The British have an old saying that suggests a week is a long time in politics.
Our American friends will doubtless have some sympathy for that view after the last few days but, if a week is a long time in politics, then two years is close to an eternity in racing.
Covid-19 and a year-long global pandemic were the last things on anyone’s mind when the Club last staged weekend racing at Happy Valley on the final Sunday in October of 2018.
Me Tsui took the training honours with a treble. Jack Wong and Chad Schofield both recorded doubles and Douglas Whyte, still in the saddle, passed one of the last great milestones in his Hall of Fame career by recording his 1,800th success aboard Good Omen.
Douglas is well on his way to making the grade as a trainer now but there is no finer man to mentor a young rider so it was appropriate that his 20-year-old protege Jerry Chau made the headlines with a midweek Sha Tin double.
Jerry is six years younger than any of his Hong Kong weighing room colleagues but has adapted very well to a fiercely competitive environment, with a winning strike rate of 15 per cent this season (second only to Joao Moreira) and 38 of 85 mounts finishing placed. Wednesday’s double means his claim now is reduced from 10lb to 7lb but with Douglas to guide him he looks well equipped to continue doing well for a while yet
Kings Shield was the other headline maker and he staked a strong claim to the title of Hong Kong’s best All Weather performer with a dominant all-the-way success in the featured Hebe Hill Handicap.
Frankie Lor’s gelding is now up to a rating of 109 and would be running out of opportunities in our local racing calendar if we did not make an adjustment to the programme. It is very difficult to cater for a top AW performer because our focus is on turf racing and, with a limited number of horses suited to running well on the surface we don’t offer Group Races on the AW Track.
However, in this case we will look into whether we can modify the upcoming programme. Kings Shield is clearly a high-class dirt performer and therefore we will explore the possibility of creating a Class 1 AW contest before he would go to compete at the Dubai Carnival in the early part of 2021.
Sha Tin’s turf course is taking a short break having been reseeded but it will be good to be back for a weekend meeting at the Valley and, although there is still some way to go, the recent social distancing relaxations are gradually helping more people return to the races.
In addition, a total of 19 designated Off-Course Betting Branches (listed below) will be open to provide betting and customer services on raceday again and every step we take towards the resumption of full service is very valuable as our sport and our city moves towards the end of year that has been incredibly challenging on so many levels.
Sunday’s Class 2 Fenwick Handicap over 1200m concludes the Happy Valley day meeting with Champion Griffin Good Luck Friend set to make his first-ever appearance at the city track. He is one of three horses eligible for the Club’s HK$1 million High Achievement Bonus with Highland Fortune and All In Mind also hunting the big money.
Team Spirit is the likely leader with Good Luck Friend, Golden Dash and All In Mind in close contention. Green Aeon and Sparkling Dragon are both versatile and have options from their outside draws.
Good Luck Friend is very consistent and should adjust nicely to Happy Valley. In his last run four weeks ago, he benefitted from a slow pace and produced a solid closing sectional. He will get a similar trip from his inside draw and I make him a win and place chance in his current form under Antoine Hamelin.
Highland Fortune steps up in trip for his second-up run and is a course and distance specialist. He adds blinkers to sharpen his speed and this will make it tricky for Zac Purton as he attempts to work out a trip from stall 10. Still, he is a place chance.
Golden Dash had an impossible trip from stall 12 in his last start and will have a better time of it here from a forward position along with All In Mind. Both are place chances.
Sparkling Dragon has won his seasonal debut in each of his three seasons and puts that streak on the line here. He has drawn the outside gate, however, which will make this assignment much more difficult.
#OCBBs opening on race days are as follows:
Hankow Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Nathan Centre, Mong Kok
Castle Peak Road, Cheung Sha Wan
Tai Po Road, Shek Kip Mei
Sheung On Street, Chai Wan
King’s Road, Quarry Bay
Stanley Street, Central
Electric Road, North Point
Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay
Kwun Tong Plaza
Ngau Tau Kok
Telford, Kowloon Bay
Shung Ling Street, San Po Kong
Tuen Mun Town Plaza
Tin Shui Wai
Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan
Shek Wu Hui, Sheung Shui
Wing Fong Road, Kwai Chung
Kwai Fong
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