Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Happy Valley races.

Race 1 – Chung Hom Kok Handicap, HK $875,000

Class 5 – Turf – Distance 1000m – Track Good

Time: 57.08 Standard Time: 57.35 Course/Class record: 56.52 Shanghai Power

SILVER SPURS (NZ 5yo g Charm Spirit – The Pearler) dropped into Class 5 on his season return, jumped favourite and got the job done for Caspar Fownes and Ellis Wong. The gelding was quickly out of the barriers from gate three and ran straight to the front under the apprentice hoop. He travelled well in the run, leading by about a half-length throughout and Wong still looked to have plenty of horse underneath him on straightening. A riderless horse was causing some havoc in the straight, but it helped Silver Spurs get away from his nearest rival with 150m to run as he hampered Golden Friendship. It did also interfere with Silver Spurs, but not enough to change the result as he scored by a half-length on the line. GOLDEN FRIENDSHIP got out of the gates quickly and rolled across to settled on the outside of Silver Spurs in the run. Zac Purton was breathing down the leader's neck throughout the race and was poised to strike as they turned for home. He was squeezed out with around 150m to run as the riderless horse came across him late in the race and that ended his chances of winning. He came back strongly to finish half a length away, but he may have challenged for the win without the interference. CAMP FIRE settled on the back of the leader and stuck on well to finish third, although never a threat to Silver Spurs in the run home. The first six around the turn were the first six across the line.

Race 2 – Hoi Mei Handicap, HK $1,170,000

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good

Time: 1:09.65 Standard Time: 1:09.90 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends

It was a quick-fire double for Ellis Wong and Caspar Fownes as they repeated the dose with MIGHTY COMMANDER (AUS 5yo g Artie Schiller – Figlmuller) in the second event of the night. The gelding wasn't the fastest into stride and ended up in the second half of the field running into the first turn, though Wong was able to slide into a gap between horses to be in a more midfield position down the back straight. He was a touch keen in the run, pulling his way closer to the speed as the tempo slackened substantially turning off the

back. That prompted Wong to make his move as they approached the home turn, getting into clear air and letting rip down the outside. He moved up to take the lead approaching the 100m point and shot away in the run to the post, scoring by 1-1/4 lengths. CALIFORNIA BLITZ jumped quickly from barrier two and was running on the speed around the first turn, before Jerry Chau slotted into a position behind the leading pair. He travelled well in the run as he stalked the leader and was there to strike on straightening as Chau went back to the inside. He had his chance if he was good enough, but the winner exploded down the outside to pick them up with ease, with California Blitz finishing a clear second. TELECOM POWER had settled outside California Blitz in the run and stuck on well in the closing stages to finish in third place as a $44 chance.

Race 3 – Lido Handicap, HK $1,170,000

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

Time: 1:48.67 Standard Time: 1:49.65 Course/Class record: 1:48.10 Acclaimed Light

FOREVER FOLKS (AUS 7yo g Tavistock – Tempting Delight) stormed home from last on the turn to win in impressive fashion. The gelding stood flat footed in the barrier under Karis Teetan and was a clear last out of the gate, with the Mauritian hoop using the whip to urge the gelding to take on to the back of the pack. He was 10-1/2 lengths off the leader as they turned down the side of the course and he continued to lope along at the back of the pack. The margin was trimmed down to 8 lengths as they turned off the back with Teetan getting to work on the gelding, swinging wide on the home turn and coming down the middle of the track with his effort. He hit the front inside the final 100m of the race and drew clear to score fantastic win, with a length being the official margin. SUPREME AGILITY was taken back from the wide draw by James Orman and settled near the tail of the field in the 1800m event. Without much change through the middle stages, Orman was happy to sit back before commencing his move turning off the back. He moved into the race sharply around the outside with Forever Folks on his back, coming down the middle of the track with his run. He was no match for the winner who blew right by him, but he finished off nicely to grab second place. CAN'T GO WONG was weaving through the traffic back to the inside to emerge as a winning hope, only to be gunned down by those out wide.

Race 4 – The Community Chest Cup (Handicap), HK $2,050,000

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

Time: 1:39.91 Standard Time: 1:39.90 Course/Class record: 1:38.34 Highland Rahy

ROCKET SPADE (AUS 8yo g Fastnet Rock – Affairoftheheart) returned as he did 12 months ago with a victory on his seasonal return. The now eight-year-old jumped well from barrier five and lobbed into a midfield position with ease under Hugh Bowman, settling one off the fence. The speed was just even through the opening stages of the race despite the field breaking up, with the leader a touch keen early on. The field began to pack up approaching the 600m point with Bowman moving into the race out wide as they turned into the straight. The gelding let down strongly once asked for an effort, getting into the margin with every stride before joining the leader with 50m to run. He was just too strong late in the rack, getting over the top to win by a neck on the line, bringing up a winning treble for Caspar Fownes through four races. STAR CONTACT worked across from barrier eight to settle on the outside of the leader in the run. He travelled well throughout and was there to strike as they swung around the home turn and into the straight. He moved up to take the lead with 200m remaining but there was a wall of horses chasing. Brenton Avdulla threw everything he had at the gelding, but he was caught close to the line by Rocket Spade. ANOTHER ZONDA benefited when the speed came out of the race and sprinted quickly on straightening. He finished 1L off the winner in third position.

Race 5 – Hoi Mei Handicap, HK $1,170,000

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

Time: 1:09.80 Standard Time: 1:09.90 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends

MASTER CHAMPION (AUS 4yo g I Am Invincible – Dendee) made it a double for Karis Teetan and Danny Shum with an impressive display as the $3.9 second elect. Teetan was able to use the inside barrier to his advantage, settling on the back of the leader on settling down with a solid pace on offer. Teetan was able to rail through down the back straight and remain with striking distance around the home turn, with the gaps opening to allow the Mauritian to get into his work. He got off the leader's heels at the top of the straight, though it took a little while for the gelding to wind up. He finally joined the leader with 100m to run, but it was his last 75m that was most impressive, taking the lead and drawing clear to win by 1-1/4 lengths. PATCH OF WATCH led the field from a wide barrier with Matthew Poon spearing across from barrier 10. He was able to catch his breath through the middle stages before quickening nicely on the turn to give his rivals something to chase. He was in front for a long way, though he was unable to hold off the winner who was just too strong late. NEW POWER flashed home from midfield to take third, just missing out on second position in a photo finish.

Race 6 – Hoi Mei Handicap, HK $1,170,000

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

Time: 1:09.80 Standard Time: 1:09.90 Course/Class record: 1:08.60 Happily Friends

KING LOTUS (AUS 4yo g Royal Meeting – L'Etoile) resumed with an impressive win for Mark Newnham and Lyle Hewitson, making it two victories from his four outings. The gelding was only fairly into stride, but he was able to pick up some ground in the early stages as he crossed down to the rail heading into the first turn. He was about midfield down the back straight but continued to improve his position along the fence, being within striking distance on the turn as the South African hoop cut the corner. He went up the inside on straightening, letting down strongly to join the leaders with 100m to run. He ran right on by in the closing stages, taking the lead and pulling away to win by 1-3/4 lengths. THE PERFECT MATCH led home a wall of runners in second position after having the perfect run in transit under Hugh Bowman. The gelding didn't spend a penny, settling on the back of the leader and stalking the speed throughout the run. The Australian hoop got off his back to make his challenge at the top of the straight. Just as he was getting to the front, King Lotus sped up the inside of him to take the lead and the win. SUPER UNIVERSAL stuck on well from sitting up on the speed to finish in third position with only 2 lengths separating second and ninth across the line.

Race 7 – Repulse Bay Handicap, HK $1,860,000

Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 56.41 Standard Time: 56.65 Course/Class record: 55.85 Stoltz

SUPERB CAPITALIST (AUS 6yo g Capitalist - Shamana) was simply too good for his rivals first-up. He was unable to match the early speed from an inside barrier, but the inside draw was to his advantage as he settled just off the speed. He had to be roused along from the 500m point but was still within striking range as they turned for home. A big gap opened up shortly after straightening, meaning Chadwick didn't have to change his line as he began to eat into the margin. He was just too strong late in the race as he drew away to score by two lengths on the line. YOUTHFUL SPIRITS rolled across to lead from barrier 11 and led comfortably turning off the back. The margin was still sizeable heading into the home turn and drifted off the rail in the straight. He was no match for the winner, but he held on to second position in a photo finish. LA FORZA sat just off the speed and was good to the line, finishing in third position.

Race 8 – Shek O Handicap, HK $3,120,000

Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1650m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:38.26 Standard Time: 1:39.30 Course/Class record: 1:37.90 Woodfire Bro

LO RIDER (GB 4yo g Harzand – Sharliyna) secured his maiden win in Hong Kong, capping off a big night for Caspar Fownes with four winners for the stable. Harry Bentley got the gelding out of the barriers and was able to use the inside barrier to his advantage, settling close to the speed. The speed was good early in the race with Bentley along the fence, but passing the 800m point, the Englishman was able to get off the inside and improve into the one-out-one-back position. He travelled well off the back and began building into the race nicely under Bentley, although he didn't quite handle the home turn. Despite crabbing around the turn, he was there to strike on straightening and sprinted quickly to take the lead with 150m left to run. He finished off strongly to keep his rivals at bay and put good margins through the field, scoring by three quarters of a length. ENCOUNTERED settled by himself in the second half of the field under Karis Teetan through the first half of the race. Teetan began working into the race around the outside and was one of the widest on straightening aboard Encountered. He kept coming out wide, inching into the margin with every stride, but he couldn't peg back Lo Rider. SOLEIL FIGHTER took the lead around the home turn and tried to boot away from his rivals at the top of the straight. he wobbled back to the inside on straightening and it didn't take long for Lo Rider to reel him in. He stuck on fairly to hold on for third.