Luke Middlebrook takes a close look at Wednesday's Happy Valley meeting (January 14).
It could be a big night for Chris So Wai-yin. He looks well placed to land the Group 3 January Cup through stable star Hong Lok Golf, and Perfectday adds plenty of intrigue in the curtain-closer as a lightly raced Private Purchase Griffin whose ceiling is still untapped.
Perfectday hinted at ability on debut when flashing home for seventh from a wide draw over 1,200 meters at Sha Tin in May last year, then drew barrier 1 second-up in June and won narrowly but with authority. He was off the scene for six months after that, but he came back 28 days ago and produced a run that turned heads, sweeping home from well back to score from gate 12.
That win came off 58 under 135lb in Class 4 and the handicapper has lifted him to 66 for a Class 3 test. Zac Purton takes over from gate five and Perfectday fits the bill of another So-trained PPG that the stable’s success is built upon.
Frankie Lor Fu-chuen is usually a trainer to fear in the Group 3 January Cup, but he sits this season out with no runners in Happy Valley’s lone Group race. The undercard, however, still gives him a strong chance to feature.
Lor saddles eight runners today and Regal Gem is a key one in the Class 2 over 1,200 meters. The UK import has already supplied two of Lor’s 18 wins this term and his Hong Kong record now reads three from nine.
After back-to-back wins over this course and distance, Lor tested him at the mile as he rose in grade. He did not feature, but he stuck on for sixth, beaten two and a half lengths. The return to 1,200 meters is a plus, and his regular rider Derek Leung Ka-chun is back aboard.
Lor will also be hoping Rewarding Buddy can make use of an inside draw and finally break through in the Class 4 over 1,200 meters. The four-year-old has gone close this season, posting three seconds from five starts, and barrier three gives him every chance.
Elsewhere, Absolute Awakened (R2 #5) chases back-to-back wins from barrier 11, Glorious Journey (R4 #3) looks ready to build on a win two starts ago followed by a strong second, and Keefy (R8 #5) gets conditions in his favor dropping back into Class 3.
Local rider Angus Chung Yik-lai has the platform to keep him on track to better last season’s 20-win tally. He sits on 10 winners already as the season edges past the 40% mark and heads into tonight with seven rides, helped by low draws.
A solid early chance comes for his boss Tony Cruz on Good Luck Happy (R3 #2). The four-year-old debuted over this course and distance in mid-December and went down by a head, a run that suggested a win would not be far away. Barrier 1 gives Chung the chance to go one better.
Chung also has the chance to finish the card strongly aboard the David Eustace-trained Sports Legend (R9 #5), another who lands barrier 1. The six-year-old had been threatening since joining the stable and the inside gate made the difference last time when Chung steered him to a two-and-a-half-length win.
Thousand Cups (R6 #12) is another in-form ride, but barrier 11 makes it tougher. He arrives off his best run yet when Chung took him to the lead from gate five and he was only run down late into third behind Perfectday.
Fortune Star is the early $5 favorite in Race 4, the Class 4 over 1,650 meters, but he looks easy enough to take on for the win.
The drop back in trip makes sense after he did not see out the extra 150 meters last time, and his 1,650-meter record reads well, three seconds from five attempts. The draw is the sticking point.
From wide gates he has often been forced to go back, and Luke Ferraris is likely to ride him for luck again, then try to launch late.
Max Que has done little wrong this season and the draw swings his way in this Class 3 over 1,650 meters, which is enough to have him on top of the betting.
He also looks better for his first look at Happy Valley last start. From barrier 8 he was awkward away, steadied to the tail, then surged home into third behind Silvery Breeze.
This time the setup is more in his favor. Max Que comes into barrier 3 from 8, while Silvery Breeze goes out to 12 from 6. Max Que has shown in earlier runs from lower draws he can take up a much handier spot than he did last time, and that is crucial to his chances tonight.
Zac Purton takes the ride after trialing him between runs and should have him positioned within striking range at the 400 meters.
Early support for Douglas Whyte in the Trainer Challenge makes his runners worth a closer look, and Dan Attack catches the eye in Race 6, the Class 4 over 1,200 meters, at a shade over $7.
Dan Attack has had five runs for Whyte since transferring to the stable at the end of last season and the form lift has been genuine: two wins, two thirds, plus an unlucky fourth. He arrives off a meritorious third after racing keenly, then being checked approaching the 800 meters to avoid another runner.
A good trial between runs adds to the case, Hugh Bowman reunites and knows him well, and the map looks kind enough for him to land just off a genuine tempo.
Click here for Luke's full analysis and selections for the Happy Valley meeting.
