Brett Davis provides exclusive Preview of Happy Valley races.
Rail - A Course
Race 1
#1 COURIER MAGIC has enjoyed a solid preparation leading into his seasonal return with all three of his trials completed in good fashion under Zac Purton. He races best settling back with a solid tempo to work with and is likely to receive those specific conditions tonight. There are a couple of other candidates capable of testing him under his big weight but it's difficult to envisage a finish without his presence.
#2 NINJA DERBY returned with an excellent win first up for the new stable of Brett Crawford by jumping fast and leading all the way. It'll be a tougher assignment here at Happy Valley from the outside draw but he's feeling well and won here in the past. His final finishing position shall primarily be determined by the decision making and light hands of jockey Lyle Hewitson, but he won to well first up to leave out.
#7 GOLD TACK broke his maiden status at the end of last season after initially sharing the led over the 1800m at Sha Tin. He endured plenty of swimming during the off-season break but has trialled up only fairly on two occasions leading in. I'm prepared to overlook any lead up jitters because he's a horse not generally motivated by a hardening morning gallop.
#11 THE WAY WE WIN produced a career best performance 2nd up this campaign at Sha Tin and is worthy of consideration from the low draw. His record at Happy Valley doesn't read all that well but he was competitive here over 1800m towards the end of last season. Jockey Harry Bentley has been aboard in the majority of his recent racing and work which is a major positive in this grade.
#9 MANYTHANKS FOREVER should strip fitter for the two runs back and can improve enough to feature. He won his only race when fifth up last season but displayed encouraging signs leading up to that event. It's been exactly the same format leading into this contest, so with the run of the race anticipated he registers amongst the races hopes.
Selections : 1,2,7,11,9
R2 - 2,9,12,1,3
R3 - 9,1,4,5,3
R4 - 7,8,2,12,4
Race 5
#7 YOUTH POWER arrived to Hong Kong off a rating of 64 points following three wins in Italy as a 2yo. It's taken time and patience for him to fully settle but he's now putting things together and racing like a happy horse. He remains superbly rated following a constructive first up run and with inform 5lb claimer Ellis Wong again aboard, he should be getting the job done.
#10 GALE SAGA represents a danger following a terrific run first up at Sha Tin where he thundered home strongly from down back to just miss. He then found bother 2nd up over the same course and trip but still hit the line with heart and endeavour. His overall record at Happy Valley doesn't read that great, but those performances were as a younger horse when he found it difficult to adjust.
#1 SUNDAY SERENADE has made solid headway in both runs back this campaign at Sha tin over insufficient distances. The option 3rd up to return to the distance and venue of his two previous wins is significant, as is the booking of champion jockey Zac Purton. He'll give YOUTH POWER a decent head start and big amount of weight but he'll continue to hunt with solid momentum all the way down the straight.
#4 FOREVER GLORIOUS changed stables during the off-season break and now resides under the care of South African trainer Brett Crawford. He's moving fluently in the mornings and trialled nicely on two occasions so the transition process appears a success. He remains competitively rated on overall career best work and draws to do minimal work throughout the run.
#6 SMART CITY raced handy to the speed when winning a similar class 4 contest at the end of last season and gave the impression better is to come. He's been kept to mostly track work and swimming leading into his return but did trial satisfactorily on one occasion. He's drawn out, but importantly near YOUTH POWER in the gates, which creates his opportunity to cross the field early and jointly lead.
Selections : 7,10,1,4,6
R6 - 5,3,1,12,7
R7 - 3,5,8,1,2
R8 - 10,3,2,1,6
R9 - 8,2,3,9,11
