Our Hong Kong expert Graham Cunningham takes a look at Wednesday's Happy Valley card live on Sky Sports Racing.
Britney hits it one more time as Bundle books a Derby spot
Everyone knows that picking your targets carefully is one of the keys to good punting.
That’s every bit as true in HK as it is during Cheltenham week so let’s round up the news and get straight into Wednesday’s Happy Valley card.
Sunday at Sha Tin proved a red-letter day for Aussie rider Ben Thompson, who has secured a handy first Derby ride after bringing the John Size-trained Bundle Award with a powerful run to land a valuable Class 2 in decisive fashion.
Britney Wong made full use of her 10lb claim to land a dirt double, while Keith Yeung scored on 18-1 shot Mount Everest before delivering the biggest shock of the season when The Auspicious left previous plain efforts well behind to pop up at 131-1.
Meanwhile, it looks like Romantic Warrrior won’t be seen racing on home soil again until at least November after Danny Shum told the SCMP’s Sam Agars that the Dubai Turf (April 5th) will be his last run of the 2024-25 season.
A historic fourth consecutive HK Cup win in December is the next main target and another tilt at the Saudi Cup in 2026 could be on the cards if the Horse of the Year retains his sparkle aged eight.
Cloud to have a golden lining
Now to that nine-race midweek Valley card, which offers over £1m in prize money and several handicaps that look almost as challenging as those at the Festival.
But it would be great to strike a blow before the Cheltenham action gets under way and GLORY CLOUD looks well worth keeping an eye on for the Peng Chau Handicap at 12.10.
Bowser is bound to be popular for this Class 4 dash after a slightly unlucky second over course and distance last week, while New Power is another with decent claims after a solid Valley third.
But Glory Cloud is nicely treated on two early season placed efforts in races that have worked out well and he’s given the impression that he’s much better than recent form figures suggest, including when staying on well from a very poor position last Wednesday.
There was hardly a penny in the market for Glory Cloud from stall 11 that night, but he’s much better drawn in 6 this time and I suspect the money will come for him this time.
Add in a 2lb drop in his mark and the assistance of the excellent Brenton Avdulla for the first time and Caspar Fownes’s gelding looks all set to give his followers an excellent each-way run for their money.
To Infinity and beyond
Avdulla has enjoyed the best spell of his HK career since Zac Purton got injured and the Aussie has another chance to shine for Size when BEAUTY INFINITY bids to make amends for a narrow defeat last week in the Cheung Chau Handicap at 2.15.
Sports Legend and California Touch look bound to set a strong pace here and the former looks well worth a saver after being pegged back close home by the bang-in-form Spicy Gold last week.
But Beauty Infinity also impressed a little earlier on the same card, going down by a nose to the unexposed Romantic Son in a three-way go, and the handicapper has given him a clear chance to go one better by raising him just 2lb.
Spirits on the rise back at 1200m
The Class 3 that concludes the card at 2.50 is the richest race of the night, with over £200,000 on offer, but it looks a little too tough for me with a case to be made for at least half a dozen including another of last week’s winners Beauty Alliance.
And the Cheung Chau Handicap at 1.45 serves up a different kind of dilemma as blazing front runner YOUTHFUL SPIRITS steps up to 1200m as he bids to end a run of frustrating near misses.
Precious few Valley sprinters can match this lad’s brazen early speed – as he confirmed when pegged back late over the minimum trip two weeks ago – and at first glance it’s surprising to see Mark Newnham stepping him up to 1200 for the first time since last June.
But Newnham is a canny operator. I suspect he will ask Luke Ferraris to be less aggressive in the early stages this time and, if Youthful Spirits gets the message, his ability to kick off the home turn might just set this lot a tough target.
Wednesday’s Valley Views
- 12.10: Glory Cloud (EW)
- 1.45: Youthful Spirits
- 2.15: Beauty Infinity/Sports Legend
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