Happy Valley Preview

RACE 1 – Kokura Handicap 1200M C5

VALHALLA gets the first vote in a typically difficult opener. Vincent Ho, back from his ‘enforced holiday’, rides the son of Ocean Park. H Z TOURBILLON (Each Way) tends to miss the break but has won off a 12Ib higher mark and drops down to the ‘Basement Grade’ for the first time. With Zac Purton taking the reins he has to be respected.

RACE 2 – Nakayama Handicap 1000M C3

Eight line up with the vote going to HARMONY N BLESSED (Best Bet) for David Hayes. A winner on his seasonal bow, he was found to have blood in the trachea next time, but can bounce back to record his seventh victory. With a consistent run that sees him just 3Ib off his highest ever mark, connection’s have shrewdly booked Angus Chung, an apprentice who sits joint third in the jockeys’ ranking. His 5Ib claim is a gift and he utilised it perfectly over C&D last month on Majestic Knight for Douglas Whyte. On that occasion he positioned himself on the outside of pacesetter, Super Axiom, before asserting his authority in the straight. From gate 7, I expect a similar scenario in a race with a confirmed leader in Super Commander. The selection won twice over 1200M at the start of his career but found his calling over C&D with four victories. Of the others, Humble Star is an obvious danger if returning to the form of his first up run when Harmony N Blessed prevailed by the minimum margin. Two subsequent starts have seen him finish third to Heroic Master and readily held by Majestic Knight a fortnight ago when clinging to second from old boy, Explosive Witness. Zac Purton keeps faith with the runner-up, trained by the red-hot Pierre Ng. The aforementioned, Explosive Witness, may not be the force of old, but remains in good heart for Caspar Fownes. It’s been a long time between drinks for the son of Star Witness but the triple C&D winner is well handicapped on past glories. With Vincent Ho eager to make up for lost time, his chance is clear.

RACE 3 – Niigata Handicap 1650M C4

Douglas Whyte has his string in fine form and PRINCE ALEX can join the party under Frenchman, Antoine Hamelin. The son of Animal Kingdom sits on an attractive mark and caught the eye last month under Harry Bentley from a wide barrier. This C&D is arguably his optimum conditions and gate 3 is the perfect departure gate on this occasion.

RACE 4 – Kyoto Handicap (Div 1) 1200M C4

In my opinion the more interesting of the divisions with Sight Hero atop the weights for David Hayes. An admirably consistent 6YO, he has competed solely in this grade for all 37 local starts. In a fiendishly difficult race I’ll take two, beginning with JOY COMING, a likeable, lightly raced son of Sooboog with two track and trip wins on his CV. He won first up this season from Exuberant (a winner next time) but double-digit barriers have halted his progress since. With a mere nine runs under his belt, there’s room for improvement and gate 3 is a positive this time.
My second dart lands on HARMONY N HOME for Danny Shum. The son of Slade Power is 0-28 since his last victory but simply too well treated to discount. Zac Purton wasn’t hard on him last time, for which he’s down 2Ib and Jerry Chau takes another 2Ib off for good measure.

RACE 5 – JRA Trophy (Handicap) 1200M C4

HAPPY GOLF gets the verdict for the in-form, Frankie Lor. A two-time winner at Sha Tin last season, Happy Golf shaped well on his return when a never nearer fifth to O’Liner under Matthew Chadwick. That was a good race that included Lucky Eight, Atomic Force and Wonder Kit, with Tomodachi Kokoroe and A Americ Te Specso going onto win. Three weeks later, on yielding ground, he was sixth of twelve in a race where things just didn’t go his way. A 2Ib drop sees him down in grade and a ‘smash and grab’ to land his third Class 4 looks highly possible under Zac Purton. Gate 4 is ideal in a race where a strong tempo looks guaranteed with Spicy So Smart and Hero Star lining up. The former, handled by the in-form Pierre Ng, made all last time under Antoine Hamelin. He steps up in grade under the Frenchman but can’t be ruled out despite a wider than ideal barrier. Another to consider is Happy Day, a winner on his stable debut for Jamie Richards. An unlikely winner turning for home, the Per Incanto kicked in the turbo and looks a huge threat, up in trip, providing the headgear works again.

RACE 6 – Kyoto Handicap (Div 2) 1200M C4

Zac Purton jumps off Golden Luck to partner Act Of Faith for John Size. The multiple champion jockey and first time blinkers will garner plenty support for the latter. Brenton Avdulla takes over on Golden Luck, less exposed and its slightly surprising Purton deserts the son of Per Incanto. The flying Pierre Ng saddles Healthy Healthy, bidding for back to back success following a narrow verdict over Act Of Faith last month. All have pressing claims but I’ll take COLONEL to outrank the opposition for Ricky Yiu. He might not be improving after 55 runs but the fire still burns and his three back, second to Joyful Hunter from gate 12 is a salient reminder.

RACE 7 – Tokyo Handicap 1650M C2

The best quality of the night with Telecom Fighters top of the tree under Angus Chung. The 7YO has an admirable 7-38 strike-rate but there’s little wiggle room off his current mark, notwithstanding Chung’s claim. Taj Dragon represents Pierre Ng, with the trainer optimistic his charge can cope with the idiosyncratic City Circuit, not to mention a rise in grade. Little separated Helene Feeling and HAMERON (Each Way) in a similar contest at Sha Tin last month, but the latter gets the verdict returning to his favoured track, where he boasts a 50% strike-rate. Gate 10 makes life slightly tricky but the Night Of Thunder gelding is very tractable and Luke Ferraris knows him well.

RACE 8 – Chukyo Handicap 1200M C3

TOMODACHI KOKOROE (Next Best) built on two promising runs with a facile victory last month over track and trip. A yawning gap back to Party Warrior has ensured a 10Ib rise but he carries 6Ib less than last time in a higher grade. The Written Tycoon gelding has been allocated the plum draw in successive races so everything points to a good run with Zac Purton maintaining the association for David Hayes. He has plenty of experience, an impressive 7-17 strike-rate, rattling up a five-timer in Australia (Cairns and Townsville) and looks capable of further improvement.
This is no cakewalk however, with the likes of Wonder Kit lining up for Francis Lui. Purton deserts the Sooboog gelding after a fine second to Never Too Soon and he can’t be discounted under Lyle Hewitson, though he does race off a 10Ib higher mark than his solitary success. Another horse I like is the grey gelding, Gameplayer Elite, a Brazilian horse by Discreet Cat. There was much to like about his debut sixth to Lucky Archangel over C&D at the beginning of the month with progress expected. Copartner Elite is respected chasing a three-timer and a bigger threat could be Capital Delight for Caspar Fownes. He dead-heated with Lucky Archangel on his seasonal debut before a good fourth to Never Too Soon off a 5Ib higher mark.

RACE 9 – Hanshin Handicap 1650M C3

An excellent race to end the night with progressive CHILL CHIBI taken to land the hat-trick. A 9Ib higher mark demands improvement but Jerry Chau offsets that slightly for Danny Shum.