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Horse Racing

Happy Valley (Turf) – Wednesday 11th December 2019

Jockeys ride horses

After a record-breaking day of racing at Sha Tin last weekend, we turn to Happy Valley for a card of nine races on the Turf. 


The South African son of Oratorio, CUE THE MUSIC, lines up for his fourth outing here, since making the trip across the Indian Ocean and he will be cherry ripe for his bid for first prize. Purton takes the ride and they should be tough to beat in the final race on the card. CHEERFUL STAR has slipped in the ratings and he has found the right type of field to deliver a bit of value for punters. The cheekpieces go on and back over his preferred trip, he is worth following in the fourth race. See more here.

Best Bet: CUE THE MUSIC (Race 9)
Value Bet: CHEERFUL STAR (Race 4)

Race 1 – 12:45 – Class 5 – 1000m
Selections: 1 – 9 – 4 – 2 – 10
EXCEL DELIGHT showed good improvement in his latest outing, his first since dropping to this class. He is a regular performer over this distance and he seems to have shown an early preference for the Happy Valley circuit. Moreira retains the ride for his peak run here and with further improvement expected, he looks hard to oppose and should win this. EXPONENTS found all sorts of traffic issues last time out and he will be out to make up for that disappointing outcome. He should enjoy the return to the Turf after two recent performances on the All-Weather and with 2 second-place finishes from 4 attempts over this course and distance, he is more than capable. Purton makes for an attractive jockey engagement and should be worth including. LA BOMBA finished right behind the top selection last time when having the blinkers and cross-noseband fitted. That was his third start since dropping into this class and he appears to have landed on a competitive rating now. Drawn wide, Teetan will be looking to adopt handy running tactics, which were employed in his most recent outing. On that useful course and distance record, he looks a major player if overcoming the draw and must go in. EVER SPORTING drops back into this class, where he has picked up 2 out of his 3 career triumphs. The son of Savabeel has a tough draw to negate, but with the expected improvement at this level, he should be involved in the finish.


Race 2 – 13:15 – Class 4 – 1200m
Selections: 2 – 1 – 6 – 10 – 12
POWERMAX found good improvement last time out when dropping into this class and finally finding an improved draw. With his record at this level in mind (7:2-1-2), he is clearly back in the right place. From pole position, he gets the services of Zac Purton and they should just edge out the rest of them. LORIZ was impressive last time out when returning to this course and distance. The son of Smart Missile is now a two-time winner from just the four starts over this track and trip and with just the 11 runs behind him, he has more to come. IRON BOY has slipped in the ratings and he is starting to look a bit of a threat off his current mark of 51. He is yet to pick up a victory at this course, but he is familiar with this distance. Joao Moreira takes the ride and he knows him well enough, having picked up a win and a second-place from three starts. After returning lame in his penultimate start and battling to find a clear run in his latest effort, he will be looking for a better trip this time and he’ll be worth including. BRILLIANT has been slow away in his last two starts and that has cost him dearly. He has only had the six outings so far, so one gets the impression that the ‘penny will drop’ sooner or later. He has a useful draw and KC Leung gets the ride for the first time. Having dropped 9-points in his last four starts, he has a nice opportunity to make an impression but he’ll have to jump on terms.

Race 3 – 13:45 – Class 4 – 1200m
Selections: 1 – 4 – 7 – 3 – 12
NAVAS improved last time out when dropping to this trip. That was just his second start, since returning to Class 4 level. He found a bit of traffic when making late headway and he will be looking for a smooth path this time. Zac Purton retains the ride from a similar draw and he will be looking to add to that useful record in this class. He has picked up all three of his wins in Hong Kong, over this course and distance and he has a great chance to add another one here. HERE COMES TED steps out for his third career start and he has found a tough draw for his first outing around the bend. He had a difficult trip last time out but still managed to box on for a respectable 4th place. Having made late headway in both runs over the minimum trip, he will relish the extra furlong this time and from just off the speed, Moreira will be flashing home once again. THE ONE has continued to improve with the slip in ratings and he clearly enjoyed the reduced trip in his last two starts. Both of those runs came over this course and distance and off his current mark of 47, he will be looking to make further improvement. De Sousa takes the ride and he’ll definitely be worth including. EIGHT TRIGRAMS will have his first start at Happy Valley, on the back of two good runs over this trip at Sha Tin. From an improved draw, he has a good opportunity to fight out the finish in a bid for his first win here.

Race 4 – 14:15 – Class 4 – 1800m
Selections: 11 – 6 – 9 – 2 – 1 
CHEERFUL STAR has continued to slide in the ratings and he appears to have landed on a competitive rating now. He showed an encouraging turn of foot when running on strongly from a tough draw in his penultimate start (this course and distance) and he followed that up with a useful effort over further last time. He lands a plum draw this time and Chadwick jumps aboard the son of Excelebration for a great opportunity to find the winners’ box. BULLISH GLORY finished right behind the former last time out, but he is much better suited to this shorter trip. He found good success in his two starts prior to that over this course and distance, notching up a win and a second-place finish. From a reasonable draw, Sylvestre de Sousa takes the ride and he must be included. DOR DOR steps back up to a trip where he has landed a second and third-placed finish in his two starts to date. He has a tricky draw to overcome this time, but he does have a good finish so he will be required to make up the ground from off the early speed. He appears to be racing off a competitive mark of late and one gets the impression that he is going to land a win soon. Chad Schofield takes the ride and he’s worth including. PERFECT TO PLAY gave a useful account of himself last time out, when dropping back into this class. That was behind the top selection when making late headway and he will be looking to repeat that run, from a difficult draw. Purton takes the ride this time, having won on him before and with a bit of luck, they will be right there at the finish.

Race 5 – 14:45 – Class 4 – 1200m
Selections: 8 – 2 – 11 – 1 – 3 
DR RESPECT gave a useful account of himself last time when returning for his first start this season. He was predictably a little flat over the final furlong, but the run would’ve brought him on nicely and he’ll strip a fitter horse this time. He has dropped a further 2-points in the ratings and he lands a plum draw for this outing. Moreira jumps back aboard and with the expected improvement, he will be a major contender here. CONFUCIOUS DAY has been knocking on the door for some time since dropping to this trip and his first win in Hong Kong is certainly overdue. He finds a tough draw, but gets the services of Zac Purton who jumps aboard for the first time and if building on his recent form, he will finish right on top of them once again. CASIMIRO has dropped in the ratings and he enjoyed the return to this course and distance last time, after contesting over slightly further of late. He finished right behind the second selection in that run and with the inform Teetan up this time, he deserves plenty of respect and should be right there. FARSHAD had a tough outing last time out, despite dropping into this class. Drawn out wide this time, he will be looking to find cover early and if not too far off the speed he will be involved in the late dash for the line. De Sousa jumps aboard and the German-bred son of Kendargent should have more improvement to come.

Race 6 – 15:15 – Class 3 – 1650m
Selections: 6 – 1 – 2 – 11 – 8 
SURREALISM has showed some useful form in his last two starts, since stepping onto the Happy Valley course and the diminishing rating has clearly helped. He also appears to have relished the extra 250m in both starts and he has found a plum draw for his fourth run back this season. Callan takes the ride and if building on those last two efforts, he should win this. PERFECT GLORY showed the expected improvement last time out when dropping into this class. He steps back up to this trip for the second time, having not shaped in his first attempt over the 1650m. With a reasonable draw to negate, he gets the services of Zac Purton who has ridden him on 3 previous occasions and if handling the rise in trip, he will be right there. RACNG LUCK looks competitive off his current mark of 77. He took a bump at the start last time out and did well to rally home over the 300m. He has a useful record over this course and distance and the lightly raced son of Street Cry should strip a lot fitter now, after that comeback run in late September. Drawn wide, he will be looking to settle off the early speed and his followers can expect to see him running on over the final 2-furlongs. He has a better record second up, so don’t discount his chances. MONSTER KAKA continues to fall in the ratings and he is starting to show signs of a big run now, with this being his 4th outing since his comeback run. Drawn well again, Badel takes the mount here and he will be looking to employ those handy running tactics utilised last time, which resulted in an improved outcome. With a bit of luck, he should go close.

Race 7 – 15:45 – Class 4 – 1650m
Selections: 3 – 4 – 8 – 1 – 9 
FLAME LILY has followed up that win three starts back over this course and distance, with two good efforts over the same trip. Drawn wide in his last two starts, he finds an improved draw this time and Moreira jumps back aboard the son of Danehill Dancer. As his recent form suggests, he is well preformed over this track and trip and he looks tough to oppose here. CITY LEGEND finished just in front of the top selection last time out, but he has a much harder draw to overcome this time. He also lines up 1-pound worse off at the weights with the former on their last meeting and that will make things even tougher. Leung has ridden him on 4 previous occasions without the win, but he has gone close on the son of Red Giant and if building on his current form, he’ll be right there. VEGA RYHTHM has slipped to a competitive mark of 46 and he still has plenty more improvement to come, with just the 4-starts to his name so far. He finds a plum draw as he steps up to the 1650m for the first time and he should have no issues seeing out the trip. HW LAI retains and he should be worth including at a decent price. CASA DE FORCA has improved since returning to the Turf course in his last two starts and stepping up to this trip. He finds a decent draw and gets the services of the more experienced Matthew Chadwick, which could make the difference. He will be looking to take up the early running and having notched up a 2nd placed finish over this course and distance before, he must be included.

Race 8 – 16:15 – Class 3 – 1000m
Selections: 8 – 1 – 6 – 11 – 4 
VICTORIAM was not disgraced when rising into this class last time out, from a wide draw. He drops to the minimum trip and tries the Happy Valley course for the first time. Despite another wide barrier, he is a two-time winner from four starts and he will have more to come. If finding a relatively prominent position, he will be tough to get past in the closing stages. GENTLE BREEZE has been in top form over the second half of 2019, having progressed nicely into this class of opposition. He loves this course and distance and he finds an improved draw this time. Chadwick retains the ride and he will be a major contender here. FRUSTRATED finished right behind the second selection in his last two starts when having the blinkers fitted and dropping to this trip. With two wins and two seconds from nine starts over this course and distance, he is certainly at home here and he looks a threat off his current rating. The 2-pound claiming Poon takes the mount and he must be included. WINNING METHOD improved with the blinkers on last time, when trying this course for the first time. He has a useful record over this trip, with two wins and a second from just five attempts. With plenty of scope for further improvement, he gets the services of the bang in form Karis Teetan this time. Back to his favourite trip after a fair performance over 6-furlongs last time, he finds a fair draw and rates a threat to the top three.

Race 9 – 16:50 – Class 3 – 1200m
Selections: 1 – 3 – 2 – 10 – 4 
CUE THE MUSIC has improved with each of his last three starts and he steps back up to the 6-furlongs after a decent effort over the minimum trip last time. He drops to Class 3 level now and Zac Purton makes for an attractive jockey booking. From a solid draw, he should land his first victory in Hong Kong. LE TERROIR has continued his exceptional recent form into this class and he doesn’t look like he is stopping here. He has a very good record over this course and distance and he should have the gate speed to overcome that wide barrier, with Moreira retaining the ride. He has a record of 2 wins from 3 starts in this class and he deserves plenty of respect. TRANSCENDENT is a 5-time winner from 10-outings, making his Hong Kong debut here. He last saw the course back in June this year and that was when finishing 2nd at Gr3 level. He gets the tongue tie fitted for his debut here and if not too in need of this, he should give a nice account of himself. STARLIGHT has continued to drop in the ratings and a he looks set to launch a big assault on the winner’s enclosure soon, off his current mark of 67. He lands a plum draw and with his course and distance record in mind, he looks a major contender here and deserves inclusion.

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