A new chapter will be written at Happy Valley on Wednesday with the first meeting of the year at the famous city circuit and, with the running of the G3 January Cup, it is a significant occasion.
As the only Pattern race at Happy Valley, the January Cup honour roll features familiar names, including some of the most decorated figures in Hong Kong racing – notably John Moore with five wins and Brett Prebble with four victories.
Despite the blanketing influence of COVID-19, memories of Doctor Geoff’s 2020 January Cup triumph for Vincent Ho and Francis Lui – a duo now renowned for its connection with the ascendant Golden Sixty – remain vivid.
It was a training triumph for Francis, whose planning was brilliantly crowned by Vincent’s supremely timed ride on Doctor Geoff. The meeting was also one of the last attended by crowds before the introduction of social distancing protocols because of the pandemic.
It is a situation the Club continues to deal with following the latest extension of the social distancing regulations. We remain optimistic the roll-out of the vaccine, coupled with responsible adherence to protocols, will pave the way for an eventual relaxation and a return to normality.
One of the salient points from Sha Tin’s New Year’s Day fixture was the reminder of the need to stay positive, as we must even in the face of the pandemic.
While Joao Moreira continues to set a cracking pace at the head of the jockeys’ premiership, the performances of Alexis Badel and Karis Teetan last Friday delivered timely reminders of the colossal talent in the Hong Kong riding ranks.
Alexis proved with a treble that if jockeys are provided with opportunities anything is possible. His wins on Namjong Sings, Charity Grace and Explosive Witness in the G3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy had him sharing raceday honours with Joao.
Alexis made the most of his chances and, as we know, Hong Kong racing is often full of surprises.
For me, Karis’ win on Champion’s Way in the G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup was equally inspiring. He proved again that a negative mindset will never solve a problem as he showed the value of remaining upbeat.
Both Alexis and Karis will have the opportunity to make further progress in the jockeys’ championship at Happy Valley, where the G3 January Cup is the fourth of nine races on the night and a rare opportunity for the higher echelon of horses to line up over 1800m at the Valley.
Time Warp, Reliable Team and Bear Again will go forward to set a good pace in a race where all ten runners have shown form to some degree over the track.
Glorious Dragon will be ridden quietly by Zac Purton from a wide draw as evidenced by his recent trial at Happy Valley. This is his second-up run for his new trainer and he looks like a horse that has a slight preference for this track and distance. I make him a win and place chance.
Harmony Victory is another horse that goes well here from limited opportunities. He will make his run from midfield and is a place chance along with Reliable Team and Singapore Sling.
Returning briefly to Sha Tin’s last meeting, the win of Circuit Three demonstrated the scope of the enduring opportunities presented at the Hong Kong International Sale. Circuit Three was purchased at the Karaka Yearling Sale in 2016 before being sold at our International Sale.
Circuit Three now has five wins and six placings from 17 starts – and earnings of more than HK$5 million.
The Club will be buying next week from the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and also later this month in Karaka, New Zealand.
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