Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.

Race 1 – Silver Grecian Handicap, HK $875,000

Class 5 – Turf – Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:09.96 Standard Time: 1:10.15 Course/Class record: 1:09.17 Alloy King

SPEEDY SMARTIE (NZ 5yo g Satono Aladdin – Lemonade) picked up his first win in over two years in the opener, holding on for a narrow all-the-way victory. From barrier seven, the gelding was urge3d along by Ferraris to get across and he did so with ease, leading comfortably into the first turn. He wasn't pressured up front, with the gelding able to catch his breath from the 600m point, stacking the field up off the back straight before letting rip as they rounded the home turn. He got to the middle of the track and after being challenged early in the straight, he started to get away from his nearest rival. The five-year-old led by a half-length at the 100m mark but he too began to feel the pinch. He clung on to score by the barest of margins on the line. RAGNARR was away on terms but dropped in to settle just off the speed for Matthew Poon. He enjoyed a lovely run along the fence and wasn't hampered when the speed came out of the race. He moved into the clear on straightening and had his chance, with the gelding just taking a little while to wind up. He finished with a flurry, though it didn't get his nose down in time. DAN ATTACK sat just off Speedy Smartie throughout the event but couldn't reel him in at any stage. He never fell away however, only finishing a head away at the post, but he never looked like winning either.

Race 2 – Star Shine Handicap, HK $1,170,000

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:09.28 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends

MONARCH COUNTY NZ 4yo g Per Incanto – Monarch) snuck through up the fence to secure his second win of the campaign. After getting away on terms, James Orman rolled forward about the four-year-old and settled on the back of the leader. The speed was solid throughout and the gelding travelled well off the back, being within striking distance on the turn and sneaking up the inside to make his challenge. It took him a while to wind up, only putting his nose in front inside the final 100m of the race, but he got the nose down on the wire to get the job done in a close four-way finish. WINNING MONEY rolled forward from barrier one to find the front under Antoine Hamelin. He se4t a solid tempo up front and kept the field rolling down the back stretch. He swung into he straight about a length in front and still under a strong hold, kicking well when asked and holding his rivals at bay. He was only claimed with around 50m to go, but he didn't go down without a fight. He clung on for second position in a tight finish, but the effort was commendable. FLYING WROTE had his chance if he was good enough and was doing his best work late in the race. He was beaten just a short head on the line.

Race 3 – Let Me Fight Handicap, HK $1,170,000

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:09.05 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends

VULCANUS (AUS 4yo g Lean Mean Machine – Fair Choice) proved far too good in race three on the card as he bounded away for an impressive win. Derek Leung positioned the gelding on the back of the leader as they settled into stride, being handy to a solid tempo up front. He continued to kick up on the back of the leader, being right behind the speed as they turned off the back and just needing some room to move as they turned for home. The gap came back to the inside and Vulcanus had plenty or room to move, sprinting quickly and taking the lead with 150m to run. The four-year-old put his rivals to the sword late in the race, scoring by 2-1/4 lengths in a very impressive performance. BROWNNEEDSFURTHER also snuck up the fence late in the race to pinch second position. The gelding had tracked Vulcanus in the run from barrier one and continued to remain on his back as they turned for home. James Orman couldn't match the winner as he sprinted clear in the straight, but he finished the race off strongly to claim second position. LUCKYS AM GOR stuck on gamely after sitting up on the pace throughout as the $2.9 favourite.

Race 4 – Turin Redsun Handicap, HK $1,170,000

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1800m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:48.84 Standard Time: 1:49.85 Course/Class record: 1:48.10 Acclaimed Light

S J TOURBILLON (IRE 7yo g Galileo – Shermeen) continued his hot run of form, bolting in again to bring up the hat-trick. After jumping on terms, Karis Teetan elected to settle the gelding in second half of the field, putting the seven-year-old to sleep as they passed the post with a lap to run. After settling well through the middle stages, the moves came at the 800m point and this allowed Teetan to get onto the back of his rivals and be carted ino the race under his own steam. He was four-wide on the turn, but he was picking up the revs as he got to the outside in the straight. He let down powerfully in the straight to run to the lead inside the final 150m and inch away to win again, this time by 1-1/2 lengths. ATOMIC BEAUTY rolled forward to sit outside the leader down the back straight with just an even tempo being set early on. The gelding continued his move to have his nose in front turning off the back, travelling well and getting clear of his nearest rivals on straightening. He was a length in front at the furlong pole, but the lead was quickly diminished by S J Tourbillon. Atomic Beauty clung on for second position, getting the nod in a photo finish. SUPREME AGILITY was last as they turned off the back and James Orman rode for luck up the inside of his rivals turning for home. The rail was open for the Australian to improve along and he was able to weave his way through traffic late in the race to finish in third position.

Race 5 – Fast Most Furious Handicap, HK $1,170,000

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:09.43 Standard Time: 1:10.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends

Andrea Atzeni and Mark Newnham combined with TACTICAL COMMAND (NZ 5yo g Charm Spirit – Nomisma) in race five as he returned to winning ways. After getting away well from an inside barrier, Atzeni ended up three pairs back and along the fence after a good charge for the lead saw runners from wider out cross him in the first turn. The speed remained solid through the middle stages of the race, though the tempo slackened turning off the back straight which prompted horses to swing wide on the turn. This allowed Atzeni to sneak up the fence as they approached the home turn and stayed closer to the inside part of the track. He was pushed back to the fence in the run but had some ground to make up with 150m to run. He never really looked like the winner, but somehow in the dying stages he got his nose in front, scoring by a short head on the line as a $7.3 chance. HONEST WITNESS pressed on from barrier four to sit close to the speed for Zac Purton and travelled well in the run. He moved up strongly on straightening to take the lead and he looked to have the ascendancy on his rivals late in the race. However, he may have felt the pinch in the dying stages and was just nabbed right on the post. GRAND NOVA had his chance if he was good enough but couldn't get his head in front at any stage in the straight, finishing a neck away in third.

Race 6 – Super Oasis Handicap, HK $1,170,000

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:39.60 Standard Time: 1:40.20 Course/Class record: 1:38.83 Flying Elite

Karis Teetan made it a winning double on the program as AMAZING RUN (AUS 5yo g Zoustar – Global Glamour) made it back-to-back victories. The Mauritian hoop came out neutrally aboard the gelding, ending up in a midfield position on settling down. As the field continued to sort their order out down the side of the course, he was shuffled back a touch and ended up in the second half of the field as they worked down the back. The gelding was under the pump as they passe the 400m point, with Teetan getting to the outside on straightening and making his run down the middle of the course. He was still lengths off them at the 150m point, but his staying prowess kicked in late, proving too strong over the concluding stages to finish a neck in front in a strong effort. NORTHERN BEAST was a $34 chance on jumping and rolled forward in the early stages of the race to settle close to the speed. After initially dropping into a position just off the pace, Andrea Atzeni made a move approaching the 600m point to move around his rivals and take the lead off the back straight. He led by the 400m point and kicked away on straightening to be two lengths in front with a furlong to run. He was wobbling about a touch in the straight, but it was only Amazing Run who was taking big chunks out of the margin. While he couldn't fend off the winner, he was too strong for the rest of the pack and finished in second. CHAIN OF GOLD snuck up the fence to finish in third position for Zac Purton after being locked away along the inside on straightening and not having much luck in the run to the line.

Race 7 – Sweet Orange Handicap, HK $2,050,000

Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:38.34 Standard Time: 1:40.00 Course/Class record: 1:38.55 Telecom Fighters

Zac Purton finally got on the board in race seven as he guided HIGHLAND RAHY (USA 5yo g Hard Spun – Patti O'Rahy) to his third victory of the season. This year's Champion Jockey took luck out of the equation early in the race, spearing across from barrier 12 to lead the field around the first turn. He wasn't pressure up front and maintained a gap of more than a length in the run, with the margin only narrowing as the field got to the 600m point. Purton still had a good grip on his mount as they swung for home and he went to another gear on straightening, kicking clear of his nearest rival and still leading by a length at the 100m point. He was getting tired late in the race and Prestige Good was finishing fast, but Highland Rahy had enough left in the tank to secure the win, scoring by a short head on the line. PRESTIGE GOOD landed in a midfield position under James Orman after getting away on terms from barrier five. He travelled well in the run, but it was turning off the back where he began to loom as a winning chance. Orman got the gelding moving around the outside of his rivals and he just kept coming under the urgings of the Australian. He was getting into the margin with every stride, though he just ran out of time to reel in the leader, finishing well clear of third position. IVY LEAGUE had followed Prestige Good into the race and was the widest horse in the straight. He stuck on well to finish in third position as a $40 chance, beaten 1-1/4 lengths.

Race 8 – Lucky Patch Handicap, HK $2,840,000

Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:08.10 Standard Time: 1:09.55 Course/Class record: 1:08.26 Rewarding Together

Zac Purton quickly made it a race-to-race double with BEAUTY WAVES (IRE 5yo g Starspangledbanner – Little Sweetheart) proving too good for his rivals. From gate five, Purton fired the gelding out of the barrier, and he had plenty of early speed, crossing to the lead around the first turn and leading comfortably down the back straight. As the field crept closer through the middle stages, Purton didn't panic, keeping the five-year-old together until the home turn where he let rip on straightening. He put a hole in his rivals early in the straight and they never looked like beating him. The five-year-old bounded away to win very impressively by 2-3/4 lengths, making it two wins in-a-row since joining the Tony Cruz stable. TOMODACHI KOKOROE settled closed to the speed after rolling across from barrier seven. As they approached the 600m point, Harry Bentley moved up to join Purton in the lead, but he couldn't match the winner when the sprint went on. He stuck on well in the straight to finish in second position, but Beauty Waves was just a cut above on the night. AURORA LADY finished off strongly down the outside to finish in third position as a $41 chance under Andrea Atzeni and can figure early next season if he gets a drop in class.

Race 9 – Sun Jewellery Handicap, HK $1,860,000

Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:09.13 Standard Time: 1:09.75 Course/Class record: 1:08.68 Speed Vision

The final event of the racing season went to Derek Leung and Frankie Lor as REGAL GEM (GB 3yo g Zoustar – Sassy Dresser) secured his maiden victory in Hong Kong. The gelding didn't show much early speed from his favourable barrier and ended up near the tail of the field on settling down, though he was suited by a good pace up front. The gelding travelled well between horses, with Leung looking to pick his way through traffic approaching the home turn. On straightening, the local hoop had to be patient as he got across heels and into the clear midway down the straight, getting out wide and making his run aboard the #23 chance. He was clearly headed by the horse to his outside, but somehow, he rallied through to put his nose down right on the wire and steal the victory in a photo finish. STORMING DRAGON was taken back from the wide barrier and settled at the tail of the field under Ben Thompson. He remained there throughout before swinging wide on the turn and making his run as the widest in the straight. He made his challenge alongside Regal Gem and was clearly in front of that gelding in the concluding stages, but he just couldn't keep his nose in front. He was beaten right on the line in a tough watch for connections. VICTOR THE RAPID backed up his big performance last start with another strong performance, finishing off well down the middle of the track to finish a half-length away in third place.