Our Hong Kong expert Graham Cunningham takes a look at Wednesday's Happy Valley card live on Sky Sports Racing.
Three to go, three…..
Three meetings to go in the HK season and some familiar faces are determined to end a long campaign with a flourish.
Zac Purton moved past last season’s total and on to 132 winners with a Sha Tin four timer on Saturday.
Hugh Bowman needs two more winners to beat his previous best of 69 and could take some rides in the UK or France during his summer break, while Angus Chung coaxed a win out of perennial placegetter Beauty Charm and is looking forward to a working holiday with Ralph Beckett.
French rider Antoine Hamelin and veteran handler Benno Yung will be both be keen to snag at least one more winner before they depart next week, while the rumour mill is hinting that there could be another familiar British face joining messrs Atzeni, Bentley and Kingscote on the HK riding rota from September.
A first from Cambridge?
Did you hear about Coolmore’s quest for a high-class son of Dubawi to join their powerful stallion team?
That lengthy search ended when Delacroix swooped to land the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown but former stablemate CAMBRIDGE – another impeccably-bred son of Dubawi – can make his own headlines in the Begonia Handicap (3.15) at Happy Valley on Wednesday.
Fourth in the Craven and Dante and second in the Golden Gates Handicap at Royal Ascot last year, Cambridge has blossomed over 1800m at the Valley on his last two starts, swooping late to score at 24-1in May then travelling sweetly for a long way again when chasing home Joy Of Spring last month.
Joy Of Spring has defied a 7lb hike decisively at Sha Tin since, so the form looks solid. Add in the fact that Purton seems to have rung up for the ride and Cambridge clearly has plenty in his favour for this valuable Class 2.
Yung set to seize the Day Day
Yung can retire with his head held high after saddling 360 winners during his training career and the popular homegrown handler saddles an interesting horse when DAY DAY VICTORY lines up for the Fa Po Handicap at 1.10.
The first point to make about this Class 4 dash is that at least half of the field look very hard to fancy.
Harmony Fire and recent winner Lean Master bring much stronger credentials than most, but Day Day Victory has snagged two Valley wins this season and did enough to suggest that he’s still fairly teated when a clear second to the speedy and progressive Candlelight Dinner last month.
A below-par effort when trapped wide from gate 14 over 1200m at Sha Tin last time is easily forgiven and, back under optimum conditions with a handy draw in 4, this likeable gelding holds solid win and place credentials.
Bienvenue to an Elleegant solution
There are various ways to approach the rest of Wednesday’s card.
Candlelight Dinner is one of several fiery front runners on deck at 2.10, though the likelihood of a fierce battle for the lead in the Briar Handicap makes this a very complex puzzle.
But the Garden Handicap (2.45) and the concluding Cotton Tree Handicap (3.50) could be worth a second look.
Regulars will know my aversion to wide gates over 1200m at the Valley - horses drawn in double figures on the A track are a measly 10-330 in recent years – and VIGOR ELLEEGANT has drawn widest of all as he bids to follow up a Class 5 success.
But that success, gained with authority in a faster time than the other four 1200m contests on the night including a strong Class 3, suggests that Manfred Man has an improver on his hands.
The draw means I can’t go overboard, but I am prepared to take him as one of two against the field along with BIENVENUE, a tidy winner here in May before being on the wrong end of a tough trip when strongly fancied on his latest start.
Up for the Koepp
Lastly, a positive word for an old File favourite in Wednesday’s nightcap.
Mark Newnham has done a great job since inheriting POWER KOEPP from the Man barn earlier this year, coaxing two wins and three seconds from the former Chelmsford scorer.
That latest second, a slightly unlucky effort behind bang-in-form Dragon Four Seas, suggests Power Koepp is still fairly in after a 1lb rise. Add in an ideal draw in stall 3 and he’s all set to go close again under Alexis Badel.
Wednesday’s Valley Views
1.10: Day Day Victory (EW)
2.45: Vigor Elleegant/Bienvenue
3.15: Cambridge
3.50: Power Koepp
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