One by one, the longest winning streaks at racing’s top table have been broken.
Enable’s amazing run stalled at 12 with her defeat in the Arc and Beauty Generation’s winning run ended at ten on Sunday when he could finish only third behind Rise High and Waikuku in the G2 Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy.
On reflection, it is probably best to forgive our dual Horse of the Year for this rare setback. We have seen before that Beauty Generation has a very rare ability to maintain a strong gallop in a way that hurts his rivals a long way out.
But this time he was unable to lead and, after wasting energy by racing freely as the pace steadied noticeably on the home turn, he could never get clear of the field and found his big weight taking a toll close home.
For me, this was not a race that played to Beauty Generation’s strengths and the strange way that things panned out is illustrated by the fact that he was beaten in a sprint finish despite recording a faster time for the final 400m than in any of his ten previous wins over a mile.
He will get his chance to bounce back giving Waikuku just 5lb rather than 18lb in the G2 Jockey Club Mile next month but we should also pay tribute to Rise High, who has clearly thrived over the summer and now heads for what promises to be an exciting clash with Exultant over 2000m in the G2 Jockey Club Cup.
Sunday’s card featured a winner each for Zac Purton and Joao Moreira but the other results confirmed that we have considerable depth in our jockey ranks this season.
Grant van Niekerk enjoyed a double including a first G2 success in Hong Kong aboard Seasons Bloom. Danny Shum’s gelding became the biggest winner yet to be trained out of Conghua by producing an irresistible late charge to land the Premier Bowl, while Vincent Ho dominated the last three races and followed his thrilling win aboard Rise High with two more successes including one aboard the exciting Golden Sixty.
Vincent and Grant now lie fourth and fifth in the jockeys’ table and, at just 29 and 28 respectively, they are still approaching their prime.
We still have a little over six weeks to go until this year’s LONGINES HKIR but the initial entries for our December showpiece will be published today and some of our best young riders will be more than capable of making their mark if given the right opportunities.
The Class 4 LONGINES Cup Handicap (Race 6) is one of the highlights of a nine-race card on our final Oktoberfest-themed night at Happy Valley and, with the rail out in the C+3 position, the run to the first turn over 1200m is a short one.
Shouson showed speed on his latest start and is a place chance, while Speedy Luck and Shamport are in good form and have place chances from the inside gates. However, my main suggestion is Happy Time, who finished strongly for third over course and distance on his latest start. He is the choice of Purton and looks a win and place chance.
Later on, the Ivictory Handicap over 1200m looks a strong Class 2 with Yee Cheong Baby the genuine speed of the race along with Speed Vision and Cue The Music.
Yee Cheong Baby finished 5th at short odds on his seasonal debut at Sha Tin on the All-Weather and was found to have a substantial amount of blood in his trachea. He now returns to Happy Valley where he is perfect in two starts. He should be able to control the race with his good early speed and comes off a sensational trial 12 days ago which he won by more than 14 lengths. He is a win and place chance.
Water Diviner was a surprise winner first up this season in this class and is a place chance coming from the back.
Loving A Boom is second up and impressed last week with a solid trial. He is drawn wide but has a good record over course and distance. He is a place chance along with consistent Tornado Twist.
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