HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS BY DECLAN SCHUSTER
(Wednesday, December 13, 2023)Race 1: #1 Magic Traveller, #10 Vamos, #11 Double Show, #6 Multimore
Race 2: #6 Regency Happy Star, #7 Millennium Falcon, #10 Viva A La, #1 Cordyceps One
Race 3: #6 Ready Player One, #7 Forever Glorious, #12 Splendid Star, #4 Serangoon
Race 4: #3 Togepi, #9 Happy Soul, #6 Run Run Timing, #8 Beauty Destiny
Race 5: #8 Must Go, #2 Humble Star, #6 Atomic Energy, #9 Happy United  
Race 6: #3 High Rise Soldier, #1 Scotch Tycoon, #5 Travel Golf, #4 Young Life Forever
Race 7: #7 Win Win Fighter, #2 Beato, #9 Strongest Boy, #8 Dragon Star  
Race 8: #12 Foolish Heart, #4 Hoss, #5 Tourbillon Prince, #9 Maldives
Race 9: #10 Ace Victory, #6 A Americ Te Specso, #11 Happy Day, #3 Brave StarRace 1: Ngau Tau Kok Handicap#1 Magic Traveller can improve in this grade. He’s been out his depth in the class above but he should be able to put his best foot forward now. The inside draw should afford him every possible chance. #10 Vamos has a suitable gate and Zac Purton up. He’s racing well, always consistent and we should see the same again this week. #11 Double Show has the weight advantage. He’s suited here and can bounce back after last start. #6 Multimore is the pace in the race and he should find a forward position. Next in line.Race 2: Sau Mau Ping Handicap#6 Regency Happy Star has been knocking on the door for some time now and he gets a super chance here with the five pounds coming off. He draws well and is capable of winning this one. #7 Millennium Falcon has the right draw and the services of Karis Teetan. He can mix his form but with a ground-saving run he should be able to test these. #10 Viva A La can use the positive gate to find the front, which is where he has won from in the past. He’ll give them something to run down. #1 Cordyceps One is next best.Race 3: Ngau Chi Wan Handicap#6 Ready Player One can improve second-up. He’s yet to win but has shown his capabilities on several occasions. He draws well and can take the right steps forward this week. #7 Forever Glorious is competitive in his spot. He is coming to hand with three runs under his belt. Zac Purton hops up and he gets his chance. #12 Splendid Star slots in light and is in the form of his life at the minute. He rises in grade but Douglas Whyte has him going very good. #4 Serangoon has ability and can show something here. The inside gate is a plus.Race 4: Kwun Tong Handicap (1st Section)#3 Togepi caught the eye late last start. He’s in the right vein of form now and can put his best foot forward here. He just needs a touch of luck from the wide ally. There’s still some improvement to come. #9 Happy Soul put in a forgive run last start. He’s better than that and can show it this week. #6 Run Run Timing did well to finish third on debut. Expecting improvement here, especially with James McDonald taking the reins. #8 Beauty Destiny is hard to get a gauge on with his behaviour, however, he does have a stack of talent.Race 5: Choi Wan Handicap#8 Must Go can improve after his first-up run. He got a little lost down the straight, however, going around a bend can spark him up. He’ll be value and is worth taking a chance on. #2 Humble Star is chasing a hat-trick of wins. Zac Purton stays on and the inside gate will see him be super competitive once again. #6 Atomic Energy has a suitable draw. He can save ground and make his presence felt, just as he normally does. #9 Happy United was a super strong winner last start. He faces a class-rise but does appear to have enough talent.Race 6: Kwun Tong Handicap (2nd Section)#3 High Rise Soldier pairs favourably with Vincent Ho, who knows the horse well. He has a suitable draw and is a winner in this grade at the track and trip. One to beat. #1 Scotch Tycoon bounced back to his best last time out. He has a suitable draw and remains in the grade, which is a big plus. #5 Travel Golf should already be a winner. He’s gone close so, so many times and once again gets a super chance here. He’ll be finishing off the race late. #4 Young Life Forever has a suitable draw and James McDonald up. Keep safe.Race 7: Lam Tin Handicap#7 Win Win Fighter has been racing well this season. He’s a winner in this grade previously and the inside gate can afford him every opportunity. One to beat. #2 Beato has been knocking on the door for some time. James McDonald takes the ride and draw one holds him in very good stead. #9 Strongest Boy has a decent finish but he’ll need a solid tempo if he is to steamroll this group. Zac Purton’s pairing is an advantage. #8 Dragon Star can lead again and run this group along. He’s consistent and tenacious out in front.  Race 8: Kowloon Bay Handicap#12 Foolish Heart is a nice horse and he’s quickly getting used to racing in Hong Kong. He slots in light here, enough so to suggest he could easily pinch this contest. He’s worth taking a chance on. #4 Hoss has been in sound form and chances are gate one sees him roll forward. He’s a major threat in this grade. #5 Tourbillon Prince has his fair share of ability, it’s just a matter now of him putting it all together. Perhaps he does this with Zac Purton engaged from an ideal draw. #9 Maldives is next best.Race 9: Jordan Valley Handicap#10 Ace Victory makes his debut. This is a difficult contest, however, he looks primed after setbacks to run a huge race first-up, especially after his latest eye-catching barrier trial. #6 A Americ Te Specso is in the right vein of form. He was a strong winner two runs back and gets his shot again from a suitable draw with Zac Purton up. #11 Happy Day slots in light as he rises in grade seeking a hat-trick of wins. He has a stack of class but this is tougher. He’ll be making ground late. #3 Brave Star is a talent. He has the draw to overcome.
4) HKIR Press Release
Hong Kong excels on world stage with successful staging of 2023 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Chief Executive Officer Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges has praised the 2023 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) as “one of the best days of racing” Hong Kong has hosted.“In my humble opinion, I’ve been here now for 25 years and this was one of the best – if not the best – days of racing we have had in Hong Kong,” Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges said.“If I look at the situation after Covid, after we had last year already a good meeting, but today Hong Kong racing has established (itself) again on the global stage and has shown what sporting entertainment means.A crowd of 65,252 – the largest LONGINES HKIR attendance since 2019 – flocked to Sha Tin.On a day when Hong Kong racing shone on the international stage as local champions – Lucky Sweynesse (LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint), Golden Sixty (LONGINES Hong Kong Mile) and Romantic Warrior (LONGINES Hong Kong Cup) – won three of the four elite Group 1 contests, France also extended its successful association with the “Turf World Championships” with Junko (LONGINES Hong Kong Vase).“When you look at the sporting performances, it was a fantastic win by Junko and Andre Fabre, who is one of the greatest supporters of Hong Kong racing,” Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges said.Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges thanked international and local owners, trainers and jockeys as well as Club staff for the staging of an unforgettable meeting.“I would like especially to thank the connections, because this would not be possible without the tremendous support from horsemen around the world,” Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges said.Addressing Hong Kong’s effort to win three of the four LONGINES HKIR Group 1s for the second year in a row, Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges said: “We had a sprint race where we had the best sprinter in the world (Lucky Sweynesse) establish himself after there was doubt. And I have witnessed this year two absolutely amazing performances, if you look at Equinox in Dubai and I had the pleasure to see Equinox in Japan.“I’m not saying the performance of Golden Sixty is the same as Equinox, but in the Mile I have very seldom seen the performance of a horse, an eight-year-old first time up drawn gate 14, and it was an absolutely brilliant ride by Vincent (Ho).“There was a lot of doubt how it would play out and it was a tactical masterpiece how the horse was positioned. When the horse accelerated, when you could hear the crowd cheering for the local champion, this was something which, in my view, was unforgettable.“Then probably the most exciting 2000m race (Hong Kong Cup) I have seen this year. Similar to the Cox Plate, where you had really top horses fighting it out at the top of the straight. That a Hong Kong horse (Romantic Warrior) won is good, but when you look at the form of Luxembourg, again sporting wise it was a fantastic performance.” Hong Kong Jockey Club Executive Director, Racing Mr Andrew Harding described Sunday’s race meeting as “truly remarkable” with Ho’s LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship as one of several highlights of the week.“The week indeed has had so many remarkable threads. I take Vincent’s victory on Wednesday night (6 December) in a field of literally superstars and it speaks to the depth of the Club’s commitment to developing local talent,” he said.“We were proud of what we were able to achieve during the dark days of the pandemic. Today showed that in December Hong Kong is the place to be and that the eyes of the racing world turn to us.“I’m just so proud that we were able to show the world that Hong Kong is Asia’s world city and we were able to give our visitors a fantastic week.”Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges thanked Club staff in staging the flagship meeting and for allowing Hong Kong to shine.“We have a team dedicated to excellence and that makes the Jockey Club proud. It has shown today and the whole week that Hong Kong is back on the global stage and that Hong Kong racing is one of the global racing products which I feel as a city we should be proud of.” Turnover on the meeting was HK$1.697 billion, which included a commingling turnover record for a 10-race Hong Kong meeting of HK$429.6 million.