Back at Happy Valley for the 6th meeting of the Hong Kong season and 9 races are carded for this evening meeting.
The Best Bet on the card comes in the penultimate race on the card, in the form of JENERATOR. He has shown good improvement since having the headgear removed and Moreira takes the ride in what appears to be a great opportunity to add to his win tally. The Value Bet on the card come in Race 6, in the form of GENTLE BREEZE, who lines up in competitive Class 3 race over the minimum trip. If he gets a smooth start, he looks a huge runner.
Best Bet – JENERATOR (Race 8)
Value Bet – GENTLE BREEZE (Race 6)
|
Race
|
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
4th
|
5th
|
|
1
|
4
|
3
|
7
|
1
|
6
|
|
2
|
3
|
6
|
1
|
5
|
10
|
|
3
|
2
|
9
|
10
|
5
|
1
|
|
4
|
1
|
3
|
8
|
12
|
10
|
|
5
|
2
|
9
|
5
|
11
|
3
|
|
6
|
12
|
4
|
11
|
6
|
7
|
|
7
|
4
|
5
|
3
|
12
|
2
|
|
8
|
9
|
1
|
3
|
5
|
10
|
|
9
|
6
|
4
|
11
|
12
|
1
|
Race 1 – 12:45
Selections: 4 – 3 – 7 – 1 – 6
A small field of seven contenders gets us underway in what appears to be a very tricky Class 2 event, over the 1800m. Given the size of the field, it is going to take a clever ride to find the winners box and we have decided on HELENE CHARISMA to do just that. That was a smart return after a three-month rest last time out, when finishing just behind GREEN LUCK. He lines up on 6-pound better weight terms with the latter this time and van Niekerk retains the ride. With the extra 150m to travel this time, he will be utilising his quick turn of foot from just off the pace and looks the right one here. MR SO AND SO finally lands a draw that won’t require him to be dropped out from the off and that should allow him to find a rail run with relative ease. He finished just in front of the top selection three starts back, over the course and distance and will relish stepping back up to this trip with Moreira regaining the ride. The son of So You Think has been competitive of late and conditions here look ripe for a big run from him and he must be respected. BRAVE LEGEND also finished in front of the top selection last time out, when showing a good turn of foot to flash home late. That was when dropping into this class. From a good draw, he managed to get caught out three-wide around the bend and that may have put pay to any significant challenge he may have had up his sleeve. He is reunited with the bang-in-form Teetan this time, who has won twice on him from two engagements and he arrives here after picking up 5 winners at Sha Tin on Sunday. A likely challenger from a good draw and he’ll need to be included. GREEN LUCK beat the top selection last time out, taking his lifetime record to 5 wins from 15 starts. That effort caught the eye of the handicapper who has penalised him with 10 points for that impressive win and that makes things tougher this time. The son of Street Cry has only missed the first three one, in four attempts in this class and he clearly has the ability to go close again.
Race 2 – 13:15
Selections: 3 – 6 – 1 – 5 – 10
AFTER ME showed big improvement last time out, when dropping into this class on his return from a 6-month rest. That was his first run for this stable and on that effort, he will relish the step up in trip this time. He does have a tricky draw to overcome, but if replicating that smart finish he produced last time, he’ll be flashing home late and that should be good enough. For 2nd, we have landed on YOUNG EMPIRE who has his first run this term after a 3-month absence. The son of Royal Applause has been dropping in ratings and he showed the expected improvement last time, when dropping into this class. He has notched up all three of his wins in Hong Kong over this course and distance and with Moreira up from pole, he looks a big threat if not in need of this. COMPASSION STAR has been thereabouts of late and he’ll continue to feature prominently, as he drops further in the ratings. He enters Class 5 company for the first time and that should make things a little easier for him, albeit from a wide draw. If utilising his gate speed effectively, Purton should find a prominent early position, but he may have to settled three-wide. With that said, he has the form to feature and must be considered. ADONIS was an impressive winner on his stable debut for Dougie Whyte last time and although he received a hefty penalty for that win, he finally lands a draw that will aid his cause. Bayliss retains the ride and he’ll need to be factored in.
Race 3 – 13:45
Selections: 2 – 9 – 10 – 5 – 1
VERY RICH MAN and THE ABRAXAS appear to be the early speed in the race, with preference going to the former to find a rail run up front, by virtue of his draw. With the early pace expected, HERO TIME will be positioned just off them from gate 9 as he makes his return after a 3-month break. He found the 1650m a touch too far last time and he’ll enjoy dropping back the trip where he has picked up both of his career wins so far. After finding traffic in his last two starts, he’ll be looking for a smooth path this time and that will result in a big challenge late on. He looks the right one here. SHAMPORT was inexplicably disappointing last time, having been eased out of the race late and if you look past that run, he has useful form to his name. Nothing abnormal was detected in the post-race inspection and on his prior form, he deserves another chance. He has the tongue tie fitted this time and Moreira takes the mount from another manageable draw. If repeating his penultimate run off this reduced rating, he will be right there at the business end. THE ABRAXAS has also been sliding down in the ratings in recent times and his focus right now will be to take advantage of these more lenient handicapping conditions. He took a bump last time out, when exciting gate 8 and that did him no favours at all. From gate 4, he’ll be looking for his preferred handy position and if he gets there with ease, he’ll be a big factor late on. IRON BOY appears to be the best of the rest, as far as his winning prospects are concerned. Things didn’t quite go his way last time, when he was hampered late and he pulled up lame post-race. That was on his return to this class, where he has a record of 2 wins from 3 starts and he will be looking to improve on that record this time – on his stable debut. He has the tongue tie removed for the blinkers and cross-noseband and if overcoming the draw, he looks a big threat.
Race 4 – 14:15
Selections: 1 – 3 – 8 – 12 – 10
SUCH A HAPPINESS has been in solid recent form and he may be forgiven for that slightly indifferent performance in his penultimate start, when having a wide draw to overcome. He followed that up with an explosive finish over the mile last time and that effort has set him up perfectly for the extra furlong here. Moreira retains the ride and he will be mounting his challenge from just off the pace once more and he should be good enough to win here. FAMILY LEADER has been in a good reign of form of late and he has improvement further in his last two outings, since being fitted with the blinkers. Both of those efforts have come over this trip and it is hard to imagine him not being involved in the finish, if repeating either of those runs here. He won his only start over this course and distance in his penultimate run and the return to this course will be right up his alley. DREAM WARRIORS has been just off them in recent times and he’ll be excused for that modest penultimate effort, when returning with a cut leg. He followed that up with a solid effort last time and he now steps up to this trip for the first time, from another favourable draw with Teetan retaining. With this being only his 8th career start, he still has plenty of scope for improvement and he should be right there at the finish. ENJOYABLE SUCCESS steps up in trip and returns to the course where he has gone close on three occasions, from just the five attempts. That record improves over the course and distance, where he has won and placed second in just the two attempts. With the blinkers re-fitted this time, he will most certainly benefit from landing in gate 1 and he must be included.
Race 5 – 14:50
Selections: 2 – 9 – 5 – 11 – 3
An intriguing affair greets us in the 5th race on the card, a Class 4 sprint over 1200m and 12 horses go to post. We have sided with GIFT OF LIFELINE to land the lions share of the prize money after knocking on the door in his last four starts. He returns to Happy Valley this time, after two good efforts over seven furlongs in his last two outings at Sha Tin and he’ll enjoy the drop back to this trip, having featured prominently here before. In fact, he is yet to miss the first three places over this course and distance and more of the same is expected once again. The bang-in-form Teetan sticks with the ride and he looks the likely winner this time, from pole. KING’S TROOPER has only had the fours starts so far and he still has plenty of scope for improvement. He hasn’t been completely disgraced in both of his course and distance appearances so far and with Moreira doing duty today, he can improve further. It has been three months since his last start and the rest would’ve freshened him up nicely. The son of Denman has another forgiving draw to start from and he looks a big threat to the top selection. GENEROUS HEART has dropped further in the ratings since reverting to this class of opposition four starts back. He would’ve needed that last start on the All-Weather, when returning from a six-month absence from the course and he’ll strip a lot fitter this time around. He brings with him a useful record over this course and distance and lands another good draw. With the pacifiers removed for this run, he looks set for a big run here and must be respected. LIGHTNING STEED is another contender who has been dropping in the ratings of late and his form has improved accordingly. With the shadow-roll fitted again, Chad Schofield is reunited with the son of California Dane and he appears to have good enough form in this class to be right there at the business end.
Race 6 – 15:20
Selections: 12 – 4 – 11 – 6 – 7
GENTLE BREEZE had a tough reintroduction into Class 3 company last time, when taking a pummelling at the start, before being squeezed out to the back of the field. With that incident having cost him valuable lengths, he managed to regain his composure to settle well off the early speed. Travelling through the 300m, he started to gather his stride before launching an explosive finish. He always had too much to do, but with an incident free start this time, he looks a major threat. He has a solid course and distance record and from gate 2, we make him our value bet for the day. For second, we have sided with the scopey son of Star Witness – EXPLOSIVE WITNESS. He has pulled in the early parts in both of his Hong Kong starts, but his latest effort was most encouraging having managed to rally late for a third-place finish. He has plenty of scope for further improvement and with the tongue tie fitted, Purton retains and he looks a threat. AQUILA has also only had the three career starts so far and he has gone close in all three. He did well to overcome a wide draw last time, to notch up his first career win and that came over this course and distance. The son of Exceed And Excel rises to Class 4 company today and he too will have more improvement to come. From gate 6, Moreira takes the mount and he too looks a big challenger. FRUSTRATED has featured prominently in the betting in his last few starts and he has just lacked a finish, although certainly not disgraced in either. He has plenty of early speed and it’s no surprise to see him down to wear the blinkers this time. With the 10-pound claimer doing duty, he looks threatening and must go into consideration.
Race 7 – 15:50
Selections: 4 – 5 – 3 – 12 – 2
FEARLESS FIRE returns from a 4-month break, after a successful latest outing over the course and distance. The son of Acclamation will be freshened up after the rest and he looks set for a big run, with Purton up from pole. He has won on him before and placed twice, so he should know exactly where to place him early. With a decent pace expected, he’ll be finishing strongly and looks hard to oppose here. SMART LEADER finished just behind the top selection three starts back, when jumping from gate 11 and being forced 3-4 wide around the turn. He showed some great resolve to box on for a 0.5 length defeat on that occasion, but he should be able to pick his early position from a much-improved draw this time. Moreira retains the ride on the back of a good win last time and on similar weight terms as their last meeting, he’ll give the former a much tougher time here. MY ALLY makes his stable debut for the Moore yard, after a good win over the 1650m last time out. He has set a very quick fraction in his last three starts over that trip and he could relish reverting back to the 6 furlongs for a change. He has the gate speed to overcome the 12 draw and from a prominent early position, he could be tough to shake off late. SPLIT OF A SECOND was withdrawn the day before his last carded run, on account of him being lame in his near fore. He now returns after a 4-month absence from the course, but he brings some consistent recent form with him, no less over the course and distance. Poon retains the ride and from a good draw, he has the form to be involved in the finish.
Race 8 – 16:20
Selections: 9 – 1 – 3 – 5 – 10
A very competitive Class 3 event over the 1650m, brings us to the penultimate race on the card and we are strongly leaning towards JENERATOR to edge out the rest of the field at the business end. He is only having his 10th career start here, his 9th in Hong Kong. He has shown immediate improvement since having the headgear removed and he may have gone much closer to winning last time, had it not been for him becoming baulked at the top of the straight. Having raced tight in two separate incidents, he became awkwardly placed outside heels through the 300m and rallied late. That was when stepping up to this course and distance, after an impressive showing in his penultimate start over the 1200m. He has run third in two attempts over this distance, both coming here at Happy Valley in this Class. With Moreira up this time, he looks progressive enough to win this. SICHUAN DAR drops into Class 3 company and he’ll be rewarded with a perfect draw for his return to this level, where he has run 2nd in both runs. He’ll be buoyed by the return to this course, where he has a course and distance record of 8 runs, 3 wins and a 2nd and Karis Teetan reclaims the ride. He hasn’t had much luck with draws of late, so gate 1 will certainly allow him to pick a relatively prominent early position and he’ll go close this time. WIN WIN was a disappointing loser last time, having started short in the betting. That was three months ago and Purton had some answering to do in boardroom after that effort. Naturally, the wide draw played a big roll and he was forced to chase him up to lead. That clearly took its toll and resulted in him weakening late. He has another tricky draw, which may cast some doubt in his followers’ minds. But he will be ridden more conservatively this time and should be running on late. LAST KINGDOM will more than likely take up the early running, having used those tactics last time out and pulling off a start to finish win on his stable debut for the Whyte yard. That was when dropping to this trip and he gets an even better draw this time. Sanna retains and he must be considered.
Race 9 – 16:55
Selections: 6 – 4 – 11 – 12 – 1
RELAIBLE TEAM has been an impressive winner in both of his career starts and it’s no surprise to see him step up to this class now. He has been drawn wide in both of those runs and he lands another one today, but he should have too much early speed for his rivals and the early lead looks inevitable. This son of Reliable Man should have plenty more to come and with Purton sticking with him, he’ll be very tough to beat. ENDEARING has been in consistent recent form and he enjoyed his return to the Turf course last time, albeit from a wide draw and the blinkers seemed to sharpen him up. That was after a modest showing on the All-Weather in his penultimate start and he now steps onto a course where he brings a solid record. From a solid draw, he’s in with a shout if the top selection fluffs his lines. SHINING ACE comes off the back of a solid showing over this course and distance, when stepping up to this class. He’s been a big improver since dropping to this trip three starts back and from a much-improved draw this time, he looks a big runner with the in-form Teetan doing duty. LE TERROIR, like the top selection, steps up to this class today and he brings some solid form with him – particularly over this course and distance. Moreira takes the mount today and he looks a threat from pole.
