Vega). The four-year-old jumped well and settled in behind the leading pair. He travelled beautifully in the run and pushed his way into the clear with 300m to run. He lengthened powerfully to take the lead inside the final 150m and pulled away to win comfortably by 1-1/4 lengths, looking very impressively in doing so. SUPER FORTUNE held on for second after leading throughout the race, with JOYFUL HUNTER storming home late to finish in third.
Race 8 – The Chinese Recreation Club Challenge Cup (Handicap), HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf – Distance 1200m - Track Good
Time: 1:09.32 Standard Time: 1:09.40 Course/Class record: 1:08.40 Master Eight
It was a sickening watch for some, but not for Angus Chung and backers of I GIVE (NZ 5yo g Per Incanto – Grace And Eva). He jumped well from barrier 7 and Chung surged forward heading off the back to take the lead. The apprentice hoop crossed down to the inside, taking control around the turn and leading into the straight. The local jockey was urging the gelding along at the top of the straight but was overtaken midway down the straight. It looked as though he would run a gallant second, but inside the final 50m he rallied back along the inside to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, scoring by a neck on the line. KA YING VICTORY looked to have the race won when he ran to the lead with 200m to run. Zac Purton looked as though he was doing it easily on the gelding, but he didn't have enough left in the tank as he was beaten in the shadows of the post. DREAM PURSUER ran third, finishing 1-1/4 lengths ff the winner.
Race 9 – Central Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf – Distance 1400m - Track Good
Time: 1:21.98 Standard Time: 1:22.10 Course/Class record: 1:20.80 Perfect Pair
Angus Chung bought up back-to-back winners with SUPER WINNER (NZ 8yo g Guillotine – Cinnadream) getting the job done in the penultimate event. The grey jumped well from gate four and landed in a beautiful position on settling down, taking the back of the leader and enjoying a cosy run. He stalked the leader right throughout the middle stages but needed some luck at the top of the straight to get out of the pocket and into the clear. The leader kicked clear and allowed Chung and the eight-year-old to come through in behind before taking the lead inside the final 50m and scoring by a half-length on the line. COPARTNER AMBITION had a nice sit just off the leading division in the run and showed good strength late in the race to claim second position, with RIVER VIEWS holding on for third after leading the field throughout.
Race 10 – Sheung Wan Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf – Distance 1400m - Track Good
Time: 1:21.76 Standard Time: 1:21.80 Course/Class record: 1:20.62 Preciousship
SUPERB BOY (AUS 5yo g Nicconi – Jolie Joy) saw Hugh Bowman bring up a winning treble on the day. The Francis Lui-trained galloper jumped well and rolled forward to settle in third position in the run. He was forced to face the breeze throughout, but moved up turning off the back to sit on the outside of the leader around the turn. He travelled well for Bowman and loomed up ominously in the straight. Bowman asked for an effort approaching the 200m but couldn't shake the leader back to his inside. The two fought it out but Bowman and Superb Boy came out on top, rolling over MASSIVE ACTION who was game after leading the field from his wide draw. Angus Chung gave him a beautiful ride and it was almost a winning one at that. HYPER DRAGON BALL for Zac Purton and Benno Yung closed off strongly for third, running on from beyond midfield to round out the placings.
