Dennis Yip Chor-hung made his first win of the season count as Fast Network stormed home to claim the Group 3 National Day Cup (1,000 meters) at Sha Tin and put bigger targets squarely in sight.
Yip had endured a lean September – winless from 24 starters heading into the meeting – but his fortunes changed dramatically as Fast Network produced a powerful late burst to secure the trainer’s opening success of the campaign.
Now, attention turns to qualifying for the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint on December 14. “That is the goal,” Yip said of a potential start at the Hong Kong International Races.
To earn his way into the prestigious sprint, Fast Network will need strong showings in either the Group 2 Premier Bowl on October 26 or the Group 2 BOCHK Jockey Club Sprint on November 23.
The five-year-old was returning to 1,000m after a solid effort over 1,400m on opening day. Yip opted to skip Sunday’s highly competitive G3 Celebration Cup in favor of a return to a proven trip and the reapplication of blinkers.
“When I saw who would be headed to the 1,400m race I just thought no way, that was a very strong race, and with the form my horse had this was the better option,” Yip said.
While Fast Network has handled longer trips – he finished within two lengths of My Wish in the Hong Kong Classic Mile – Yip confirmed sprinting is now the plan.
“This is his best distance – he is strong at 1,200m,” he said.
Despite drawing barrier 1, often seen as a disadvantage on Sha Tin’s straight course where the outside rail can be quicker, jockey Alexis Badel delivered a confident ride.
After settling comfortably behind the speed, Badel chose to make his run down the center of the track rather than risk traffic on the inside, while Raging Blizzard, under Brenton Avdulla, stuck to the rail and finished second.
Badel recalled an experience from more than five years ago in which he was beaten on a fancied runner – Wishful Thinker in the 2019 G3 Bauhinia Sprint – as part of his reasoning for favoring clear running over what is perceived as better ground.
“That can be an all-or-nothing play,” he said of riding the grandstand side rail on a back marker. “It was on Wishful Thinker, I stuck to the rail and ended up behind a tired horse and it cost me the race.”
This time, the Frenchman’s judgment proved correct.
“I was so pleased to be where I was. It felt comfortable to me. I broke well and I was actually traveling very well, very easy behind the speed,” Badel said. “It appears to me that Beauty Waves had some cover for a while and I was just behind knowing that it’s gonna give me a good kick somewhere. I probably hit the front too soon, stopped and waited for the other ones to come. But overall it went brilliantly.
“I was very happy to be on the horse because he’s got the quality, and today he had the turn of foot to put them away and that was it.”
