Hong Kong Racing
Race Review of Sha Tin - 30th October 2025
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.
Race 1 – Wa Mei Shan Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – All Weather – Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:41.53 Standard Time: 1:39.45 Course/Class record: 1:38.30 Apolar Warrior
Brenton Avdulla and David Hayes combined to win the opening event of the day with NIGHT PUROSANGUE (IRE 4yo g Night Of Thunder – Braided). The gelding jumped well and was left racing very wide around the first turn with a clump of runners looking to roll forward early in the race. The gelding was left racing three-wide and without cover as they travelled down the back straight, facing the breeze but he was very close to the speed which was just moderate through the middle stages. Avdulla obtained cover as they turned off the back and travelled strongly to the home turn where the Australian peeled out with plenty to offer. He nursed the gelding into the straight and he let down powerfully when asked, hitting the front with around 200m to run. He floated a touch when getting to the front, not putting his rivals away like he had threatened to do, but he found again when Courier Magic loomed up on his outside. He fought off the late challenge to get the job done, with the margin being a short head. COURIER MAGIC ended up in the second half of the field on settling down from barrier 10, but with the moderate tempo he found himself within striking distance through the middle stages. Jerry Chau needed some luck around the home turn as he was racing between horses and was slightly held up on straightening. He was able to drift off heels and into the clear at the top of the stretch and began to hit top gear as they reached the furlong marker. He kept coming at the leader right to the line but couldn't stick his nose in front at any stage. FOREMOST TEDDY stuck on well after being up on the speed throughout under James Orman, finishing 1-1/4 lengths away in third.
Race 2 – Tsim Mei Fung Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.78 Standard Time: 1:09.35 Course/Class record: 1:08.46 Trillion Treasure
NOTTHESILLYONE (AUS 5yo g Super One – Silly Sally) secured his first win of the season with a narrow all-the-way win for Luke Ferraris and Mark Newnham. The gelding was one of the first out of the barriers and went straight to the front, showing good early speed as he crossed down to the rail from barrier seven. He wasn't taken on out in front, but he still set a strong tempo which saw him break away from his rivals around the home turn, extending his lead to 2-1/4 lengths at the 400m point. Ferraris cruised into the straight with a big gap up his sleeve and didn't push the button until the 300m point. The gap was beginning to dwindle with around 150m to run as he got tired, but the gelding held on by the narrowest of margins to bring up his second career victory. CHEER FOR SOUTH was unable to get in from barrier 12 and was forced to race wide and without cover throughout the event under Jerry Chau. He wasn't too far off the speed however in a stalking position, racing strongly up to the home turn and he still looked to have something to offer in the straight. He sprinted well when Chau asked for an effort, setting out after the leader and he was making big inroads late in the race. It was too little too late, however. DOUBLE BINGO flew home from the back of the field to finish in third position, relishing the strong tempo set up front.
Race 3 – Shek Uk Shan Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.71 Standard Time: 1:08.95 Course/Class record: 1:08.14 Happy Tour
After going under by 6-1/4 lengths HINOKAMI KAGURA (AUS 5yo g Deep Field – Little Zeta) turned his form right around to notch up the second win of his career. From the inside barrier, Matthew Chadwick was kicking up along the fence to try and hold his position, urging the gelding along in the early stages. The speed was strong early and the local hoop always seemed to be niggling at his mount, but Chadwick was able to get off the fence and into the clear approaching the home turn. He was grinding away down the outside, but he was making good headway down the outside and stuck his head in front with around 150m remaining. He looked to be holding all his rivals at bay before No Other Choice sprouted wings late. He held on to score by a short head in a closer finish than first anticipated. NO OTHER CHOICE jumped on terms from out wide but was shifted back from the outside stall to be a clear last on settling down. Keith Yeung needed to urge the gelding along to keep up with the main body of the field, being over three lengths off the second last horse passing the 800m point. That margin had blown out even further around the home turn, and he never looked likely at any stage in the run. That was until the 200m point where Yeung got him to the outside and he flew home late in the race. He stayed on powerfully late in the race to just miss on the line in a very impressive performance. HE WAS YOU snuck up the inside rail to steal third position in a photo finish, weaving his way through the traffic to be a half-length away on the line.
Race 4 – Tiu Yue Yung Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1800m – Track Good
Time: 1:50.30 Standard Time: 1:48.55 Course/Class record: 1:47.45 Mission Bravo
RELIABLE PROFIT (NZ 7yo g Reliable Man – Oh So Royal) bolted in for Zac Purton and Danny Shum after a close defeat to begin the season. The flashy grey jumped well and rolled forward under Purton to be just off the speed heading into the first turn, though he was posted three deep. He did have cover out wide through with the speed even through the early and middle stages of the race. The gelding was travelling well to the 600m point where Purton began to pick him up, with the son of Reliable Man responding immediately as he cruised up to make a line of four on straightening. When Purton pushed the button, the response was immediate, and Reliable Profit put the race to bed in a matter of strides. He ran away to score by 3-1/4 lengths eased down in an emphatic performance. VIVA TASTE settled in the back half of the field and tried to get onto the back of Reliable Profit around the home turn. He didn't take the home turn well at all, but the gelding finished off nicely under Matthew Poon to finish second as an $81 chance. SUPREME AGILITY was next to Viva Taste in the run and made his move up the inside rail in the straight. James Orman weaved through the traffic to finish off strongly in the closing stages, ending up in third place.
Race 5 – Shek Uk Shan Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:10.35 Standard Time: 1:08.95 Course/Class record: 1:08.14 Happy Tour
Hugh Bowman and Me Tsui combined to win race five on the program with VULCANUS (AUS 5yo g Lean Mean Machine – Fair Choice) returning to winning form. After jumping well from barrier 8, Bowman was quite neutral on his mount and he was left racing wide on settling down. This didn't really matter though as he had cover three deep and was sitting in a midfield position under the Australian hoop. Bowman began to make his move approaching the home turn, ending up down the middle of the track on straightening and looming large with a furlong to run. He eventually took control near the 100m point and despite having challengers late in proceedings, he was too strong, scoring by a neck on the line. FORTUNE WHISKEY was last in the run and under heavy pressure around the home turn, looking much like No Other Choice in race three earlier in the night. He was still well off the leaders with 200m to run, but he stormed home down the outside to get into second position in an eye-catching performance. GLACIATED got up for third right on the line for Karis Teetan, doing his best work late in the race after not having the best of runs in the straight.
Race 6 – Tin Ha Shan Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:40.85 Standard Time: 1:39.05 Course/Class record: 1:37.74 Mission Bravo
LESLIE (AUS 7yo g Shooting To Win – We Can Dance) ended his winless run of nearly two years, running over the top to win comfortably under Matthew Poon. The local hoop ended up in the second half of the field on settling down, racing wide as they entered the back straight. They cruised along the back and the gelding travelled well despite being a long way off the leader with a good pace on offer through the middle stages. Poon began to make some headway as they turned off the back, cruising around horses deeper out as he built into the race strongly on the home turn. He was right off the track as they entered the straight, but he was travelling strongly and Poon looked very confident at the top of the stretch. The gelding stormed down the middle of the track, to take the lead inside the final 100m of the race and get the job done by a half-length on the line. SHANGHAI STYLE landed in a beautiful position from barrier four with Hugh Bowman slotting him into the one-out-one-back position. He travelled sweetly in the run and Bowman peeled three-wide a long way from home to allow him to build into the race around the home turn. He levelled up to the leaders with ease but was hanging in when Bowman first asked for an effort. He took the lead with around 100m remaining but couldn't fend off Leslie who blew by him down the outside. YOUTH POWER stuck on well from his position on the back of the leader after having to go back and around Shanghai Style early in the straight. He picked up nicely to run third in a tight three-way photo finish for the minor placing.
Race 7 – Hebe Hill Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.25 Standard Time: 1:08.55 Course/Class record: 1:07.40 Dehere's The Love
SUPER JOY N FUN (NZ 5yo g What's The Story – Citycenta) made it a running double for trainer Michael Chang as he picked up his first win in over a year. The gelding didn't show much speed out of the gates and ended up near the tail of the field early on with a strong tempo being set up front. Alexis Badel was able to improve his position from the 600m point, urging the gelding along between horses as he swung to the outside at the top of the straight. With his momentum up, the gelding was making strong inroads down the outside and looked a winning chance with 200m to run, he quickly levelled up to the leaders and took control with around 100m remaining, getting away from them late in the race to win comfortably as a $17 chance. KEMPES is another who ended up at the back of the field, being a clear last early in the race with Andrea Atzeni snagging him back from a wide barrier. He built into the race around the home turn but couldn't match the sprint speed of Super Joy N Fun with Atzeni ducking back to the inside and riding for luck. Once he got out late he flew, running into second position in a close finish for the minor placings, but the winner was 1-1/4 lengths up the road. FUN N FUN TOGETHER held on to run third after setting the tempo for Matthew Poon and Frankie Lor in a strong performance.
Race 8 – Pyramid Hill Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:39.59 Standard Time: 1:38.60 Course/Class record: 1:36.79 True Legend
NEW FOREST (AUS 5yo g Justify – Paulownia) was far too strong after sitting on the speed throughout, turning in a strong performance for Mark Newnham and Lyle Hewitson. The South African hoop allowed the gelding to roll forward, crossing down to the fence prior to the first turn. He was quickly overtaken around the first turn though, with Hewitson popping off the fence and sitting a half-length off the leader as they settled into stride. He travelled beautifully throughout the run and looked like a coiled spring ready to explode as they turned off the back, with Hewitson applying the pressure to the leader and eventually taking over as they swung into the straight. The gelding blew the doors off his rivals down to the 200m point where he was well in front and the margin continued to extend right down to the line, with Hewitson easing up close to the post. He never gave anything else a sniff as he scored by 3-3/4 lengths. It was a close go for the minors with MOJAVE DESERT sticking his nose out for second position, making it a Mark Newnham-trained quinella. As per his usual racing pattern, Mojave Desert was along way back on straightening and was still near last as they turned for home. Andrea Atzeni needed to get through some thick traffic early in the straight, but the gelding exploded late to charge into second position. ARIEL held on or third position after sitting on the back of the leader in running. New Forest dropped him at the top of the straight, but he rallied back down to the line, holding on for third place.
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