Hong Kong Racing
Race Review of Sha Tin - 01st April 2026
Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.
Race 1 – Shek Kip Mei Handicap, HK $875,000,
Class 5 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:08.88 Standard Time: 1:09.35 Course/Class Record: 1:08.46 Trillion Treasure
VIVA CHALEUR (FR 7yo g Wootton Bassett – Mezzo Mezzo) was far too good in the opener, finally breaking his maiden at start 36. The gelding jumped well from barrier seven and rolled forward in the early stages to sit on the speed for Andrea Atzeni. He continued to creep forward through the middle stages to be on the outside of the leader around the home turn, with Atzeni sitting motionless at the top of the straight. He asked for an effort coming to the furlong pole and the gelding shot away once he hit top gear, getting away from his rivals with 100m to run, scoring by three lengths on the line. MACANESE MASTER showed plenty of speed to take up the running from barrier eight, leading the field at a strong tempo for Angus Chung. He tried to kick away at the top of the straight, but Viva Chaleur was right there to strike early in the stretch. He couldn't fight off the winner late in the race, tiring late but holding on for second position in a photo finish. NOBLE DELUXE raced in the one-out-one-back position in the run and stayed on well down to the line to finish in third place as a $14 chance.
Race 2 – Yue Wan Handicap, HK $875,000,
Class 5 – All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:39.06 Standard Time: 1:39.45 Course/Class Record: 1:38.30 Apolar Warrior
HAILTOTHEVICTORS (FR 5yo g Almanzor – Saas Fee) got the blinkers back on today and he broke his maiden status, running over the top to score. Despite drawing inside, the gelding didn't show any early speed under Luke Ferraris, and he ended up in a midfield position along the rail on settling down. The speed was good throughout and Ferraris was tracking the speed nicely turning off the back. The five-year-old stuck to the inside as they swung around the home turn and the gaps opened up for Ferraris, with the gelding quickening nicely early in the straight. He shot through between horses to loom as the main danger to the leader with 200m to run and hit the front close to home. Meepmeep was coming at him late, but Hailtothevictors had too much in the tank. MEEPMEEP settled midfield in the run and was racing between horses for Hugh Bowman. He was working into the race nicely under Hugh Bowman, but he was held up badly around the home turn and into the straight. Bowman was able to get out of trouble and slide through a gap to charge hard late in the race. He only just missed out in a strong performance VERBIER shot away early in the straight and looked the winner until the 150m point. He couldn't go on with the job, but he held on for third as an $81 chance.
Race 3 – Nam Shan Handicap, HK $1,170,000,
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:38.63 Standard Time: 1:39.05 Course/Class Record: 1:37.74 Mission Bravo
LESLIE (AUS 7yo g Shooting To Win – We Can Dance) picked up his second win of the season in a sharp turnaround in form after an 18-1/4 lengths defeat in his previous outing. He ended up near the tail of the field on settling down from barrier six, with Richard Kingscote niggling at him to keep up through the early stages. The field strung out down the back straight with Leslie a long way off the leader with 800m remaining. The leader was off and gone by the 600m point, with Leslie getting to the outside and beginning to improve quickly around his rivals with around 500m remaining. He still had a whopping 9-1/4 lengths to make up at the top of the stretch, but he was coming home with a strong burst down the outside. He hit the front with 100m to run and drew away late in the race, showing superior strength to win by three quarters of a length and lead home a blanket finish for the minor placings. SUPREME AGILITY was well back in the run with Leslie and got to the outside, giving Leslie a tow into the race. Leslie got by him midway down the straight, but he closed off nicely behind him to grab second in a photo finish. HINOKAMI KAGURA held on for third position after sitting close to the speed throughout. Matthew Chadwick hit the front momentarily late in the race, but he couldn't fend off the two coming down the outside with their momentum up.
Race 4 – Ma Tau Wai Handicap, HK $1,170,000,
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:08.68 Standard Time: 1:08.95 Course/Class Record: 1:08.14 Happy Tour
In her first ride in Hong Kong, Nichola Yuen guided home PI LEGEND (AUS 4yo g I Am Invincible – Booker) to his maiden win, relishing the drop in grade. Hong Kong's newest apprentice took the four-year-old straight to the front, crossing from barrier 12 to lead comfortably aboard the $2.4 favourite. The gelding led comfortably around the turn and kicked strongly when the apprentice asked for an effort with 200m remaining, keeping his rivals at bay and scoring by 1-1/4 lengths. SPEEDY SMARTIE sat just off PI Legend in the run, facing the breeze under Karis Teetan. He looked to be travelling strongly to the turn and he was there to strike when the Mauritian hoop pressed the button. Just as he was getting closer to the leader, PI Legend kicked and he couldn't reel in the leader. FLOWING RICHES was on the back of the leader in running and couldn't match the first two across the line, ending up 2-3/4 lengths away.
Race 5 – Ping Shek Handicap, HK $1,170,000,
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1800m – Track Good
Time: 1:48.20 Standard Time: 1:48.55 Course/Class Record: 1:47.45 Mission Bravo
Derek Leung and Jimmy Ting combined to win race five with HAPPY UNIVERSE (NZ 6yo g Zacinto – Kovka), picking up his second win at start 20. The six-year-old jumped well and put himself into a handy position on the back of the leader, with Leung getting the gelding to relax around the first turn. The speed was just fair, early, though he was enjoying the run of the race and was able to continue stalking the leader as things ramped up from the 600m point. There wasn't any change to the order as they turned off the back and Derek Leung was poised to strike around the home turn, just needing a way clear to make his mark. The gap came with around 250m to run and the gelding shot through, moving up to join the leader with around 100m to run. It was a good tussle down to the wire, with Happy Universe keeping his nose in front in the shadows, winning by a short head. YODA'S CHOICE was able to do as he pleased up front as he crossed to the front from barrier seven. He quickened impressively from the 600m point and proved tough to run past in the run to the line. He put up a strong fight but just couldn't fend off Happy Universe in the run to the line. SHANGHAI STYLE flew home from the back of the pack to finish a clear third, finishing two lengths off the winner and a length in front of the fourth horse.
Race 6 – Ma Tau Wai Handicap, HK $1,170,000,
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:08.91 Standard Time: 1:08.95 Course/Class Record: 1:08.14 Happy Tour
NATURAL HIGH (AUS 5yo g Power – Oratry) bounced back to winning ways today with all the gear coming off him. He showed good early speed to be up front from barrier four, with Chau urging him along to hold his position in the opening stages of the race. He settled on the outside of the leader and travelled well with a strong tempo being set up front. Chau was niggling him along at the top of the straight and it looked as though he was falling back through the pack, but he found another gear in the final 150m. As the leaders began to get tired, that's where Natural high exceled, taking the lead and securing the win by a neck on the line in a brilliant performance. JUICY DRAGON was left racding wide and without cover through the event, with Andrea Atzeni gradually creeping closer around the turn. The gelding moved up to take the lead with 200m remaining, but he couldn't shake Tourbillon Golfer until the final 100m. Just as he was getting away, Natural High – who he had put a margin on in the straight – flew back by him to take the win close to home. TOURBILLON GOLFER hung in there for a long time as Nichola Yuen led the field until the furlong pole. He was only 1-1/4 lengths off the winner in a strong performance.
Race 7 – Ma Tau Wai Handicap, HK $1,170,000,
Class 4 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.06 Standard Time: 1:08.95 Course/Class Record: 1:08.14 Happy Tour
IGOR STRAVINSKY (IRE 5yo g No Nay Never – Hermosa) dropped back to Class 4 today and proved too good, securing his first win since July last year. The gelding used the inside draw to his advantage, settling on the back of the leader, with Notthesillyone showing plenty of dash in the early stages. It was a hot tempo up front and Igor Stravinsky couldn't keep up, falling back to the remainder of the field around the turn and needing to make up three lengths in the straight. Wong got him off heels and into the clear with around 250m remaining and the five-year-old just kept coming under the urgings. He moved up to hit the front with around 50m to run and while there were plenty of horses right on his hammer, he was the strongest late and got the job done. CONRAD THE GREAT was on the back of Igor Stravinsky in the run and came off his back on straightening to make his challenge. He was a neck away from the winner with 100m to run but couldn't quite reel him in, ending up in second position. FUN N FUN TOGETHER stuck on brilliantly after challenging for the lead around the home turn, finishing in third position.
Race 8 – Choi Hung Handicap, HK $1,860,000,
Class 3 – All Weather - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:08.37 Standard Time: 1:08.55 Course/Class Standard: 1:07.40 Dehere's The Love
VICTORY SKY (AUS 5yo g U S Navy Flag – No Tricks) gave Zac Purton his first win on the night, jumping the race favourite. After jumping well from barrier four, Purton sent the five-year-old forward, landing in a handy position on the back of the leader. After being backed into $2.2, the son of U S Navy Flag enjoyed a love run in the race and was poised to strike on entering the straight, with Purton working his way into the clear with around 250m remaining. He hit the front with 200m to run but had to dig deep with Aurora Patch right there and challenging over the concluding stages. Purton got everything he could out of the winner, holding on to score by a neck. AURORA PATCH settled on the outside of Purton and Victory Sky as he worked across from a wide barrier. Hugh Bowman looked to get the jump on the eventual winner in the straight as he made his move out wider, but Victory Sky snuck through to take the lead at the furlong pole. He couldn't reel in the winner despite his best efforts and was forced to settle for second. ROMANTIC SON came off Aurora Patch's back and made his mark late in the race, finishing in third position, 1-1/4 lengths off the winner when carrying the top weight.
Race 9 – Choi Wan Handicap, HK $2,050,000,
Class 3 – All Weather - Distance 1650m – Track Good
Time: 1:37.90 Standard Time: 1:38.60 Course/Class Standard: 1:36.79 True Legend
Richard Kingscote and David Eustace joined forces to win the final event of the night with LOCH TAY (GB 4yo g Bated Breath – Presiding Officer) holding on in a tight finish to the evening. It was a good go for the lead early in the race and Loch Tay was right off the track as they worked around the first turn. Kingscote went up to sit on the outside of the leader around the first bend with a strong tempo being set throughout. As they came to the home turn, Kingscote put the foot down and took the lead as they entered the straight. He was there to be caught if they were good enough, with horses coming at Loch Tay from all directions. The son of Bated Breath had too much in the tank, keeping his rivals behind him and scoring in a three-way photo finish. TALENTS AMBITION was only moderately into stride and ended up near the tail of the field as per his usual racing pattern. Zac Purton was between horses in the run, before getting into the three-wide line coming to the 600m point. Purton began to work into the race around the home turn, coming down the middle of the track with a strong run. He was still well off at the furlong pole but at the 100m mark he looked like he was going to get the job done, but he failed to stick his nose in front of Loch Tay where it mattered most. ENDEARED was midfield and long the fence as they worked around the home turn for Andrea Atzeni who remained to the inside of the course. He had to follow Loch Tay through the same gap and tried to catch him in the closing stages. He ended up in third position, beaten just a short head after he was unable to catch the winner.
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