Helene Charisma seeks elusive win as Hong Kong season nears end

Helene Charisma was supposed to be a major race winner in Hong Kong during the current season. In the summer of 2016, Helene Charisma won the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in France, which led to him being sold privately to Hong Kong owners a month later.

Seven races into his Hong Kong career, Helene Charisma is winless with one second, by three-quarters of a length, in the Grade 3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup on April 30. The 4-year-old colt will have what is likely his final start of the season in Sunday’s $224,904 Pok Fu Lam Country Park Handicap at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Sha Tin Racecourse.

Sha Tin has a 10-race program on Sunday; wagering is available at DRFBets.com. The Hong Kong season ends July 16 before resuming in September.

Helene Charisma will carry topweight of 133 pounds in the Country Park Handicap. Trained by John Moore, Helene Charisma is taking a significant drop in class. On May 28, Helene Charisma was fourth in the Group 1 Standard Champions and Chater Cup at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Sha Tin.

A French-bred, Helene Charisma has won 3 of 14 starts in his career. He raced as Mont Ormel in France. Horses typically have their names changed when they are transferred to Hong Kong.

Jockey Zac Purton will ride Helene Charisma for the first time Sunday. Helene Charisma races from off the pace.

Moore trains three of the 13 runners, including Basic Trilogy, who will carry 129 pounds, and Rocketeer, who has been assigned 123 pounds. Basic Trilogy was sixth in the Standard Champions and Chater Cup after setting the pace. Rocketeer won the Hong Kong Jubilee Cup at 1 1/4 miles on turf June 4, his first win in Hong Kong in his fourth local start.

A class drop may help Doyeni, who was fourth in the Group 3 Lion Rock Trophy on June 4, his only group stakes appearance. A 6-year-old Kentucky-bred by Smart Strike, Doyeni is winless in three starts in Hong Kong this season, and was the winner of a minor handicap at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Sha Tin in November, 2015.