Hong Kong Racing
Race Review of Happy Valley - 4th March 2026
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Kwoon Chung Motors Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1800m – Track Good to Yielding
Time: 1:49.35 Standard Time: 1:49.95 Course/Class Record: 1:48.33 Success Allstars
Hugh Bowman and Caspar Fownes combined to win the opening race of the evening with SUPER SICARIO (NZ 4yo g Tivaci – Promenade) picking up his second victory of the season. The four-year-old jumped well from barrier five and rolled forward to settle in the one-out-one-back position as they approached the first turn. The speed was good through the middle stages and the son of Tivaci was travelling strongly, looking poised to strike after having the run of the race. Bowman began to make his move as they turned off the back, moving three-wide and building into the race ominously under his own steam. He was in line with the leaders as they worked around the bend, but Bowman didn't ask for an effort once he had balanced up in the straight. He was hanging in a touch under pressure, though he still ran to the lead and straightened himself up when Bowman put the whip in his right hand. He was there to be beaten if his rivals were good enough, though he packed too many punches and went on to win by a length on the line. ALL ARE MINE got onto thye back of Super Sicario as they turned off the back, though he was under plenty of pressure from Alexis Badel around the turn. He stayed on well to finish in second position, and he looks better suited over further. PERFECT PAIRING snuck through the traffic to get his nose down on the wire and take third position. Andrea Atzeni was able to weave a passage through, coming home strongly to round out the trifecta as a $26 chance.
Race 2 – Intercontinental Limousine Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Yielding
Time: 1:09.97 Standard Time: 1:10.10 Course/Class Record: 1:09.17 Alloy King
Trainer Caspar Fownes quickly made it a winning double on the night as VERBIER (FR 6yo g Toronado – Vadirima) secured his first win in almost a year. The gelding was slow out of the barriers and was in the second half of the field around the first turn. Luke Ferraris raced along the inside rail and was in a tricky position as they turned off the back, needing plenty of luck around the home turn. Ferraris opted to stay close to the inside and weave his way through the traffic, with the gelding picking up impressively shortly after straightening. The gap appeared for him at the 150m point and he shot through between horses, moving up to hit the front with 50m remaining and inching away to score by a half-length on the line. ONLY U was able to slide across and settle in the one-out-one-back position for Zac Purton. The $5 chance was given a brilliant ride, having every chance on the back of a solid tempo and Purton didn't have to change course in the straight. Only U took the lead coming to the 100m point, but he was gunned down by Verbier who was just too strong late in the race. CALL TO COMMAND was in a midfield position on the back of Only U in the run and swung wider on the turn under Harry Bentley. He closed off nicely under the urgings of Bentley but couldn't match the first two across the line as he finished a length behind in third.
Race 3 – Trans-Island Chinalink Handicap, HK $3,120,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 2200m – Track Good
Time: 2:16.53 Standard Time: 2:17.05 Course/Class Record: 2:14.42 Bright Kid
Zac Purton and Mark Newnham combined with ACE WAR (IRE 5yo g Phoenix Of Spain – Clarinda) in race three, with the gelding picking up his maiden win at start 19. After drawing the outside barrier, Zac Purton eased the gelding to the tail of the field in the early stages, though the five-year-old was racing keenly at the back of the pack. Purton spent much of the first 1000m trying to get the gelding to relax at the back of the pack, ending up a clear last by the 1200m point. He was still a clear last with 800m remaining and Purton remained to the inside as they turned off the back. He was able to improve beneath rivals coming to the home turn and he looked to have plenty to offer, with the gap appearing shortly after straightening and letting rip. He moved up swiftly to take the lead coming to the 100m point, and he careered away for an emphatic victory, winning by two lengths on the line in his first run for the Newnham stable. STAR BROSE was another who ended up in the second half of the field on settling down with Keith Yeung drifting back in the early stages of the race. Down the back straight, the gelding came under plenty of pressure, though he began to make ground passing the 400m point. Yeung swung to the outside and while the gelding finished strongly, he was no match for the winner. DOUBLE WIN stuck on strongly after settling on the back of the leader to finish 1-1/4 lengths clear in third place.
Race 4 – Kennedy Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.28 Standard Time: 1:09.90 Course/Class Record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
GAMEPLAYER ELITE (BRZ 6yo g Kentuckian – Over Cat) finally secured his maiden victory, scoring at start 19 for Douglas Whyte and Harry Bentley. The ghostly grey jumped well and put himself close to the speed under the English hoop with a good tempo being set through the opening and middle stages. Bentley was niggling at his mount by the 600m to hold his position one-out-one-back, being poised to strike around the home turn before peeling into the clear. He came down the outside with a strong run, hitting the front with 100m to go and landing the knockout blow as the race favourite, scoring by a half-length. GENIUS BABY ended up in a midfield position for Lyle Hewitson as he raced between horses down the back straight. He was sitting behind the eventual winner in the run and came off his back to mount a challenge in the straight. He was there to strike if good enough, but ran out of time to reel him back in. SKY CAP set the tempo up front under Dylan Browne McMonagle and stuck on gamely to the line, finishing a length away in third.
Race 5 – Kwoon Chung Macau Limousine Rental Services Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.59 Standard Time: 1:09.90 Course/Class Record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
Both trainer Douglas Whyte and Zac Purton secured winning doubles on the card as they combined with GIANT BALLON (IRE 4yo g Mehmas – Heavenly River) in race five. Purton put the foot down from out wide and took up the running entering the first turn. He led by a length down the back straight, running along at a solid tempo and he was able to catch his breath around the home turn. Purton put the foot down once again as they rounded the home turn and he broke away from his rivals in very impressive fashion. Purton put the whip away a long way from home and eased up on the gelding late, with the final margin 2-1/2 lengths in a terrific display. GIANT LEAP landed in the one-out-one-back position for Matthew Poon and the gelding travelled beautifully in the run. After having every chance in the run, Poon swung him into the clear on straightening, but the race was already over when he ran to second place with 150m remaining. He finished a clear second with ENJOY GOLF back in third after tracking Giant Ballon in the run under Harry Bentley.
Race 6 – The Kwoon Chung Bus Cup (Handicap), HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.63 Standard Time: 1:09.90 Course/Class Record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
SYMBOL OF STRENGTH (IRE 4yo g Kodiac – Symbol Of Love) had been inching toward a maiden win and finally got the job done in race six with Luke Ferraris in the saddle for Frankie Lor. The South African hoop was able to slot into a midfield position from barrier seven in a good piece of riding. The tempo was strong up front and Ferraris was getting a lovely run in transit, moving into the three-wide line around the home turn and building into the race out wide. He came down the middle of the track with a strong run, looming up to the leader with 100m to run. It looked as though he would run straight by the leader, but to Flying Wrote's credit, he put up a strong fight. Symbol Of Strength finished off the better though, getting the job done by a neck on the line. FLYING WROTE was settling to the inside of Symbol Of Strength in the run for Jerry Chau. The local hoop was able to sneak up the inside to be on the back of the leader around the home turn and was able to get off heels and into the clear at the top of the straight. He fought hard as Symbol Of Strength loomed up on his outside, though he couldn't fend him off down to the line. They cleared out from POWER KOEPP who closed off nicely from the back of the pack to round out the placings.
Race 7 – Kwoon Chung Inclusive & Accessible Service (Handicap), HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf – Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:40.85 Standard Time: 1:40.10 Course/Class Record: 1:38.42 Highland Rahy
Zac Purton secured his third win on the evening as CALIFORNIA MOXIE (IRE 5yo g Mehmas – Obama Rule) returned to winning ways. Despite jumping on terms, Purton eased back out wide to settle in the back half of the field. He remained there throughout the run with just a moderate tempo set through the middle stages. He remained at the back of the pack by the 600m point and only began to work into the race with 400m remaining, being the widest runner on straightening. He moved into the race strongly around the home turn and he quickened impressively under Purton. The gelding only hit the front inside the final 50m, winning by a head on the line in a strong performance. GLORIOUS JOURNEY settled in a midfield position for Vincent Ho. He travelled strongly in the run before peeling three-wide with around 450m to run. He worked into the race strongly around the home turn and was making plenty of ground out wide. He hit the front inside the final 150m but couldn't fend off the late challenge from California Moxie. RAGGA BOMB set the tempo up front for Hugh Bowman as the $3.2 favourite and couldn't sustain the effort. The first two were just too strong for him late, though he did finish 1-1/2 lengths clear of the fourth placegetter.
Race 8 – New Lantao Bus Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Goo
Time: 1:09.71 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class Record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
AMAZING KID (AUS 4yo g Exceed And Excel – Josdesanimaux) returned to winning ways, reversing his disappointing performance last start to return to the winners' list in strong fashion. Andrea Atzeni was left racing very wide around the first turn after being unable to find a position from barrier nine. The Sicilian ended up racing three-wide with cover in a midfield position as he drifted back around the first turn. Amazing Kid was under pressure around the final corner, but he continued to find under the urgings of Atzeni and was making good ground early in the straight. The four-year-old took the lead coming to the 100m point and shot away from his rivals, winning comfortably on the line by 1-1/4 lengths. METRO POWER rolled forward from barrier six to settle on the outside of the leader as they sorted their order out. He travelled strongly in the run and began challenging for the lead prior to the home turn, eventually getting his head in front with a furlong remaining. He stuck on well to finish in second place, but the winner was just too good on the night. STORMING DRAGON flashed home for Lyle Hewitson to finish in third position after jumping the $2.9 favourite.
Race 9 – Sichuan Bipenggou Tourist Attractions Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf – Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:40.28 Standard Time: 1:39.90 Course/Class Record: 1:38.34 Highland Rahy
Luke Ferraris rounded out a successful night in the saddle as FIVEFORTWO (GBN 4yo g Time Test – Naive) returned to winning form for the Francis Lui barn. The South African hoop came out of the barriers in a neutral manner, ending up in a midfield position on settling down. A solid tempo was being set in the early stages before the pace slackened through the middle stages with the field beginning to bunch up with 600m remaining. The pace ramped up again around the home turn, with Ferraris getting his way into the clear and building into the race on straightening. He came very wide in the straight, but he quickened strongly to hit the front with 100m to run. He had too much gas in the tank, securing the win by two lengths in an impressive display. It was a tight finish for the minor placings with SAMARKAND getting the nod for second position by the judges. Samarkand enjoyed a perfect run in the race for Lyle Hewitson, travelling sweetly on the back of the leader throughout the race. He was travelling well up to the turn and looked to have plenty to offer as they swung into the straight, with Hewitson getting a gap and producing his mount early in the straight. Samarkand hit the front momentarily with 150m remaining, but he was no match for the winner. He fought gamely to the line to hold on for second as a $28 chance. SUPER UNICORN finished off nicely under Andrea Atzeni to grab third in the blanket finish, ducking back to the inside at the top of the straight and going underneath his rivals. He rounded out the placings as a $23 elect.
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