Son Pak Fu reunites with Jerry Chau from barrier one in hot Class Two sprint

Son Pak Fu returns to Happy Valley from barrier one on Sunday after drawing gates 11 and 12 at his last two starts, and reunites with Jerry Chau Chun-lok, the jockey responsible for six of his eight course-and-distance victories.

Chau replaces apprentice Britney Wong Po-ni aboard the Tony Cruz-trained eight-year-old in the Class 2 Kwangtung Handicap Cup (1,200m), renewing a partnership that enjoyed considerable success when Benno Yung trained the gelding.

The pair won six times from 12 rides over Happy Valley's 1,200 meters and finished in the first three on nine occasions. Four of those victories came in succession between February and April 2023, followed by another two in Class 2 that November.

Their last success came on the C+3 course, Sunday's rail setting, when Son Pak Fu won from barrier nine off a rating of 88, three points higher than his current mark.

Chau has ridden him twice since the horse moved to Cruz, both times at Sha Tin without success. Wong, meanwhile, partnered Son Pak Fu to his latest victory in May.

His most recent run was better than it looked.

Son Pak Fu started from the widest gate, barrier 12, at Sha Tin on Oct. 11 and settled last before producing a strong finish where he finished sixth behind Ka Ying Attack, beaten just 1¾ lengths, and the stewards reported that his rider could not fully ride him out late when he improved behind the winner.

On his return to Happy Valley, the inside draw offers encouragement.

Across 138 Class 2 races over Happy Valley's 1,200 meters in the 20 completed seasons from 2006/07, barriers one to three produced 49 winners from 410 starts, a strike rate of 12 percent. Horses starting from gates seven to 12 managed just 47 wins from 788 attempts, or 6 percent.

Barrier one has been particularly productive over the past decade, returning 14 winners from 71 starts at 19.7 percent.

There is plenty of familiar opposition, however, including three runners who finished ahead of Son Pak Fu behind Ka Ying Attack earlier this month.

Turquoise Velocity finished second, three-quarters of a length behind the winner, while Rising Force was third by the same margin. Jumbo Treasure finished another quarter-length away in fourth after encountering traffic approaching the 350-meter mark.

The Pierre Ng-trained Victor The Winner also brings strong recent form, having defeated Turquoise Velocity at Sha Tin on Sept. 27.

Victor The Winner led throughout when winning over Happy Valley's 1,200 meters in May and adopted similar tactics at Sha Tin, as he likes to do. Rising Force made the running on Oct. 11, while Turquoise Velocity generally is another who races on pace.

Six of Sunday's runners also met over the course and distance on July 15, when Lucky With You finished second behind Crimson Flash, Turquoise Velocity was third and Son Pak Fu eighth.

Romantic Son finished seventh that night, but a post-race veterinary examination found that the David Hayes-trained gelding had bled from both nostrils. He has not raced since.

He returns from a 109-day break, having previously won four times from 15 starts over the Valley's 1,200 meters, including twice earlier this year. One of those victories came on the C+3 course, and he has drawn barrier two.

So, with the presence of Victor The Winner, Rising Force, Turquoise Velocity and Jumbo Blessing among the likely early runners to press forward, it raises the prospect of strong tempo, potentially playing into Son Pak Fu's hands.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓