Hong Kong Racing
Race Review of Happy Valley - 11th February 2026
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.
Race 1 – Ng Fong Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:38.93
RUN RUN TIMING (AUS 5yo g Deep Field – Exotic Escape) picked up his first win since 2024 with Richard Kingscote in the saddle for Ricky Yiu. From barrier six, Kingscote took Run Run Timing straight to the lead, rolling along out in front as they travelled down the side of the course. He wasn't challenged up front, but he continued to roll along at a good tempo aboard the five-year-old. He had a few of his rivals under pressure coming to the 600m point, though Kingscote and the son of Deep Field were travelling sweetly to the home turn where he looked to kick away from the chasing group. He put a couple of lengths on his rivals early in the straight and he couldn't be caught, making every post a winner to score by 1-1/2 lengths. TELECOM POWER drew near the inside and settled on the back of Run Run Timing. Maxime Guyon stalked the leader throughout the event and was there to strike as they came to the home turn, though he couldn't make any ground on the race leader. He held on to run second in a photo finish, holding out DRAGON SUNRISE who flashed home from well back in the pack. Lyle Hewitson was able to slice through the traffic around the home turn and early in the straight to storm home for third position.
Race 2 – Shung Ling Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 56.84
MACANESE MASTER (AUS 6yo g Universal Ruler – True Storm) returned to winning ways, proving too speedy over the short course to pick up his second win from his last three starts. After getting away on terms, Angus Chung urged his mount along to take up the running. Macanese Master raced wide right down the back straight and was kept away from the rail as they worked around the home turn, though he traveled strongly into the race and kicked away impressively. He shot away when Chung pushed the button on straightening and extended his lead by the 150m point, going on to score very easily by 1-1/2 lengths. TAIHANG SCENERY raced in the second half of the field under Ellis Wong and the gelding was racing very keenly through the middle stages of the race. He was bumped around a touch on straightening with Wong having to go back to the inside to make his run. He shot through late to take finish in second position as a $35 chance. MODEST GENTLEMAN stuck on well down the outside and looked as though he'd finish in second position before Taihang Scenery snuck up the inside.
Race 3 – Tseuk Luk Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:39.65
Jerry Chau and David Eustace combined with INNO SUPER (AUS 4yo g Capitalist – Mary Lou) who secured his maiden victory at start nine. From the inside barrier, Chau was able to lob into a brilliant position on the back of the leader, doing no work through the early stages to hold his position. There was no change to the order through the middle stages, though the leader did look to slip away coming to the 600m point, with Chau sticking to his tail as they turned off the back. After a perfect run in transit, Chau looked confident on straightening, and he loomed ominously with 150m to run. When he finally asked for an effort, the gelding ran to the lead with 100m to run and had enough in the tank to fend off a late challenger, winning by a neck on the line. NOBLE PURSUIT settled down a little worse than midfield and along the inside rail in the run. Ellis Wong was able to pinch ground as they worked around the home turn, remaining to the inside rail and sliding through beneath his rivals. He has a few lengths to make up on his rivals, but he got into the clear midway down the straight and finished off with an impressive burst. He couldn't catch the winner, but he was coming home with a wet sail. NORTHERN BEAST tried to pinch the race on the home turn but couldn't sustain the effort, tiring to finish in third position, 1-3/4 lengths off the winner.
Race 4 – Sheung Hei Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.75
Richard Kingscote picked up a winning double on the night, guiding home the Danny Shum-trained MASTER RESOLUTE (AUS 4yo g Russian Revolution – Helsonic). The four-year-old didn't have the speed of his rivals from an inside barrier, landing in a midfield position as they worked around the first turn. Kingscote as able to slide into a handier position by the 600m point, pinching runs up the inside before pushing his way into the clear rounding the home turn. The Englishman got to the outside at the top of the straight and his mount wound up strongly, taking the lead inside the final 100m and pulling away for a strong victory, winning by a length on the line. BITS SUPERSTAR surged forward from barrier six and continued to roll forward after being caught wide through the first half of the race to land in the one-out-one-back position. After settling well turning off the back, Purton got his mount into the clear on straightening and he ran to the lead midway down the stretch, though it looked like he ran out of petrol late in the race. He held on for second position over FALCON HUNTER who flew home from the back of the pack to take third place after jumping a $106 chance.
Race 5 – Sze Mei Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 56.89
BUNTA BABY (AUS 5yo g Cable Bay – Ahhh) got back to winning ways in race five on the card, handing Jerry Chau a winning double on the program. The race favourite was a little slow out of the barriers and landed in a midfield position as they sorted their order out. Chau had to dig up his mount to try and hold his position along the inside rail in what was a compact field turning off the back. Coming to the home turn, Chau had a wall of runners in front of him, with the local hoop waiting patiently for the gap to appear. With around 150m to run, he was able to shift across heels and get into the clear, with the five-year-old hitting top gear with about 100m remaining. He stormed over the top to score by a half-length on the line. BEAUTY THUNDER showed good speed to roll across from barrier 11 to sit on the outside of the leader as they sorted their order out. Zac Purton did well to get across and have the gelding travelling well around the turn as he crept closer to the leader on straightening. Purton waited patiently before pushing the button and taking the lead with 200m to run, though he couldn't fend off the hard-charging Bunta Baby late in the race. HARMONY FIRE loomed as a winning chance midway down the straight but just looked to peak on the run late in the race. He finished a clear third, 1-1/2 lengths off the winner.
Race 6 – The Consensus Cup (Handicap), HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:38.44
MISTER DAPPER (NZ 6yo g Tivaci – Posavina) returned to winning ways, scoring by the barest of margins for Brenton Avdulla and giving training David Eustace a winning double. Despite drawing out wide, the sic-year-old showed good early speed to roll across and land on the outside of the leader as they entered the first turn. Avdulla had the gelding travelling well through the first half of the race with a good tempo being set up front. There was no change to the order through the middle stages of the race, with the Australian hoop poised to strike as they turned off the back straight. Avdulla began to rouse the six-year-old along coming to the home turn but lacked the turn-of-foot showed by the winner. It appeared as though the $15 chance would be swallowed by the chasing pack with 150m to run, but he didn't go down without a fight, gritting his teeth and coming again to take the lead in the shadows of the post. He got the job done in a photo finish on the line. MAX QUE settled in a midfield position for Zac Purton with the $2 favourite appearing to be well positioned in the run. He tracked into the race nicely turning off the back, moving wider out to swoop into the home straight. It took him a little while to wind up, though it was his final 100m where he really began to make ground on his rivals. He was coming home strongly but couldn't stick his nose in front of Mister Dapper. WITHALLMTFAITH stuck on gamely from the front after kicking away from his rivals at the top of the straight. He got tired late and faded back to third, but it was a very good run in defeat.
Race 7 – Sheung Hei Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf – Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.73
Jerry Chau continued his successful evening in the saddle, picking up his third win of the evening aboard the Tony Cruz-trained FLYING WROTE (NZ 5yo g Wrote – O'Sabrina). After being quick out of the barriers, Chau pushed his charge along to ensure he remained in the first half of the field, sliding into the one-out-one-back position shortly after the first turn. The speed was strong through the first half of the race and Chau continued to niggle at his mount to keep him in that position. Coming to the home turn, a rival wobbled off the turn giving Chau the saloon passage through and the $2.3 favourite took advantage. He ran to the front with 200m to run and looked to have the race at his mercy before a couple of rivals closed in with 100m to run. In a good three-way finish, Flying Wrote held on to score by a head on the line in an exciting crescendo. MEOWTH was on the outside of Flying Wrote in the run, racing three-wide with cover through the middle stages of the race. Things didn't work out well for Meowth at crucial stages, being pushed wider on the home turn which cost him as Flying Wrote snuck through without a hitch. He closed strongly to loom as a winning hope but couldn't get his head in front and finished in second position. THE HEIR flew home from back in the field under James Orman and just missed out on second by a bob of the head.
Race 8 – Sam Chuk Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.21
SOVEREIGN FUND (AUS 5yo g Capitalist – Mossbeat) bounced back in a big way today, turning his 10-1/2 length defeat last start to an impressive win first-up for the Brett Crawford stable. After jumping well from barrier three, Karis Teetan was able to take a trailing position in the one-out-one-back position on settling down. He travelled beautifully in the run as the field bunched coming to the home turn. The Mauritian pushed his way into the clear on straightening, and the gelding hit the front with 100m left to run, drawing away under the urgings of Teetan to score by three quarters of-a-length. The win adds to Crawford's impressive record of winners first-up for his stable. SPORTS LEGEND got across from barrier six to settle on the outside of the leader in the run. He travelled strongly into the straight and took the lead when Chung shook the reins. He wasn't in the lead for long however as Sovereign Fund took over shortly after, but he stuck on well to finish in second position as a $9 chance. MIGHTY COMMANDER had settled on the back of the leader in the run and looked to sneak up the fence to make his mark in the straight. He couldn't match motors with the first couple across the line, finishing in third place.
Race 9 – Sam Chuk Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf – Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm
Time: 1:09.44
LUCKY PLANET (AUS 6yo g Pariah – Watchful Eyes) continued his strong run of recent form, scoring his second win from his last three starts with a narrow victory in the final event of the night. Matthew Poon pushed the gelding along from barrier four to be up on the pace heading to the first turn and continued to roll forward to lead outright. He was able to catch his breath through the middle stages before raising the tempo once again around the home turn, though he had a fight on his hands. He was challenged right down to the wire, but he continued to dig deep under the urgings of Poon to hold on for a narrow victory, scoring by a short head at the post. BEAUTY GLORY dodged some interference through the middle stages as Lucky Eight was pulled out of the race to be on the back of the leader at the 600m point. Alex Badel was right on Lucky Planet's tail around the home turn with the French hoop looking to slide up the inside in the straight. The race was there for him to win if good enough, though he couldn't stick his nose in front at any stage. SYMBOL OF STRENGTH was the next across the line in a tight finish, sticking on well from just off the speed.
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