Our Hong Kong expert Graham Cunningham takes a look at Wednesday's card at Happy Valley live on Sky Sports Racing.
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John Size is back in business after a 1000m double provided by Sight Hermoso and Stellar Express, who seized the favoured stand rail under Andrea Atzeni and never looked back in the Bauhinia Sprint Trophy.
Hot favourite Colourful King could never land a glove on Stellar Express after getting stuck in traffic but rattled off an impressive 22.05s closer to signal that he’s still ahead of his current mark of 98.
Harry Bentley continued his good start to the new year by winning the finale on Lovero and, with twelve and fourteen winners apiece, he and Atzeni have trousered their percentage on a combined £5.4m in the first four months of the season.
Meanwhile, French ace Maxime Guyon has hit the ground running in his latest HK stint and impressed again with a double on The Concentration and Gallant Epoch to end the day on nine winners from just 69 rides.
Life is life
Zac Purton also notched a double aboard Victory Sky and Sagacious Life and the latter is inked in for the Classic Mile on February 1st after defying a mark of 90 in a valuable Class 2.
Royal Ascot runner-up Seraph Gabriel didn’t cut much ice behind Lovero on his HK debut but is well worth another chance given that he endured a torrid trip under Atzeni from the home turn.
Mark Newnham is a dab hand with his AW runners and Supreme Sea’s decisive winning dirt debut kept him one ahead of Caspar Fownes atop the trainers’ table.
And Frankie Lor has another promising young sprinter on his hands based on the way Loyal Bright opened his account by landing heavy support under Derek Leung.
Luckless Probert pulls the plug
One familiar name was missing when the racecard for Wednesday’s meeting at Happy Valley was published and the announcement that followed came as no surprise.
David Probert is clearly a fine rider – his record over a long period in Britain proves that – but the 37-year-old Welshman is heading back to Britain at the end of March
Caspar Fownes has done his best to support Probert, as has Douglas Whyte, but genuine winning chances have been few and far between in a jockey room that contains several genuine global stars and a host of talented riders with firmly established contacts.
A record of 0-116 since arriving in HK last September tells its own tale, as does the fact that Probert didn’t secure a single ride on Wednesday, and it’s surely for the best that he will be back on home soil as the 2026 Flat season starts to gather momentum.
I did it My Day My Way
Now to a Valley card that features a host of tough handicaps and the reappearance of the two horses who powered Ryan Moore to his latest Longines IJC win at the Valley last month.
Triumphant More sealed Ryan’s success that night, powering through from well back to assert close home, but a 7lb hike and gate 11 (a measly 2-92 over 1200m on the C course in recent years) suggests it will pay to shop around in the Connaught Handicap at 2.15.
Caspar’s dual course and distance winner Perfect General heads the overnight markets after running well from a poor draw last time but MY DAY MY WAY is low mileage compared to most of these and looks worth a small win and place dabble after coming home strongly from the widest gate of all on his reappearance.
The Fownes-trained Corleone was another to benefit from a Moore special on IJC night, making most to hold on by a whisker, and the booking of Guyon is no hardship as he bids to defy a 6lb hike in the concluding Des Voeux Handicap at 2.50.
But Corleone could have company if he wants to go forward again.
It shouldn’t stop him going well but KING LOTUS has been consistent and progressive at the Valley this term and the addition of cheekpieces looks an interesting move as Newnham bids to cement his championship leader status.
Wednesday’s Valley Views
- 2.15: My Day My Way (EW)
- 2.50: King Lotus
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