Hong Kong Racing
Race Review of Sha Tin 21st January 2026
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.
Race 1 – Kam Shan Handicap, HK $875,000,
Class 5 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.60 Standard Time: 1:09.35 Course/Class record: 1:08.46 Trillion Treasure
Andrea Atzeni and John Size joined forces in the opening event as NOBLE DELUXE (AUS 4yo g Toronado – Big Spirit) broke his maiden. After jumping well, the gelding rolled forward to land close to the speed. Down the back straight he was three-wide, though he slotted into the one-out-one-back position as they approached the first turn. He raced comfortably around the turn and Atzeni got off heels in the straight to mount his challenge. After a perfect run in transit, the gelding moved up to take the lead inside the final furlong and drew away to score comfortably, winning by 1-3/4 lengths. ONLY U settled well back in the field after jumping from barrier 8 and needed plenty of luck as they swung into the straight. Karis Teetan tried to get out wide down the stretch but was pocketed by rivals and forced back to the inside to weave his way through. The gelding was able to weave his way through the traffic back to the inside, slicing through to charge late and steal second position right on the post. MACANESE MASTER had set the tempo from the outset under Matthew Poon and stayed on well in the straight. He was picked off for second place in a photo finish, but he was solid enough.
Race 2 – Silvermine Bay Handicap, HK $875,000,
Class 5 – All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:38.98 Standard Time: 1:39.45 Course/Class record: 1:38.30 Apolar Warrior
CELESTIAL HARMONY (AUS 5yo g Lope de Vega – Happy Odyssey) turned his form right around in his first run for the Brett Crawford stable, breaking his maiden. From the start, Lyle Hewitson urged the gelding along to be prominent in the run, sitting outside the leader as they worked around the first turn. The South African hoop obtained cover down the back straight with a rival crossing him near the 1200m marker, with Celestial Harmony smoking the pipe in the one-out-one-back position. With 500m remaining, Hewitson took off, moving around his rivals three-wide and quickly took the lead on straightening. He was well in front at the furlong pole and the race was over with 100m remaining. Phantom Cyclone closed late in the race, but he never looked like a winning chance. PHANTOM CYCLONE tried to drift back from the wide draw and was left racing very wide through the first half of the race. Maxime Guyon was eventually able to slide back through the middle stages, racing with cover three-wide before getting a nice tow into the race around the home turn. Guyon was hard at work prior to entering the straight, but the gelding continued to find under his urgings as he ran to second with around 100m remaining. He closed strongly, but the race always looked to be under Celestial Harmony's control. RUN RUN TIMING got his nose down on the line to finish in third position, sticking on from a midfield position under Richard Kingscote.
Race 3 – Marble Handicap, HK $1,170,000,
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:08.35 Standard Time: 1:08.95 Course/Class record: 1:08.14 Happy Tour
SPEEDY SMARTIE (NZ 6yo g Satono Aladdin – Lemonade) returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion, bringing up a winning double for trainer Brett Crawford. The gelding fired out of barrier six and went straight to the front under Karis Teetan. The Mauritian hoop kicked up to keep his spot along the fence, setting a solid tempo through the middle stages and having plenty of his rivals chasing. On straightening, the gelding kicked into gear and shot away from his rivals, opening up a big gap at the furlong pole before extending that margin over the concluding stages. The win was never in any doubt, with Speedy Smartie putting 4-3/4 lengths on his rivals. HERBAL STAR finished in second position as a $25 chance. After trying to roll forward early on from barrier 10, James Orman had to take his medicine and sit three-wide facing the breeze. He raced close to the speed throughout and was pushed wide on straightening. Despite his tough run in transit, the gelding stuck on gamely to get into second place with around 100m remaining and finish in the placings. FLOWING RICHES challenged Speedy Smartie for the lead early on before sitting outside the leader in running. While he was no match for Speedy Smartie late in the race, he stuck on well to finish in third position, 5 lengths from the winner.
Race 4 – Tin Chak Handicap, HK $3,120,000,
Class 2 – All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:38.25 Standard Time: 1:38.40 Course/Class record: 1:36.15 Hongkong Great
NEW FOREST (AUS 5yo g Justify – Paulownia) made it back-to-back wins in good style, leading all the way under Andrea Atzeni who picked up a winning double in the process. New Forest was clearly the fastest into stride and he was able to work across and lead the small field with ease. His main danger moved up to sit outside him around the first turn, but Atzeni was cruising along comfortably in front, setting a moderate tempo through the first half of the race. The pace ramped up from the 800m point and as they swung around the turn, the field started to break apart with New Forest showing a clean pair of heels. He sprinted quickly on straightening and got away from the chasing pack, putting the race to bed with 100m to run. Atzeni eased up on the gelding close to home, with the final margin being 1-1/2 lengths. GORGEOUS WIN enjoyed a love run in the one-out-one-back position throughout under Jerry Chau. He was left a little flat footed when the sprint went on, but he rallied strongly in the last 200m to run into second position. TALENTS AMBITION had been last in the run throughout the race and snuck up the fence to secure run into third position after jumping the race favourite.
Race 5 – Marble Handicap, HK $1,170,000,
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:08.83 Standard Time: 1:08.95 Course/Class record: 1:08.14 Happy Tour
VULCANUS (AUS 5yo g Lean Mean Machine – Fair Choice) got back to winning ways with Maxime Guyon in the saddle for Me Tsui. The five-year-old wasn't the quickest into stride, though he was urged along by Guyon to land in a handy position just off the speed. As they worked to the first turn, the Frenchman was able to kick up along the fence to sneak through and be on the back of the leader around the home turn. He came off heels early in the straight and it was the last furlong of the race that was most impressive, moving up to take the lead under Guyon, before inching away to score by a half-length. SUPREME SEA showed good speed early on to be prominent in the run as Hewitson took up a stalking role on settling down. Supreme Sea was poised to strike on straightening, moving up to take the lead with a furlong to run, though he had company in the form of Vulcanus. He was unable to fend off the challenger in the last 100m of the race and was forced to settle for second place. MR COOL flashed home from back in the field to finish in third place under Zac Purton.
Race 6 – Po Shek Wu Handicap, HK $1,170,000,
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1800m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:47.62 Standard Time: 1:48.55 Course/Class record: 1:47.45 Mission Bravo
FOREVER FOLKS (AUS 7yo g Tavistock – Tempting Delight) returned to winning ways with an impressive display under Zac Purton. Out to 1800m again today, Purton was able to land just worse than midfield. The speed was solid throughout and Purton moved three-wide down the back, keeping his momentum up as he moved closer to the leaders. He was there to strike around the turn, and he quickly took over at the top of the straight. He stayed on strongly to break away from his rivals, winning easily by 2-1/4 lengths. GOOD GOOD showed good speed from out wide to roll across to sit on the outside of the leader. He travelled well in the run and responded strongly when Forever Folks loomed up on his outside on the home turn. He was no match for the winner in the straight but stuck on gamely to hold on for second position. FIREFOOT couldn't go with Forever Folks when the move came but stuck on well to finish in third place as a $10 chance.
Race 7 – Diamond Hill Handicap, HK $1,170,000,
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:38.42 Standard Time: 1:39.05 Course/Class record: 1:37.74 Mission Bravo
A successful night continued for Andrea Atzeni, bringing up a winning treble aboard SIGHT DREAMER (NZ 5yo g Almanzor – Sacred Rhythm). The gelding jumped well and showed good speed from barrier one to take up the running under Atzeni as they headed into the first turn. He set a good tempo up front but was ticking along comfortably, with the Sicilian hoop sitting motionless aboard his mount while his rivals were under the pump on straightening. He sprinted quickly on straightening and responded when challenged early in the straight, making every post a winner to make it a winning double for John Size. NIGHT PUROSANGUE landed on the back of the leader and $2 favourite and stalked him throughout the event. Maxime Guyon was poised to strike on straightening as he moved into the clear and made his challenge at the top of the straight. He couldn't quite peg back the margin, remaining a length away over the final furlong to finish in second position. CALIFORNIA STAR stuck on well from back in the field to finish in third position, closing nicely under Zac Purton.
Race 8 – Shui Chuen O Handicap, HK $1,860,000,
Class 3 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:07.92 Standard Time: 1:08.55 Course/Class record: 1:07.40 Dehere's The Love
Purton and Shum combined again in the penultimate event with BLAZING WIND (AUS 5yo g Deep Field – Secretly Discreet) continuing his strong run of form this campaign. The gelding was out well and worked across in the early stages to get into the running line just off the tempo. The leader was running along at a good speed and Purton was well placed coming to the turn, coming off heels and looking very confident at the top of the straight. He waited patiently before asking for maximum effort approaching the furlong pole, with Blazing Wind taking the lead with around 100m to run. He was too strong late in the race, scoring by a neck on the line as the race favourite. GUMMY GUMMY settled just behind the speed under Richard Kingscote and was able to stalk the leader through the middle stages. He worked into the race nicely on the turn, but Blazing Wind came off his back to challenge midway doing the straight. He fought hard when challenged, but he couldn't fight him off late in the race, finishing in second position, but well ahead of third. AMROUR WAR EAGLE was no match for the first two across the line but stuck on well under Karis Teetan to finish in third position 3-1/2 lengths off the winner.
Race 9 – Green Island Handicap, HK $2,050,000,
Class 3 – All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:38.29 Standard Time: 1:38.60 Course/Class record: 1:36.79 True Legend
Dylan Browne McMonagle teamed up with Ricky Yiu in the final event of the night, with DRAGON AIR FORCE (NZ 5yo g Swiss Ace – Best Of British) securing his fourth career victory. The gelding got away well from an inside barrier and landed just off the speed, racing along the fence at an even speed. DBM was poised to strike turning off the back, getting off the fence and improving to be right on the back of the leader as they swung into the straight. McMonagle pushed his was into the clear on straightening and the gelding quickly took over. He shot clear with 100m to run and scored a comfortable victory, winning by three quarters of-a-length. SKY VINO had been on the back of the eventual winner throughout the race. Ellis Wong continued to follow Dragon Air Force around the home turn and was held up on straightening as he got close to heels. Wong ducked back to the inside early in the stretch, eventually going through the same gap as Dragon Air Force late in the race. He closed strongly but couldn't peg back the margin. ALLCASH closed off nicely out wide on the course, sustaining a long run down the middle of the course to finish in third position.
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