Happy Dragon, de Sousa reunited in Sports Road Handicap
In his sixth start of the Hong Kong season on Dec. 26, Happy Dragon finally had his first breakthrough win in a minor handicap at about a mile and 50 yards at Happy Valley Racecourse.
Happy Dragon rallied from seventh in the stretch to win by three lengths under jockey Silvestre de Sousa. They are reunited in Wednesday’s $175,959 Sports Road Handicap over the same course and distance in the eighth race at Happy Valley.
Trained by John Moore, Happy Dragon is part of a field of 12 in the final race of the program. A gelding by Raven’s Pass, Happy Dragon was a winner in Ireland in 2017 when racing under the name Yulong Xionghu for trainer Michael Halford. Horses frequently have their names changed when they are sent to Hong Kong.
Happy Dragon, who has won 2 of 10 starts in his career, will carry 129 pounds in the Sports Road Handicap, four less than topweight California Turbo, an Australian import last year who was 12th in his Hong Kong debut at Sha Tin Racecourse on Dec. 23, racing in traffic five furlongs from the finish.
Trained by Tony Cruz, California Turbo was a three-time winner in Australia in 2017 and 2018, including a victory in the minor South Pacific Classic at Randwick Racecourse last April. He should show improvement in his second start in Hong Kong.
Leading rider Zac Purton has the mount on Green Luck, who beat Happy Dragon by two lengths in a handicap at Happy Valley on Nov. 21. Happy Dragon was a winner two races later. Green Luck has had one subsequent start, finishing second in a handicap at a mile at Sha Tin on Dec. 16.
Similar to Happy Dragon, Green Luck runs from off the pace. Trained by Caspar Fownes, Green Luck will carry 132 pounds.
Among the horses with lower weights, there will be significant support for Bank On Red, who will carry 121 pounds. The mount of former leading rider Joao Moreira, Bank On Red was a troubled second to Happy Dragon on Dec. 26.
