Hong Kong Racing
Race Review of Happy Valley 7th January 2026
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Des Voeux Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:40.05 Standard Time: 1:39.90 Course/Class record: 1:38.34 Highland Rahy
BEAUTY MISSILE (AUS 6yo g Smart Missile – Five Card Charlie) finally shed the maiden tag at start 38, producing a gutsy, long‑awaited breakthrough in the opener under a brilliantly judged Hugh Bowman ride for the Brett Crawford camp. After travelling midfield and wide, Bowman made the race‑defining move at the 700m, surging forward to take up the running and seizing control before the sprint went on. Narrowly in front turning for home, BEAUTY MISSILE was immediately challenged but refused to lie down, digging in all the way to the line to prevail by a short head in a tight photo. ROMANTIC FANTASY was the one launching late, only really winding up once Bowman made his midrace move. More than 2 lengths off them at the bend, he powered home and was finishing best of all, just missing in the final strides. Race favourite STORM RUNNER had every chance after looming at the top of the straight, but despite travelling into it sweetly, he couldn't reel in the winner, finishing a neck away in third.
Race 2 – Jackson Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.61 Standard Time: 1.09.90 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
AMAZING KID (AUS 4yo g Exceed And Excel – Josdesanimaux) made it back‑to‑back wins in race two, with Andrea Atzeni and John Size combining. From a favourable draw, Atzeni enjoyed a dream run throughout, stalking the speed before easing into the clear at the top of the straight. Once presented, AMAZING KID lengthened beautifully, sweeping past the leaders at the 200m and continuing to open up, scoring with authority by a length. MASTER RESOLUTE was the late eye‑catcher, turning nearly 5 lengths off the pace after being buried last on the fence. Once he saw daylight, he charged through with a stylish finish to grab second, full of running through the line. GAMEPLAYER ELITE had tracked the winner into the race and stuck on bravely, but couldn't match AMAZING KID's sharper turn of foot, finishing 1-1/2 lengths away in third.
Race 3 – Club Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:39.53 Standard Time: 1:40.10 Course/Class record: 1:38.42 Highland Rahy
CELTIC TIMES (IRE 7yo g Dawn Approach – Teoirim) caused a major upset in race three, storming over the top of race favourite ACE WAR to deliver a strong win for Manfred Man under a perfectly timed ride from Jerry Chau. Jumping on terms from a low draw, Chau allowed the gelding to drift back and find cover off‑midfield in the three‑wide line. He travelled comfortably behind a solid tempo, and when Chau asked the question at the top of the straight, CELTIC TIMES responded immediately. Letting down powerfully inside the final 100m, he swept past the favourite to score by 1/2 a length. Purton, aboard ACE WAR, had settled on the fence in the same cluster of runners as the winner. Biding his time, he hugged the rail on straightening with just under 5 lengths to make up. As rivals shifted off, Purton drove through the inside, hitting the front at the 150m, but his advantage was short‑lived as CELTIC TIMES launched down the centre. The favourite stuck on bravely to the line despite being overrun. PRESTIGE RICKY produced a big finish from the tail, rattling home to claim a clear third, 1-3/4 lengths from the winner.
Race 4 – Jackson Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.69 Standard Time: 1:09.90 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
JOLLY COMPANION (AUS 6yo g All Too Hard – Nubian) made it a race‑to‑race training double for Manfred Man in the fourth, with Vincent Ho delivering a patient, perfectly timed ride. Enjoying a dream run behind another strong tempo, Ho simply bided his time on straightening, sitting behind a wall of runners with just under 3 lengths to make up. The gap finally appeared at the 150m, and when it did, JOLLY COMPANION exploded through, finishing the stronger of the pair to reel in the favourite and score by a neck. Race favourite SUPERB BOY provided the perfect back for the winner to follow and produced a sharp kick at the 150m to hit the front, but he couldn't withstand the late surge of JOLLY COMPANION. ACE POWER, meanwhile, had a stack of traffic to deal with after turning more than 3 lengths off the leader on the fence under Zac Purton. Once the runs came, he threaded through cleverly and closed off well to grab third, 2 lengths away in a tightly packed finish.
Race 5 – The Hong Kong Club Challenge Cup Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:40.96 Standard Time: 1:40.10 Course/Class record: 1:38.42 Highland Rahy
STORMI (IRE 5yo g Capella Sansevero – Passified Lady) produced a dominant pillar‑to‑post display under a superbly measured ride from Jerry Chau - his second win of the night and a strong result for the Cody Mo stable. Spearing across from the wide draw, Chau took control immediately, allowing STORMI to bowl along comfortably while keeping a healthy margin on the chasing pack. He travelled sweetly to the turn and, once in the straight, never looked in danger, continuing to lift and drawing clear to score by 1-1/2 lengths. VIVACIOUS WIN enjoyed a handy run just off the speed and, once clear early in the straight, closed off well to grab second in a tight finish for the minors. CALIFORNIA MOXIE faced a far tougher task, turning more than 5 lengths off them under a big weight, but Hugh Bowman saved every inch of ground by ducking back to the inside. He threaded through cleverly and finished off solidly to claim third, 1-3/4 lengths from the winner.
Race 6 – Jackson Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: Standard Time: 1:09.90 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends
STRAIGHT TO GLORY (Aus 4yo g Hellbent – Witless) notched up his maiden victory at the tenth time of asking with a comfortable win under Derek Leung for trainer Michael Chang. The inside draw played into his hands beautifully as Leung was able to settle fourth on the rails and find clear air when he wanted as the leaders strung the field out. He edged Straight To Glory into the clear at the 400m mark and moved up boldly inside the 150m, coming clear to score by 1-1/2 lengths. HONEST WITNESS led them up and went for home early as a $21 chance, showing plenty of heart but ultimately settling for second. Race favourite VOYAGE BOSS had every hope under Zac Purton but couldn't go with the winner and finished third.
Race 7 – Chater Handicap, HK $1,186,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good
Time: 56.58 Standard Time: 0:56.65 Course/Class record: 0:55.85 Stoltz
LOVE TOGETHER (Aus 3yo g Capitalist – Maroon Bay) justified his 3.6 quote as favourite to score a handy maiden win at his fourth attempt. Drawn low in barrier two for Vincent Ho, Love Together settled midfield on the rails and was given a beautiful passage through, coming between runners to level up inside the final 100m and go on to score by 3/4 of a length. The punters were largely spot on with $5 chance WONDERSTAR giving a strong sight for second up on speed while $4 hope ETERNAL FORTUNE given a good ride to battle on for third, a further two lengths away.
Race 8 – Connaught Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.75 Standard Time: 1:09.60 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision
As can be the case around Happy Valley, draws and position in run continued to play a big part, with Vincent Ho and trainer Caspar Fownes notching up a race-to-race double in the form of PERFECT GENERAL (Aus 5yo g Zoustar – Honey Rider). Just like the previous race, the winner drew perfectly in barrier two but this time Ho took Perfect General straight to the front, riding aggressively early to hold out his rivals. The 2.2 favourite had plenty of company from 4.8 second elect MY DAY MY WAY who sat outside the winner throughout, but Perfect General proved too tough late. My Day My Way looked in danger of missing the placings but rallied late to regain second ahead of REFUSETOBEENGLIGH who snuck up the rails and looked a real threat at the 100m mark but just peaked on his run late.
Race 9 – Des Voeux Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf – Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:40.05 Standard Time: 1:40.10 Course/Class record: 1:38.42 Highland Rahy
The third race in a row where the winner came from barrier two as SOLID WIN (Aus 5yo g Starspangledbanner – Casino Card) lived up to his name with a determined victory to deny the race favourite CORLEONE. Sent out a $14 chance, Solid Win settled midfield on the rails and looked in strife entering the straight when pocketed by Corleone who moved up boldly on the outside. Matthew Poon stayed cool however as the horses inside him dropped away, just surging past the favourite inside the final 50m to score by 1/2 a length. The pace was solid here with a mid-race move putting on the pressure, allowing $33 chance YOUNG ACHIEVER to run on from last and get into the frame for third.
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