Jimmy Ting back in business as Glory Elite gets a peach to win Happy Valley feature
Derek Leung and Glory Elite tough it out to win at Happy Valley. Photos: Kenneth Chan
Jimmy Ting Koon-ho ended a three-year drought at Class Two level when Glory Elite made all the running to win the Seoul Handicap (1,000m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
Second favourite at $4.3, Glory Elite burst out of the gates under Derek Leung Ka-chun and set a good pace out in front.
He was stalked all the way by $1.8 favourite Colourful King, who followed him through on the rail and had every chance to go past.
But Glory Elite held firm out in front and turned away his challenge, winning a shade comfortably in the end by three-quarters of a length.
Smart win, Glory Elite! Jimmy Ting's sprinter defies Colourful King in the Class 2 dash under Derek Leung... 🔥#HappyWednesday | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/IVeHOeNiEV — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 30, 2025
It was a poignant success for Ting, who was last in the winners' enclosure after a Class Two when My Sugar won at Sha Tin back in March 2022.
'The first time he raced at the Valley, it was over 1,200m and he was wide all the way – which was no good,' said Ting.
'Last time he went very fast but still kept going and it was only the last 100m when he stopped. That's why when I saw the 1,000m race here and there were less horses entered, I thought he would be fast enough.
'Derek knows the horse well and I think he's the best jockey for him. I will give him a rest now – there are no races for him. Maybe he will have one race at the end of the season if there was some rain. He likes the soft ground.
'He's the best horse in my stable at the moment. I hope he can improve again but I think he's at his best now at four-years-old.'
It was win number 21 of the campaign for Leung, who showed all his prowess to fend off in-form rival Andrea Atzeni in the finish.
'He's good. He was a bit more relaxed than at Sha Tin,' said Leung.
'He stood well in the gates and there weren't many 1,000m horses in the field and I made sure in the first 400m he didn't make any mistakes. He's very honest, very straightforward.'
Elsewhere on the card, Zac Purton continued his red-hot form with a double aboard The Azure and Loving Vibes.
Purton, who rode a treble on last Sunday's Champions Day – headlined by Ka Ying Rising – rode a mighty race to get $2.9 favourite The Azure home in a thrilling three-way photo for the Class Four Incheon Handicap (1,650m).
Things got ever better for him when Loving Vibes toughed it out to win the second section of the Class Four Yeongcheon Handicap (1,200m) after a perfect rails trip, fending off a fast-finishing Never Too Soon.
And trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing will have been relieved to see Harmony Galaxy win the Class Four Korea Racing Authority Trophy (1,800m) to snap his losing sequence that stretched back to April 9 – when Harmony Galaxy also won at Happy Valley three weeks ago.
Sent off an unconsidered $20.35 shot, Harmony Galaxy was last turning into the straight and was forced to spin widest of all under Brenton Avdulla.
Once he had clear passage, he surged down the outside to win with a bit to spare – which looked very unlikely the entire way.
'He was good, he's been racing well. He won with Hughy Bowman on him the other day and he had to carry the big weight today, but obviously they went a good gallop so it suited him,' Avdulla said.
'He chimed into it nicely and I was able to get to the outside and rip home. I think there's still a bit of upside to him when he gets up to Class Three – he'll drop a lot in weight and still be competitive.'
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