Race 1 – Pakistan Star Plate, HK $950,000
Griffin – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.68 Standard Time: 0.56.70 Course/Class record: 0.55.33 California Spangle
Jerry Chau combined with Jimmy Ting to win the opening event on the card with THUNDER BLINK (IRE 3yo c Ribchester – Mad Existence) breaking his maiden status in style. One of the slowest away, the three-year-old failed to muster any early speed before Chau was forced to settle his mount in a rearward position back on the fence. Showing great patience, Chau was able to extricate away from the fence at the 500m and despite having six lengths to make up when turning for home he was mindful of not going too early on the colt, letting his mount gather himself before popping the question. In what was a perfectly timed run, the pair really picked up inside the final 200m and arrived just in time to score by a short head. SANTORINI under Karis Teetan was the horse to be nabbed on the line. The Frankie Lor runner was given an all but perfect steer by Teetan who probably would've thought he'd done enough, not realising one had rattled home out wider while he was getting busy into his work back on the fence. Two-year-old gelding RUN YES RUN led the field up from his inside draw and showed great fight in the lane to hold on to a minor placing.
Race 2 – Helene Super Star Handicap, HK $875,000
Class 5 – Turf – Distance 1600m – Track Good
Time: 1:35.09 Standard Time: 1.35.45 Course/Class record: 1.34.38 Le Panache
In what was an open betting affair, it was narrow public elect SMART BEAUTY (IRE 5yo g Dark Angel – Layla Jamil) who got the job done with Zac Purton in the saddle for Tony Cruz. Away only fairly from a middle draw, Purton was happy to let his mount find his feet in the early stages as the pair settled in a midfield position. Travelling along at their own leisure, the gaps quickly appeared when turning for home with Purton quick to respond. Racing up to the leaders at the 200m, Smart Beauty had raced away from them by the 100m and went to the line under hands and heels late to score by 1-3/4 lengths. SPEEDSTAR for the David Hall camp always looked like he was going to feature in the finish after Brenton Avdulla settled in a favourable position from the inside draw. However, it wasn't all smooth sailing as the pair encountered some trouble when held up for clear running early in the lane. Steadied up for a few strides at a pivotal moment of the race, Avdulla hunted back towards the inside and came with a fence-hugging run to grab second in a photo finish. JOYFUL FRIENDSHIP was given every chance by Hugh Bowman but just took his time to work through his gears in the lane, eventually getting going late to round out the minors.
Race 3 – Vengeance Of Rain Handicap, HK $2,050,000
Class 3 – Turf – Distance 2000m – Track Good
Time: 2:01.65 Standard Time: 2.01.95 Course/Class record: 2.00.37 Champion Supreme
It was a smart mid-race move from Andrea Atzeni that saw the Ricky Yiu-trained AWESOME FLUKE (AUS 4yo g Awesome Rock – Jayquin Star) take out the third event. Away only evenly from the widest alley, Atzeni at first was happy to let his mount hold a rearward position in the early stages but with the race lacking a genuine tempo, Atzeni took the four-year-old forward at the 1400m to take a spot in front with one to his inside. From there on the pair got into a beautiful rhythm out in front and entered the lane under solid hold. It was at the 300m where Atzeni popped the question on the son of Awesome Rock, with the pair edging clear from the other on-pace runners. Awesome Fluke kept finding over the concluding stages, digging deep to hold off two fast finishers. EIGHTEEN CARAT was closing the strongest to finish a neck from the winner, while PACKING HURRICANE was the eye-catcher of the race, finishing 3/4 of a length away in third.
Race 4 – Indigenous Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good
Time: 56.12 Standard Time: 0.56.45 Course/Class record: 0.54.94 United We Stand
It was an easy watch for favourite backers in the fourth when Zac Purton combined with Frankie Lor to make it 2/2 on BOTTOMUPTOGETHER (AUS 3yo g Shamus Award – Miss Ethics). Away evenly, Purton pushed forward on the three-year-old and cross to settle outside the lead on the outside fence. Rated beautifully by Purton, the pair took over at the 300m and quickly put pay to rest of the field, saluting by 1-1/4 lengths. AURORA LADY under Brenton Avdulla tried hard over the concluding stages to bridge the gap and did somewhat but ultimately not enough. SUPER AXIOM was the horse that led them up and raced alongside the winer for much of the way, with the six-year-old fighting valiantly to hold on into third.
Race 5 – Makarpura Star Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:09.02 Standard Time: 1.09.40 Course/Class record: 1.08.40 Master Eight
Favourite backers rejoiced again when Zac Purton doubled up in the fifth, getting the job done on the well-favoured DIVANO (AUS 3yo g Brave Smash – Been Scene) from the Francis Lui camp. One of the slowest away, Purton was able to utilise the inside draw and vigorously urge his mount forward to boot up the inside and find the front by the opening split. Once there, it was all one-way-traffic as Purton got the gelding to travel beautifully in transit before unleashing a strong turn of foot to put the race to bed as they passed the 200m. Taking his time to hit top gear, MASTER MASTERMIND picked up strongly inside the final 100m finish 3/4 lengths away from DIVANO, who was admittedly soft at the finish. PARTERRE showed plenty of guts in the lane to hold onto a spot in the frame after eyeballing the winner for much of the way.
Race 6 – Exultant Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good
Time: 1:21.67 Standard Time: 1.22.10 Course/Class record: 1.20.80 Perfect Pair
Jerry Chau and Benno Yung teamed up to take out the sixth with TOP PEAK (NZ 4yo g Swiss Ace – Tessica). Jumping evenly from a middle draw, the four-year-old travelled keenly under Chau with the hoop determined to settle midfield. Taking his time to settle, the son of Swiss Ace let down smartly in the lane, racing up to the frontrunners at the 200m and going on with the job nicely to score by 1-1/2 lengths. FORERUNNER settled a pair back from the winner in running and took his time to wind up in the straight but knuckled down solidly over the concluding stages to finish second. INVINCIBLE MISSILE was certainly the flashing light run, rattling home from over 8 lengths off them at the turn to only finish 2-1/4 lengths away in third.
Race 7 – The Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup, HK $13,000,000
Group 1 – Turf - Distance 2400m – Track Good
Time: 2:25.62 Standard Time: 2.27.05 Course/Class record: 2.24.60 Viva Pataca
Everything went to script for the favourite in the Group 1 feature, Godolphin superstar Rebel Romance (IRE 6yo g Dubawai – Minidress) justifying the very short quote with William Buick piloting for Charlie Appleby. Given his time to find his feet in the early stages, Appleby strode forward on his mount when approaching the winning post for the first time to settle leader's back. Enjoying a beautiful rhythm, Appleby was proactive in ensuring the race wasn't a sit and sprint, urging the six-year-old along passing the 700m. Taking over early in the straight, REBEL ROMANCE sustained a strong gallop to stretch away from his rivals and score by 2 lengths. FIVE G PATCH came with a strong fence-hugging run in the lane to grab second. The six-year-old Camelot gelding settled last the fence under Brenton Avdulla and had 5 lengths to make up when entering the lane. His finish was full of merit as he ran into a clear second. Stablemate LA CITY BLANCHE tracked the winner for much of the contest but struggled to match motors with REBEL ROMANCE when he took off prior to the home turn, still showing great fight to run into third. Full credit to a very impressive winner but also a great achievement by the Tony Cruz team to fill the placings.
Race 8 – Viva Pataca Handicap, HK $1,170,000
Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1600m – Track Good
Time: 1:35.21 Standard Time: 1.35.00 Course/Class record: 1.33.78 Morethanlucky
It was an absolute boilover in the eighth on the card when Matthew Chaddwick partnered the Dennis Yip-trained BRIGHT INHERITANCE (AUS 4yo g Star Wittness – Solar Kitty) to success. Jumping $165 with local bookmakers, the four-year-old came with a strong run from an off-midfield position to cause the upset. With 4-1/2 lengths to make up when entering the lane, BRIGHT INHERITANCE ran on strongly from the 300m to hit the front at the 100m and keep finding to hold off a fast-finishing TALENTS AMBITION on his outside. Settling last, the Mark Newnham-trained three-year-old came home strongly in the straight but ultimately left himself with too much to do, beaten 1/2 a length on the line. JOYFUL PROSPERITY came with his run alongside the winner but couldn't match him, finishing 3/4 of a length away in third.
Race 9 – Oriental Express Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good
Time: 1:08.69 Standard Time: 1.09.05 Course/Class record: 1.08.11 Victor The Winner
It was a much more straightforward result in the penultimate when Zac Purton and Francis Lui again joined forces to score with the well-fancied CALL ME GLORIOUS (AUS 3yo g No Nay Never – Boomex). Making very light work of what looked an above average Class 3 field, Purton wasted no time in finding the front on the three-year-old and from there on it was a matter of letting proceedings unfold. Remaining relatively uncontested once finding the lead, the promising gelding let rip approaching the 300m to promptly skip away from his immediate threats and cruise to the line for a cosy success, Purton's third on the card. LITTLE BROSE was given an economical steer off-pace from Hugh Bowman in his second start in Hong Kong but just lacked the turn of foot in the lane to threaten the winner, closing nicely to finish 2-1/4 lengths away in second. SOLID IMPACT did a good job to finish third after having difficulty obtaining clear running from the 350m-200m.
Race 10 - River Verdon Handicap, HK $1,860,000
Class 3 – Turf – Distance 1400m – Track Good
Time: 1:21.54 Standard Time: 1.21.80 Course/Class record: 1.20.62 Preciousship
Jimmy Ting would bookend the card with Alexis Badel piloting HUGE WAVE (NZ 4yo g Stanica – Zabeel) to success in the last. In what was an upset result with the four-year-old jumping $40 on course, Badel opted for a spot midfield after jumping fairly from his middle draw and got his mount into a nice rhythm early in proceedings. The race didn't change complexion until half-way down the straight, with HUGE WAVE taking his time to reach the frontrunners before eventually tiring them down inside the final 100m and holding on to score. NEVER TOO SOON was also unpopular in the market but produced a strong weaving run in the lane to finish 3/4 lengths away in a photo finish for second with RUBYLOT.
