Zac Purton has been tipped to win Race 3 and Race 6 (Picture: HKJC)
Happy Valley Wednesday Formguides And Selections
Tim Carroll (At The Races)
Tim’s last column included 4 winners (including at 10/1), and our expert is back to preview Wednesday’s action at Happy Valley.
This Wednesday sees a competitive nine-race card from Happy Valley getting underway at 12.40pm (SA Time). The feature of the meeting is race 4, the Class 2 Choi Hung Handicap, over 1 mile.
Now onto this week’s selections.
Race 1: Class 5 Yue Wan Handicap (12.40pm SA Time) (9 furlongs)
8 MR ALADDIN is yet to shed his maiden status in twenty-one goes, but he has shown signs of improvement recently and arrives off a solid effort in defeat last time when runner-up over course & trip to Leather Master, and with the handicapper leaving him alone for that, he meets that rival on 6lb terms for a 1.25 length defeat. However, he had a tough run that night plated wide without cover the entire way with the rider forced to make his move a long way out. He draws the same stall again (11), but if he can find some cover, a repeat effort would see him go close to breaking his duck.
Dangers:
10 Leather Master goes up 6lb having won over course & trip last time with the selection back in second and he once again is likely to punch forward in a race offering no more than an honest gallop.
4 Go Go Go was disappointing last time, but he won over the mile at Sha Tin earlier in the season and he was runner-up his penultimate try over this trip at Happy Valley, and Anrea Atzeni takes over from a claimer.
1 Silver King has been disappointing since arriving from New Zealand as a Group 2 winner, but he has placed from a mark of 36lbs higher, albeit that was on his local debut, but he drops into the bottom grade for the first time.
Race 2: Class 3 Choi Wan Handicap (1.10pm) (5 furlongs)
4 SEASONS WIT hasn’t won for a long time, but he’s on a mark 19lb below his last win having been runner-up over course & trip last time behind a promising unexposed type and with a few of these in behind. The selections previous bare figures look average, but he has featured in the stewards report a few times recently and although not a luckless loser last time, he once again didn’t have the rub of the green when slightly tard out of the gates. They have recently returned him to the 5 furlongs, which looks a good move, and whilst he’s nearly no chance of leading, he does have the inside draw this time which will hopefully see him with all the favours.
Dangers:
1 Stellar Express has just the one win from eighteen local starts, but he has a plumb draw, he takes a drop in grade having kept some decent company recently and will find this more to his liking.
7 Parents Love ran with merit from the front to grab the bronze over course & trip one spot behind the selection last time when having his first spin at this level and is likely to give a bold bid from the front again.
5 Looking Bright, who won a 5.5 furlongs maiden at his second & final start in Australia, makes his local debut having flashed some speed when runner-up in a couple of recent trials and the booking of Purton would suggest a forward showing is expected.
Race 3: Class 4 Wu King Handicap (1.40pm) (1 mile)
1 SUNDAY’S SERENADE had run with merit a few times without winning at Sha Tin but has found his niche here at Happy Valley and arrives on a course & trip three-timer at just his third start at the city track. The selection goes up 7lb for a narrow margin success last time, which sees him at the top of the handicap, which does make things a tad more challenging. However, he won in impressive style last time when having to make up ten-lengths on the leaders coming into the straight but attacking the line with plenty of purpose to win a tad cosy in the end.
Dangers:
5 Midori Fuji, who was a twice winner in Australia, is yet to break his local duck in seven goes but ran a Hong Kong career best last time when rattling late over course & trip, beaten a lip in second, and he’s open to further improvement.
12 Courier Magic has been unplaced his last two when on the sharp end of the betting, but there were genuine excuses two back when severely checked. and he had run with merit in defeat before than when hitting the frame over course & trip a few times and could easily bounce back here.
11 Arthurs Kingdom was in flying form at the back end of last season and the start of the current campaign, and although he has disappointed a few times recently and has won over further, he’s been leading and stopping in his races, thus the drop back in trip may help, he draws the inside and goes from the foot of the handicap.
Race 4: Class 2 Choi Hung Handicap (2.10pm) (1 mile)
4 CALIFORNIATOTALITY, who was thought highly enough of by connections that he contested the Derby in March, has had a good season which has seen his rating climb 28 points on the back of four wins, including when successful over 9 furlongs at Sha Tin last time when he had a couple of these well beaten in behind. He does go up 6lb for that onto a career high mark, and he cuts back to the mile, but he’s a thrice winner over this trip, thus I have no concerns on that front. The Tony Cruz 4yo will be having just his second spin on the city track having been runner-up here in January, and from the low draw he should have the gun run behind the likely pace setters (Telecom Fighters & Soleil Fighter).
Dangers:
5 Soleil Fighter has recorded three wins and four placed efforts from his last seven starts with all but one of those being over course & trip and although he goes up a further 1lb after a solid effort in defeat at Sha Tin last time, Purton, who has a perfect one-from-one record on the David Hayes trainer runner, is reunited.
3 Telecom Fighters goes up 5lb having won on the dirt at Sha Tin last time, but he’s a multiple turf winner and although the last of those wins was a while ago, he is the likely leader here and could get a good time of it on the front.
1 Helene Feeling is a consistent type, but he pays for that in the handicap and although he’s likely to run well, he must concede 13lb-20lb to all but one of his rivals, which will be no easy task.
Race 5: Class 4 Tin Sau Handicap (2.40pm) (6 furlongs)
1 GALAXY WITNESS has been a tough one for followers, having shown plenty of ability as a younger horse but not going on with it, and his last win was a long time ago. However, the selection ran well enough in fourth last time when meeting some trouble 300m out, which was his first run on turf since February, and he has run similar races from much higher marks in the past. The big selling point for this assignment is that he drops down into a Class 4 for the first time since early on in his career, and this represents a golden opportunity to finally get back on the board. The Caspar Fownes 6yo might not be the punters pal, but he lands in what looks a moderate Class 4 and from the draw with Bowman sticking solid, he should give this a decent shake.
Dangers:
11 New Power hasn’t won since last season, but he’s gone close a few times recently, including when beaten half-a-length in third from a high draw over course & trip last time, and he should get the gun run from the low draw this time.
3 Fortune Whiskey, who is a twice course & trip winner this year, has struggled a tad from a similar mark his last three spins, but he ran well enough in defeat when third last time and the grader drops him 1lb here.
4 Sight Happy was unplaced from a high draw over 5 furlongs last time but he had a win and couple of placed efforts from his previous four runs over this trip, Purton sticks solid, and he does have a kinder draw this time.
Race 6: Class 4 Tin Sau Handicap (3.10pm) (6 furlongs)
8 BIENVENUE is a nine-start maiden that looks a winner in waiting having been runner-up in three of his last five starts. The selection was having his first spin on the city track when beaten a nose over course & trip last time when just failing to pick up a rival that had a good time of it on the front. He goes up 2lb for that, but this doesn’t look any stronger than his last race, he’s from a yard having a strong season (currently second in the championship) and its always a positive to see Purton maintaining the faith having ridden the selection for the first time at his most recent start.
Dangers:
1 California Deeply, who takes a drop in grade, has been unplaced his last five, but he won over course & trip from a 2lb lower mark the start prior, which is the last time we saw him at this level, and he draws the inside.
9 Country Dancer, who has won twice this season, arrives having been placed over course & trip last time and he tends to run his best races when he has a solid gallop to aim at, which he should get here.
5 Incredible Moment was kept safe in the market on debut when trying to make all before puncturing late to end up in fourth, and he should come on for the run, but he will have to overcome the outside draw here.
Race 7: Class 4 Tin Sau Handicap (3.45pm) (6 furlongs)
7 GLORY B broke his duck over course & trip three back and has been beaten a nose in second at his last two, including when in behind Tactical Command in March when well clear of the rest with a subsequent winner in third. Now that he’s on 2lb better terms with his rival and with the draws flipped, he should be able to turn that form around. The Douglas Whyte 5yo draws in 4 and the race maps for him to box seat in behind the leaders with all the favours under Hugh Bowman.
Dangers:
10 Solar River is an eight-start maiden that has run with a bit of promise a few times including when one spot behind the selection in third last time when he went from the front, and he once again has a low draw to try similar.
5 Tactical Command was unplaced at Sha Tin last time when given plenty to do from a high draw, but he had won back-to-back races over course & trip prior to that, however, he does draw high and will need some luck early.
2 Sweet Briar wouldn’t be the most obvious play having been unplaced his last six starts, but he takes a drop in grade and his record over this trip in Class 4 company reads 8-1-1-1, thus he should be included.
Race 8: Class 3 Nam Shan Handicap (4.15pm) (9 furlongs)
3 EXCELLENCE VALUE was an exposed type in Australia, winning two of his fourteen starts, but Mark Newnham has got a good tune out of the 4yo, winning with him over the mile in March, and two placed efforts since then. If you include Australia, he’s now had three starts over 9 furlongs and has been runner-up in all three including his most recent spin when a-length behind a handy rival with several of these well beaten in behind. The selection goes up 2lb for that, but he was over two-lengths clear of the third in a race that looks a strong pointer for this, and a repeat effort would see him go close.
Dangers:
2 Rocket Spade is probably more talented than his two wins from thirty-one starts record would suggest and he arrives having finished runner-up over the mile last time & enjoys this trip, but he’s a late closer, and there’s not a lot of pace in the race.
8 Joy Of Spring, who won back-to-back races over this trip at the end of last season, has had just the three runs since July and ran well enough in defeat last time when given plenty to do from a high draw at Sha Tin, he should strip fitter, and he did win over this trip when last seen here (July 2024).
4 Lovero has been a bit out of sorts recently, but his three wins have come when he’s punched forward, and they may elect to revert to those tactics here with a low draw and only a moderate gallop on offer.
Race 9 Class 3 Hoi Lai Handicap (4.50pm) (6 furlongs)
2 CRIMSON FLASH, who hacked up as an odds-on favourite in a maiden at his only start in Australia, broke his local duck at the fifth time of asking when winning over course & trip last time when having his first start at Happy Valley. The selection goes up 7lb for a 0.75 length win, but he had a bit to do at the top of the straight but closed out the race strongly when attacking the line with plenty of purpose. The penalty means he’s now toward the top of the handicap, but he’s still a low mileage type with scope for further improvement, and the yard are having a fantastic season with limited number, comparatively speaking.
Dangers:
3 Storm Rider hasn’t won for over a year but he’s ran two strong races in defeat when runner-up his last two over course & trip from similar draws to what he has here, and Purton takes over for the first time this season.
1 Lucky Eight has been consistent of late and this looks a slightly lessor contest than his last two where he was runner-up on both occasions, but it will take a good effort off top-weight from the high draw.
6 Wukong Jewellery, who won a maiden at his second and final start in Australia, makes his local debut for a trainer that usually likes to bring them to the boil, but he looked sharp when runner-up in a recent trial and a market watch is advised.
WEDNESDAY’S PLACEPOT
Today’s Tote Place Pot will be races 4 through to 9. All up we will be playing 81 combinations (3x3x3x3x1x1), which will cost £8.10 for a 10p stake and so on. Good luck
LEG 1- 3 TELECOM FIGHTERS 4 CALIFORNIANATIONALITY 5 SOLEIL FIGHTER
LEG 2- 1 GALAXY WITNESS 3 FORTUNE WHISKEY 11 NEW POWER
LEG 3- 1 CALIFORNIA DEEPLY 8 BIENVENUE 9 COUNTRY DANCER
LEG 4- 5 TACTICAL COMMAND 7 GLORY B 10 SOLAR RIVER
LEG 5- 3 EXCELLENT VALUE
LEG 6- 2 CRIMSON FLASH
TIM’S BEST BETS (scale 1-5 points)
2.10pm HAPPY VALLEY
2pts win BIENVENUE
3.15pm HAPPY VALLEY
3pts win EXCELLENT VALUE
3.50pm HAPPY VALLEY
4pts win CRIMSON FLASH
