Cinquante Cinq will be coming late at Happy Valley

Cinquante Cinq has made steady progress in Hong Kong in his first four starts, winning for the first time in March and finishing a close second on April 17.

A 4-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, Cinquante Cinq raced wide for much of the April 17 race and was beaten a neck after leading in the stretch. The performance suggests Cinquante Cing has every chance to win for the second time in Wednesday’s $175,814 Arc de Triomphe Champions Handicap at Happy Valley Racecourse.

Cinquante Cinq will be racing at 1 1/8 miles for the first time in the turf race and will carry only 115 pounds, a hefty 17 pounds less than topweight Brave Legend, another contender. Cinquante Cinq will be ridden by Matthew Chadwick, who has been aboard for all four of the gelding’s starts.

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Cinquante Cinq tends to run from off the pace and should have ample pace to follow from Travel First (121 pounds) and Vigor Fame (119). Travel First ended a nine-race losing streak with a shocking win at 115-1 in a handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Happy Valley on April 24. He always raced within a length of the front.

Brave Legend, who will carry 132 pounds, won a handicap at about a mile and 50 yards at Happy Valley on Feb. 27, and was scratched from a handicap at Happy Valley on March 13 because of lameness in a foreleg, according to the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s website.

Ruletheroost (117) has been the most prolific winner in the field in recent months, with two wins in his last three starts since early March. Ruletheroost won a handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Happy Valley on April 10 against lesser competition.

With the recent wins, Ruletheroost has steadily risen in Hong Kong’s ratings system, forcing the 4-year-old German-bred gelding into a tougher race on Wednesday.

There are two Kentucky-breds in the field – Marzouq (131) and Bear Slam (129).

Marzouq, a 5-year-old gelding by Spring at Last, is trained by John Size and was a two-time winner in England in 2016 and 2017. Marzouq has won 3 of 19 starts in Hong Kong, but is winless in five races this year.

Bear Slam, a 4-year-old gelding by Mizzen Mast, raced under the name Purser and won the King Charles II Stakes at Newmarket in May 2018 when trained by John Gosden. Horses frequently have their names changed when they are bought to race in Hong Kong.

Bear Slam is winless in seven starts in Hong Kong, and will have his first start at Happy Valley on Wednesday for trainer David Ferraris. Bear Slam has been racing without success on Sha Tin’s infield dirt track in recent starts.