Heart Conquered runs at Happy Valley for first time

Heart Conquered was a busy gelding as a 3-year-old in Australia, winning four of 12 starts in 2018-19.

His determination was on display when Heart Conquered overcame a troubled start to finish a fast-closing third in a handicap at five furlongs at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong on Jan. 1, his first start since mid-July and debut in Hong Kong.

The recent race should help Heart Conquered when he starts for the first time at Happy Valley Racecourse in Wednesday’s $186,576 Connaught Handicap at five furlongs on turf. The difference in the two races is a turn. Races at five furlongs on turf at Sha Tin are run on a straightaway.

Heart Conquered won three consecutive races at five furlongs on a right-handed track in Australia last winter. For Wednesday’s Connaught Handicap, Heart Conquered will break from post 5 in a field of 12. Silvestre de Sousa will ride Heart Conquered for the first time.

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Trained by Richard Gibson, Heart Conquered will carry top weight of 133 pounds.

There will be ample support for the speedy Hong Kong Win, a 4-year-old gelding who beat a lower-class field in a five-furlong handicap at Happy Valley in October and followed with a seventh-, sixth- and third-place finish in five-furlong handicaps at Sha Tin in November and December.

Leading rider Joao Moreira rides Hong Kong Win, who will carry 119 pounds.

Moreira has won 56 races at the Hong Kong season, which began in September. He has a three-race advantage on Zac Purton who is not riding on Wednesday while serving the last of a two-day suspension for a riding infraction on Jan. 1.

The Connaught Handicap will be a class test for Flying Genius (121 pounds) and G Unit (118), who each beat weaker competition last out in five-furlong handicaps at Happy Valley in December.