Given the Group 1 results over the past two months, including Lucky Sweynesse’s outstanding win in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin last Sunday (5 February), it is clear Hong Kong horse racing has an outstanding generation of young talent on its hands.
The efforts of Romantic Warrior, California Spangle and Lucky Sweynesse to secure at least one Group 1 victory over the past 10 months continues the upward career trajectories of an exciting trio of horses, while Golden Sixty’s phenomenal record ensures this incredible champion remains atop Hong Kong’s equine pecking order.
With seven Group 1 wins, a record number of wins (23 from 27 starts), unmatched prizemoney of almost HK$130 million and a towering local rating of 131, Golden Sixty remains a global measuring stick over a mile as well as being Hong Kong’s benchmark.
Whatever the sport, competition is vital and depth of quality at the elite end of our horse population is critical and so with the excellent performances of Romantic Warrior (130), California Spangle (129) and Lucky Sweynesse (128), who now shares joint fourth in the ratings with Hong Kong’s 2021/22 Sprint Champion Wellington, we are in fortunate position to have a string of world-class horses in Hong Kong.
From a pure sporting point of view, the Centenary Sprint Cup was absolutely sensational. There were no excuses for any runner and Lucky Sweynesse comprehensively proved he was unlucky when sixth in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint in December and with the performance of Wellington, Sight Success and Courier Wonder behind him on Sunday, the class of Hong Kong’s top sprinters is very clear.
At Happy Valley on Wednesday night, we celebrate the finale of the DBS x Manulife Million Challenge and the Shan Kwong Handicap for Class 1 horses over 1650m is carded as Race 7 at 9:45pm with prizemoney of $3,800,000. Nearly Fine currently sits atop the DBS x Manulife Million Challenge table and will be looking to earn valuable points here to protect his lead on the final night.
The pace in the race may only be moderate with Everyone’s Delight one of the few natural leaders in the race drawing wide and likely to press forward, with Packing Award, Apache Pass and Chancheng Prince also likely to be prominent from their respective draws.
Nearly Fine has won three times this season at Happy Valley and with an inside gate and lightweight he can bounce back from his last start seventh in the January Cup Handicap behind Money Catcher over 1800m on 11 January and is a place chance.
Packing Award is a five-time winner at the course and distance and at his last start worked early to trail the leaders and held on well in the straight to finish second to Money Catcher over 1800m. Zac Purton goes aboard and from an ideal draw in gate four he can stalk the speed and I make him a win and place chance.
Beauty Live returned to winning form at his fourth start this season when he came off a six-day back up beating California Ten over 1600m at Sha Tin on 21 January. Beauty Live is having his first start at Happy Valley but is a place chance with Derek Leung taking the ride for the first time on the horse for Frankie Lor.
This is an intriguing race where almost every runner comes into the race with a winning chance with horses such as Apache Pass, Berlin Tango, Chancheng Prince, Savaquin and The Irishman all capable of figuring in the finish if producing their best form.
The other feature race for Class 1 horses is the Blue Pool Handicap, carded as Race 8 at 10:15pm for prizemoney of $3,465,000.
The race will be run at a fast speed with Nervous Witness in gate seven looking to lead and Kurpany and Computer Patch, who have both drawn wide, going forward to contest the lead. Harmony And Rich will also go forward and Campione should hold a forward position from his inside draw.
Rewarding Together is a six-time winner at the course and distance and won successive Class 2 races before stepping up in class in the G3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy where he settled just off the pace, before finding the lead at the 150m mark and fighting bravely to beat all but Sight Success. Rewarding Together has drawn perfectly in gate six and can stalk the hot speed for Silvestre de Sousa and is a win and place chance.
Kurpany was having his second run this season when contesting the lead with Nervous Witness in the G3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy over the straight 1000m at Sha Tin on 8 January. Kurpany is a four-time winner at Happy Valley and would have benefitted from time at Conghua since that run. He trialled well here on 28 January and I make him a place chance despite his wide draw.
Nervous Witness came back to the track after a long break when working across from the far side to the near side to share the lead in the Bauhinia Sprint Trophy before fading in the last 200m. He will improve on that effort and with Hugh Bowman taking the ride Nervous Witness is a place chance in a wide-open race.
In a race of many chances, both Handsome Bo Bo and Ping Hai Galaxy come in as last start winners, with Handsome Bo Bo storming home late off a frenetic pace to win here over 1000m on 11 January. Ping Hai Galaxy was runner up in that race and then backed up 10 days later winning on the dirt at Sha Tin. Both horses are going well and are place chances.
Comment
