After six months of intense competition, it is appropriate that the DBS x Manulife Million Challenge will be decided on the very last night of the 2023/24 series at Happy Valley tonight (Wednesday, 21 February) with 10 horses still in contention to claim the first three places.
With prizes on offer of HK$1 million for overall victory, HK$350,000 for second and HK$150,000 for third, respectively, the outcome of five races tonight will decide the issue with six horses in the running to become the 2023/24 Challenge champion.
As ever, the Challenge has generated a lot of interest throughout its staging from September until tonight’s finale and the congested leaderboard – CHILL CHIBI (49 points), HUMBLE STAR (46), COPARTNER AMBITION (45), MAJESTIC KNIGHT (42), SON PAK FU (39), TOURBILLON PRINCE (37) and TOMODACHI KOKOROE (36) – is evidence of the competitiveness of the Challenge.
With Challenge leader CHILL CHIBI and HUMBLE STAR not running this evening, five of tonight’s runners could potentially win the series – COPARTNER AMBITION, MAJESTIC KNIGHT, SON PAK FU, TOURBILLON PRINCE and TOMODACHI KOKOROE – and it is entirely possible the winner of the Challenge will not be known until Race 8.
Adding further intrigue, several other horses can potentially finish in the second or third with a win, including NEVER TOO SOON (33), HEROIC MASTER (32) and HAPPY TOGETHER (30).
The Class 1 Shan Kwong Handicap is carded as Race 2 over 1650m at 7.10pm and the pace will be good with TELECOM FIGHTERS under Lyle Hewitson set to lead from NORDIC DRAGON and MR ASCENDENCY.
HAPPY TOGETHER is unbeaten at Happy Valley in two starts and did not have much room when seventh behind NIMBLE NIMBUS over 1800m at Sha Tin last start at Group 3 level. From barrier three tonight for Alexis Badel, HAPPY TOGETHER should get the run of the race and is a win and place chance.
The Singapore Pools Handicap for Class 1 horses rated 110-85 is carded as Race 4 at 8.10pm and will be run over 1200m with prizemoney of HK$3.72 million. It is the first of three races on the programme which could provide the overall winner of the DBS x Manulife Million Challenge with SON PAK FU, MAJESTIC KNIGHT and TOMODACHI KOKOROE all in contention to win the series with victory in this race.
The pace in the race will be good with KURPANY, who is drawn gate three, a natural front runner. TOMODACHI KOKOROE and MAJESTIC KNIGHT will go forward from the outside gate and settle on the speed.
SON PAK FU should settle behind the leading division for Jerry Chau from gate two. SON PAK FU is a six-time winner over this course and distance. At his latest outing, SON PAK FU stepped to Group One company, settling just off the speed before staying on well for fourth to VICTOR THE WINNER in the Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin on 28 January.
SON PAK FU has drawn well and is a win and place chance for regular rider Jerry Chau.
TOMODACHI KOKOROE posted his third win at the course and distance when he settled fourth, going forward from the outside gate and coming away in the straight to easily beat BEAUTY WAVES on 31 January. TOMODACHI KOKOROE will have benefitted from time at Conghua since and is a place chance with his light weight, despite rising in class.
MAJESTIC KNIGHT was brave when coming off the leaders’ heels to take the front and hold off WONDER KIT and HOWDEEPISYOURLOVE over this course and distance on 4 January. At his only run since, MAJESTIC KNIGHT was slow to move from the gates and consequently settled back in the field when unplaced behind HOWDEEPISYOURLOVE over 1200m at Sha Tin on 12 February when he didn’t have a lot of room in the straight. The outside gate is a challenge, but MAJESTIC KNIGHT is racing well and is a place chance for Ben Thompson.
ADIOS is talented and returns to racing here after a break with BUNDLE OF CHARM and KURPANY also worth consideration as place chances.
The Class 3 Village Handicap is run over 1650m as Race 7 at 9.45pm and features TOURBILLON PRINCE as a DBS x Manulife Million Challenge contender. The pace should be good with TOURBILLON PRINCE likely to lead and he is a place chance, while GALAXY WITNESS ran well behind HAPPY TOGETHER last start and is a win and place.
The Sing Woo Handicap is carded as Race 8 at 10.15pm for Class 3 horses over 1200m and carries prizemoney of HK$1,860,000.
COPARTNER AMBITION will win the DBS x Manulife Million Challenge if he wins this race.
COPARTNER AMBITION has won four of his five runs at this course and distance this season. He led throughout at the first of those wins but, at his last two victories, he has sat behind the leading division and won by sprinting brilliantly in the straight after finding clear running. Andrea Atzeni goes back aboard tonight and COPARTNER AMBITION is a winning chance from gate three.
COPARTNER AMBITION will have plenty of opposition, as this is a deep race. WONDER KIT is racing well and is drawn well. WONDER KIT was a winner over this course and distance five starts ago and two runs back was narrowly beaten by MAJESTIC KNIGHT when he raced on speed and rallied hard in the closing stages. WONDER KIT is a place chance for Lyle Hewitson.
A number of the other runners in MAGNIAC, BON’S A PEARLA, HARMONY N BLESSED and PLEASANT ENDEAVOR have place claims in a competitive race.
HEROIC MASTER and EXPLOSIVE WITNESS (29) contest the Class 3 King Kwong Handicap (1000m), which is carded as Race 9 at 10.50pm. The pace should be good with HAPPY UNITED likely to set a good tempo under Brenton Avdulla.
HEROIC MASTER is drawn to get a good run from barrier four for Karis Teetan, while EXPLOSIVE WITNESS is likely to go back to the tail of the field from barrier 11 under Alexis Badel.
Both HEROIC MASTER and EXPLOSIVE WITNESS are win and place chances in a strong race to finish the card.
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