Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.

Race 1 – Shenyang Handicap, HK $875,000,

Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good To Firm

Time: 1:21.64 Standard Time: 1:22.30 Course/Class record: 1:21.40 Fight Time

TSUEN WAN GLORY (NZ 8yo g Smart Missile – Anne Of Cleves) provided an emphatic beginning to the National Day card at Sha Tin, bolting in and clocking good time under Britney Wong. The gelding got away well from out wide and Wong urged her mount along from barrier 12 to work across and lead by the 100m point. He rolled to the front under a good hold, though Wong kept the tempo up through the middle stages and she had plenty of rivals off the bit and chasing around the turn. The apprentice hoop put them to the sword on straightening, sprinting away to open up a big margin. Tsuen Wan Glory was getting tired close to home, though the margin was still 2-1/2 lengths on the line. THE WAY WE WIN kicked up in the early stages of the race to get across from barrier 11, eventually landing on the back of the leader as they sorted their order out. Harry Bentley was enjoying a lovely run in transit before coming off the bit around the home turn and being left in Tsuen Wan Glory's wake. He was unable to match the sprint of the winner on straightening, but he stuck on well to finish in second position as a $40 chance. PANDA LEGEND was in a tricky position by the 600m point and Richard Kingscote needed some luck on straightening. The gap came with around 250m to run and the gelding closed off nicely down the outside, rounding out the placings.

Race 2 – Chongqing Handicap, HK $1,170,000,

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

Time: 1:08.87 Standard Time: 1:09.35 Course/Class record: 1:08.40 Master Eight

AURORA PATCH (AUS 5yo g Showtime – Miss Fascinator) picked up his maiden victory and made it a quickfire double for the Manfred Man stable, justifying his odds-on starting price. From an inside barrier, Hugh Bowman held his position to end up in the one-out-one-back position as they turned off the back straight, with he and the leaders breaking away from the chasing pack passing the 600m point. There were two races happening at the same time, with the three leaders doing battle and the chasing pack well behind, with Aurora Patch looming large on straightening and eventually sticking his nose in front with 200m to go. His late strength was a highlight, racing away from his rivals to score by 1-1/2 lengths. AUTUMN VIBES set the tempo from barrier six under Zac Purton with some fast splits through the middle of the race. Purton was unable to get to the fence with Sky Song kicking up inside of him, but he led the field into the straight under a good hold and turned in a brave effort when Aurora Patch loomed up on his outside. He fought for as long as he could, but the winner was just too strong in the end. SKY SONG played his role along the inside, kicking up to try and hold his position but he was no match for the first two across the line. With a big gap back to the rest of the field, he was able to hold on for third place.

Race 3 – Nanning Handicap, HK $875,000,

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

Time: 1:08.84 Standard Time: 1:09.55 Course/Class record: 1:08.64 Iron King

It didn't take long for Zac Purton to hit the board as RAGNARR (AUS 6yo g Olympic Glory – Plain Magic) secured his maiden win at his 25th career start. Purton let the speed go out of the barriers, before mustering into a handy position one-out-one-back on settling down. He enjoyed a lovely run in transit, though he was racing between horses and didn't appear to be loving the restricted room through the middle stages. The gap opened up at the top of the straight however and the six-year-old was there for Purton when he pushed the button, setting out after the leaders after he balanced up in the straight. He took the lead inside the final 150m and went on to win comfortably by 1-1/4 lengths to score his first win in Hong Kong. NOBLE DELUXE showed good speed early to roll forward and settle on the outside of the leader as they sorted their order out. He was travelling well in the run as he faced the breeze, and Hugh Bowman quickly joined and headed the leader at the top of th straight. He ran to the lead under a hold and quickened nicely when asked, with he and Ragnarr breaking away from the rest of the field in the concluding stages. He couldn't match Ragnarr late however, finishing a clear second. RIDING HIGH was snicked to the back of the field after the jump and closed off well under James Orman. With a better gate, he'll be able to sit closer in the run and knock off a race of this calibre very soon.

Race 4 – Chongqing Handicap, HK $1,170,000,

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

Time: 1:09.29 Standard Time: 1:09.35 Course/Class record: 1:08.40 Master Eight

Chris So and Andrea Atzeni combined to win race four with SUNNY Q (AUS 5yo g Rich Enuff – Harmony Hall) picking up his maiden victory. From a middle gate, Atzeni snicked behind the speed shortly after the jump and ended up in a position in the second half of the field on settling down. He was racing between runners throughout the middle stages but was shuffled back again on straightening as he was jostling for position. When the Sicilian was able to get into the clear, the gelding let down strongly with Atzeni having to weave through the traffic. He let down powerfully back to the inside to sneak through, take the lead close to home and get the job done in a photo finish. DO YOUR PART tried to slot into a midfield position from a sticky barrier but was left racing three-wide as they turned off the back. He rolled forward passing the 600m point to build into the race and was only 1-1/2 lengths off the leader as they entered the straight. Keagan De Melo asked the gelding for the effort with 300m to run as he eventually stuck his nose in front with 100m to run, though he was gunned down in the shadows of the post by Sunny Q. LUCKY MAN finished off well from a midfield position to take third position in a photo finish, with the first five across the line only separated by three quarters of a length.

Race 5 – Jinan Handicap, HK $1,170,000,

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

Time: 1:46.67 Standard Time: 1:47.85 Course/Class record: 1:46.54 Crown Avenue

Zac Purton made it a winning double on the day as ORIENTAL SMOKE (AUS 8yo g Artie Schiller – I'm Mary Too) returned to winning ways for the David Hayes stable. He jumped well but didn't muster much early speed under Zac Purton who had to really urge the gelding along to get to a forward position, sliding over the sit on the outside of the leader down the back straight. The leader tried to slow the tempo down the back straight which prompted a runner out wide to roll forward, giving Oriental Smoke some cover as they turned off the back straight. He never quite looked comfortably in the run with Purton also seemingly niggling at the gelding to hold his position, however that all changed at the 600m point when Purton peeled three-wide and began to work into the race. He ran to the lead approaching the 300m mark and was being challenged on his outside from the top of the straight. He had plenty of horses poised to strike, but they couldn't match him close to home, with Oriental Smoke getting the job done by three quarters of a length. BEAUTY VIVA jumped the equal favourite and lobbed in a great position three pairs back and along the fence for Angus Chung. The gelding travelled well in the run and Chung was able to edge off the rail coming to the home turn to give himself every chance. He had to switch off heels again at the top of the straight which did cost him some momentum, though he got out with ample time to wind the leader in if he was good enough. He closed off nicely to finish in second position, holding on for the runner-up prize in a photo finish. DOUBLE WIN flew home from the tail of the field to finish in third, hitting the line locked together with Beauty Viva after jumping the equal favourite.

Race 6 – Chengdu Handicap, HK $1,170,000,

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:21.71 Standard Time: 1:22.00 Course/Class record: 1:20.76 Top Dragon

INVINCIBLE IBIS (AUS 4yo g Hellbent – My Dear Friend) landed his maiden victory in Hong Kong, bringing up a winning treble on the day for Zac Purton. At his first try over 1400m, the Australian hoop was happy to take the four-year-old back from the outside barrier despite jumping well from out wide. He landed in the last pair in running with a solid tempo up front. As the pace came out of the event through the middle stages, it allowed Purton to blend into the race as he got onto the back of a couple of improving runners and swung into the clear on straightening. He was the widest runner in the straight, but he loomed as the most ominous to the leaders as he let down strongly under Purton. He was still showing signs of inexperience as Purton asked for the effort, but he took the lead with 150m to run and slipped away from the rest of the field, announcing himself as a 4YO Series Contender as he won by two lengths. STRANGE ALERT was back there with Invincible Ibis in the run, racing near the tail of the field and between horses with Atzeni looking to get into the clear on straightening. The gap came at the 300m point but he was no match for the winner once he saw daylight. He finished off nicely to grab second position as a $12 chance. SILVER UP raced alongside Invincible Ibis in the run and was strong late, finishing in third position at a $37 starting price.

Race 7 – The National Day Cup (Handicap), HK $4,200,000,

Group Three – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 55.64 Standard Time: 55.90 Course/Class record: 54.96 Super Wealthy

The feature event of the day went to FAST NETWORK (NZ 5yo g Wrote – Alberta) who had plenty of support late in betting after running over 1400m on resumption. Alexis Badel put the gelding behind runners from the inside barrier, racing near the tail of the field down the grandstand side. The French hoop got into the clear with plenty of time remaining as he made his run down the middle of the course, moving up to hit the front with around 200m left to run. Raging Blizzard jumped out of the ground to challenge him late in the race, but it was too late as Fast Network won the Group Three feature by a neck on the line. RAGING BLIZZARD wasn't the fastest away from the machine and Brenton Avdulla crossed to get to the grandstand fence right after the start. The Australian hoop scraped the paint as he was in last position in the run, scooting along the fence until the 400m point where he looked for a gap to explode through. He had to come back to the inside and shove his way between horses, bursting through with 100m to run and charging hard after the leader. He ran out of time to reel in Fast Network, but he looks well placed when stepping back up to 1200m. MAGIC CONTROL was a muck lather behind the barriers but ran well considering. He stuck on well from close to the speed to hold on for third place as a $14 chance.

Race 8 – Beijing Handicap, HK $2,840,000,

Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:20.96 Standard Time: 1:21.45 Course/Class record: 1:19.92 Packing Hermod

HEALTHY HAPPY (AUS 9yo g Zoustar – Lady Lakshmi) caused an upset in race eight on the program as he held on to score as a $22 chance. Jerry Chau urged the gelding along from barrier six to roll across and be a neck in front down the back straight. He was being held out from crossing to the fence but eventually worked his way over as they turned off the back and the local hoop slammed the brakes on. It didn't take long for the gelding to be in the firing line however with runners spreading four-wide to take him on entering the straight. He wouldn't lay down back to the inside, kicking strongly under the riding of Chau to fend off his more fancied rivals and score by a neck on the line in a strong performance. STEPS AHEAD landed in a great position for Purton, settling midfield and stalking the speed down the back straight. The Australian hoop remained one off the fence as they turned off the back which was pivotal to his chances. When the mid-race moves came, Purton got on his bike to take luck out of the equation, and he was there to strike at the top of the stretch. He loomed large on the outside of Healthy Happy, but never quite got his nose in front and the winner was too strong in the last 50m, winning by a neck on the line. HONG LOK GOLF was able to watch all of this unfold with cover before swinging into the clear with his run down the outside. He looked to be just plugging away under Bentley, but his last 100m was strong as he rallied back to take third position in a photo finish.

Race 9 – Shanghai Handicap, HK $1,860,000,

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

Time: 1:08.77 Standard Time: 1:09.00 Course/Class record: 1:08.11 Victor The Winner

It was another upset in the penultimate event of the day with KEMPES (ARG 5yo g In The Dark – Honour And Glory) getting the job done narrowly for Andrea Atzeni. The $31 chance was taken back from the wide barrier, being a clear last on settling down and needing to be ridden along to remain in contact with the field. He was 8 lengths off the leader as they turned off the back straight, with Atzeni remaining to the inside rail around the home turn and riding for luck aboard the five-year-old. He was held up a number of times in the straight, but he was weaving his way through the traffic under a strong grip and making steady ground on the leaders. He finally saw daylight in the last 100m and that's all he needed. He finished quickly to get his nose down where it mattered most. HAROLD WIN had the perfect run in transit, landing just off the speed from barrier two for Jerry Chau. He was racing between horses throughout the run and coming into the straight, Chau was held p until the 300m point when the gap finally appeared. He sprinted quickly to hit the front with 100m to run under Chau and he looked to be holding his rivals at bay, until Kempes flew along the inside to steal victory from the jaws of defeat. NEW FUTURE FOLKS sustained a long run down the outside to finish in third position, only a head off the winner in a very tight finish.

Race 10 – Tianjin Handicap, HK $1,860,000,

Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:21.14 Standard Time: 1:21.65 Course/Class record: 1:20.62 Preciousship

MAX QUE (AUS 5yo g Akeed Mofeed – New Sensation) made it back-to-back wins, picking up the last event of the day, making it a winning double for both Alexis Badel and Mark Newnham. The gelding lobbed in a great position from barrier two, allowing the speed to cross and settling off what was a strong speed in the early stages. As they turned off the back, the Frenchman kicked up to hold his position on the fence, burrowing through beneath horses and sticking to the inside on straightening. Badel was hard at work and it looked like he would finish midfield, with horses out wide blowing right past him with just 200m to run. The five-year-old didn't give in though, rallying back in the concluding stages to stick his nose in front and get the job done, scoring by a short head on the wire. SILVERY BREEZE was technically in the one-out-one-back position in the run, although the field was a bit scattered due to the strong early tempo. Brenton Avdulla was stalking the speed however and peeled into the clear with plenty of time to make his move. He hit the front with around 150m to run and looked to be keeping his nearest rival at bay, before Max Que surged home up the inside to get the job done. TOP DRAGON jumped the race favourite and it looked as though he was going to run away with the victory as he joined the leaders whilst still under a strong Zac Purton hold. He didn't really sprint as expected though when Purton pressed the button and just plugged away in the end, finishing a half-length away in third place.