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South China Morning Post
7 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Scratching gives Son Pak Fu chance to chase eighth Valley 1,200m success in loaded Class Two
Happy Valley will see Class Two action for the first time in three weeks on Wednesday night and a course-and-distance specialist entered the fray on Tuesday to make the Wan Chai Gap Handicap (1,200m) all the more interesting. With last-start Valley 1,000m winner Glory Elite scratched because of a tendon injury, Son Pak Fu was brought off the bench and given the chance to add to his seven career victories – all over 1,200m at the city circuit. Son Pak Fu's latest success came in a Class One over the Valley 1,200m in February, while he was fifth in the most recent six-furlong Class Two at the city circuit on March 19. The Tony Cruz-trained six-year-old carried 135 pounds in that fifth-placed finish and will again lump a big weight of 134 pounds, although the gelding should be given every chance to run on under Matthew Chadwick in a race that shapes to have plenty of pace. Last-start course-and-distance winner Harmony N Blessed will be one of the gallopers on pace as he looks to add to his fighting recent success, while Tomodachi Kokoroe – whose four Hong Kong wins have come over the Valley 1,200m – looks another with the potential to push forward. Son Pak Fu dives late to claim Copartner Prance! Tony Cruz's charge gets the Class 1 win under a supreme @mattLchadwixk ride at Happy Valley... 💥#HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) February 26, 2025 But in a race littered with gallopers who come into their own over the city circuit's six furlongs – Aurora Lady, Gustosisimo, Wonder Kit, Kaholo Angel and Brave Star are also multiple winners at the track and trip – it is a couple of young gallopers stepping into unfamiliar territory who could prove hardest to beat. Trainer David Eustace is confident Colourful King will enjoy the step up in trip after impressing over the Valley 1,000m with two wins and a second, while Horsepower is rising in distance and grade after an eye-catching last-start success. 'This time we need to try 1,200m (because) at the moment there are no more 1,000m races at Happy Valley,' trainer Frankie Lor Fu-chuen said of Horsepower. HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. 'I've trialled him once over 1,200m [and] he trialled good. I think he needs to relax in the early stages and then he can finish strongly. '[Zac Purton] said he was more relaxed now in the 1,200m trial. That's why I think he will handle 1,200m now.' In other news, the Jockey Club has granted Brenton Avdulla a 'leave of absence from Hong Kong for personal reasons,' meaning the Australian rider will miss the Valley meeting on June 11.
South China Morning Post
30-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Jimmy Ting back in business as Glory Elite gets a peach to win Happy Valley feature
Derek Leung controls proceedings from the front to snare the Class Two Seoul Handicap (1,000m) aboard smart four-year-old 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. 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. Newsletter Daily Coffee and Sports By submitting, you consent to receiving marketing emails from SCMP. If you don't want these, tick here {{message}} Thanks for signing up for our newsletter! Please check your email to confirm your subscription. Follow us on Facebook to get our latest news. '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. Derek Leung takes the acclaim of the crowd as he heads back in on Glory Elite. '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.' Zac Purton and Loving Vibes (centre) fend off a late challenge to win. 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. Danny Shum is all smiles after Harmony Galaxy's win. 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.'
South China Morning Post
30-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
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 — 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.'
South China Morning Post
13-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Angus Chung claims first Class One win on Divano en route to maiden Sha Tin treble
Angus Chung Yik-lai hailed one of the biggest days of his young career a major success after booting home his first Sha Tin treble on Sunday. Matching his only other three-timer in November 2023 at Happy Valley, the 28-year-old struck on Tony Cruz's duo Parents' Love and Gustosisimo before claiming his first Class One triumph aboard Francis Lui Kin-wai's Divano in the Healthy Community Handicap (1,200m). 'I've got a treble in Happy Valley before but never Sha Tin – always a double,' Chung said. 'It's great to get a chance on good horses. Today is a success.' What a win, Divano! 🔥@angusylchung snaps up a three-timer at Sha Tin as champion trainer Francis Lui finishes one-two in the Class 1 feature with Patch Of Theta second... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 13, 2025 Chung's campaign has been stymied by a lack of opportunities and a nasty fall in February that left him with a fractured facial bone. However, the reigning Tony Cruz Award winner bounced back with four winners in March before his big haul on Sunday. Divano capitalised on a light weight of 112 pounds, with Lui utilising Chung's three-pound claim, to continue his impressive form with a third victory this term. Chung had the son of Brave Smash perfectly placed in third position and he kept on gamely once striking the lead approaching the 200m. Sent off a $6.5 chance, Divano saluted by a length from stablemate and $2.1 favourite Patch Of Theta, who also had a cosy run just off the leaders but was no match for the winner. Taj Dragon was third. 'I spoke to Divano's owner and trainer many, many times. I've been looking to ride the horse for a while and I'm glad I got the opportunity,' Chung said. Divano added Sunday's win to a campaign that has also featured a pair of 1,200m triumphs and a barnstorming second to My Wish in January's Classic Mile. 'I think he keeps improving little by little,' Lui said of the four-year-old. 'He's more relaxed and once he relaxes, he can have a good turn of foot. In the Classic Mile, I think he learnt from that race.' Chung teamed up with his mentor Cruz to make all on Parents' Love in the Class Four JC Echoes Of Love Fund Handicap (1,000m) before lifting Gustosisimo to victory in the Class Two Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Trophy (1,200m). Stalking a farcical speed duel between Glory Elite and Lady's Choice, Gustosisimo kept on strongly to beat a brave Lady's Choice by three-quarters of a length. 'The pace was quick today and really beneficial for him and probably the track is suiting horses in front today, so the situation just suited him,' Chung said. A three-time winner in Australia pre-import, Gustosisimo had only raced twice at Sha Tin before when trained by Jamie Richards last term before notching two wins at the Valley for Cruz. 'I didn't have an option – there's no more Happy Valley races,' Cruz said. 'He raced twice here at Sha Tin so he knows the track. Those two horses went so fast [in front]. My horse was in a great position in third and I thought he could catch them, so I'm very happy with the run. He's definitely improving.' Lui joined Cruz with a double on Sunday after Dylan Mo Hin-tung booted home Winning Wing in the Class Three Advancing Culture & Sports Handicap (1,800m).
