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Hong Kong Racing Recap
Date: January 31, 2018
Track: Happy Valley
Track Bias: None
Races that have become Key Races after today’s results: None

Notes for the day:
Race 1 (383): -95 Both Lunar Zephyr (49) and Nashashuk (49) had no excuses not to hold on. First time starter Logan One (52) was slow out of the gate then had to check up entering the turn and was not asked to run by Berry afterwards. Nicely timed ride by the apprentice Wong on Winning Supreme (61), caught the chalk just right before the line after a wide trip on the turn which is not as bad a trip going 1,000 metres at Happy Valley.

Race 2 (384): 89 Winaswewish (39) walked for the first 20 metres out of the gate, spotting the field at least 3 lengths, even after all that he still managed to only get beat by a nose to Wonderful Chaser (32) who had a much easier trip other than going three wide in the second turn and surrendering 12 pounds to Winaswewish. Bad rides on both Fortune Giggles (35) (Prebble) and Wealthy Fortune (34) (Ho), Happy Friendship (21) looked like he was going to have a chance to get up but the hole was moving as fast as he was in the stretch. Will most likely try and avoid as many runners out of this race as possible, your typical Class 5 race going long at Happy Valley is the bottom of the barrel of races in Hong Kong.

Race 3 (385): -96 Pace setter Grand Harbour (48) was extremely rank for the first half of the race, by the time Wong had got him to relax the damage was already done for him. Har Har Heart (50) was looking for room to run when he entered the stretch and finally when Chadwick encouraged him to stick his head into an opening (he was a little reluctant on doing it) he was forced to take up when Money Winner (43) started to tire and drifted out into his path. Winner Win For Charity (53) had a perfect trip sitting in a striking position and only had to outrun the tiring second place finisher and a closing Daring Heart (51) who had a more eventful trip and a closing Super Clan (50) that raced too far behind to make up the ground.

Race 4 (386): 95 Confucius Spirit (44) had a pretty eventful race, had to be steadied entering the short turn soon after the start then became rank when in tight on the backside and in the turn, he was eventually outrun by the longshot winner Applause (49) who himself had a little trouble during the running, he was bumped and shuffled to the rear after the start, was still full of run in the gallop out. Pacesetter Dr Proactive (55) had no excuse not to hold on, now London Master (56) on the other hand did, Leung was begging for a hole to open for him behind the pacesetter and when it did a faltering Zero Hedge (59) laid in on him pushing him back behind the frontrunner again taking any chance of getting up away from him.

Race 5 (387): 106# Dinozzo (107) had a perfect trip saving ground in both turns while in no point of the race had to deal with another runner looking at him in the eye, when one of the front runners drifted out entering the stretch he slipped in and did his thing. Marvel Hero (100), Citron Spirit (93) and Helene Charisma (96) had a little bit more of a troubling time than our winner, Beauty Prince (85) breaking from the 3 gate took a left turn at the start and Happy Spirit (79) in the 7 hole took a right turn after the break and unfortunately our three runners caught the brunt of that and had to be taken up losing at least a couple lengths to the field. Nice finishes for both Citron Spirit and Marvel Hero considered what happened and the trip the winner received.

Race 6 (388): 100 A little below par Class 3 event. Photon Willie (63) broke a length slow from the field but Badel took advantage and went straight to rail to save as much ground as possible, in the end it helped him out only running third a length off the longshot winner Razor Quest (76) who outkicked Moreira on the favourite Bullish Smart (75) who had no excuse on giving up the lead. Other than going wide I couldn’t find an excuse for the poor effort for the second betting choice Super Form (68) who was checked after the race and nothing was found for the effort.

Race 7 (389): 104# While the frontrunner Sea Jade (89) had gotten away from the bug boy Poon, the eventual winner Super Fluke (93) sat mid-pack on the rail waiting for Moreira on California Whip (93) to make the first move, Moreira decide to stay on the rail and go under the tiring Sea Jade, Prebble then had to split Sea Jade and E-Super (85) and at the 100 metre mark it was on between the top 2 with Super Fluke catching him just at the wire. The most interesting moment came after the race when Brett looked over at Moreira pointed at him and yelled something. Would love to know what he said! Perpetual Joyance (94) was closing near the wire.

Race 8 (390): 99 Winner Bold Stitch (71) was the first to the hole at the 100 metre mark and it left a couple runners wanting, Healthy Luck (72) started getting a little tipsy toed when he wouldn’t change leads and that left a small passage for the winner but at the same time Alcari (62) wanted to go there too, but as everybody knows you have to take turns and when Exceptional Desire (63) drifted out that caused the large bump fest. After the finish of the race Badel was suspended two racing days for the incident.

Horses to watch for next out list:
Race 5 (387) #2 Marvel Hero (100): Went off as the slight favourite in a GIII going 1,800 metres in his last losing by 2 ½ lengths to Eagle Way (116). Was pinched back at the start when Happy Spirit on his outside broke inwards forcing him behind half the field before he was able to get his legs under him, he then raced on the rail sitting behind the eventual winner Dinozzo (107). Entering the stretch Moriera took the gamble on trying to get thru on the rail but when the frontrunner started to tire he drifted to the rail and impeded Moreira forcing him to go back to the outside all the while the winner was getting away with a clean trip to the finish line. Moreira never got into him, he allowed him to do it all on his own, no need to ask when there was no hope of catching the winner.

Race 8 (390) #1 Fortune Booth (80): Was taking a drop to Class 3 where he was 1 for 1 in that class prior to this race, unfortunately drew the outside post with the short run to the bend on the backside. Was a little slow out of the gate which probably was the best thing for him, Purton took him straight to the rail. Raced a little rank soon afterwards, from my observation it looked like he wanted to run, but had to take up heading into the turn when Fantastic Feeling had to slow down for traffic that was slowing down in front of him. He continued on the rail looking for room but was unable to find any during the entire stretch run, was forced to check near the wire soon after a situation happened just to the left of him, the race was already decided before that happened.

Race 8 (390) #12 Alcari (62): Drew in as the light weight of the field, was forced to race a little further back than what he’s normally accustomed to, then became a little unbalanced when he was pinched heading into the turn. At the 150 metre mark Teetan saw a small hole but so did Badel on the winner Bold Stitch (71), the only problem was Bold Stitch beat him to it and at the same time Exceptional Desire (63) drifted out and created a log jam at the point of attack causing Teetan to take up on him and then hand rode him to the line afterwards.

Horses to avoid next out:
Race 2 (384): #11 Wonderful Chaser (32): Had to dig down to the wire after travelling wide in the turn while getting a 12 pound weight allowance in a slow and bad Class 5 field.

*Speed figures length equalizations:
1,000 – 2.8
1,200 – 2.3
1,400 – 1.9
1,600 – 1.7
1,650 – 1.6
1,800 – 1.5
2,000 – 1.3
2,200 – 1.2
2,400 – 1

Pars :
Graded Stakes – 110
Class 1 – 107
Class 2 – 104
Class 3 – 100
Class 4 – 96
Class 5 – 92
Griffin – 85

*Speed figure notations:
Before the number:
+ - Race had an extremely fast early pace.
-- - Race had an extremely slow early pace.
After the number:
# - Figure was adjusted due to abnormal fast or slow final time.
? – Figure was not adjusted but may be out of line for their normal performance for the class.