Hong Kong: Good trip essential to victory for Harmony Victory

When Harmony Victory won for the first time in six starts in a minor handicap at Happy Valley in February, the gelding raced closer to the pace than his typical stalking style.

The same scenario may unfold in Saturday’s Lung Cheung Handicap at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong. Harmony Victory should have a pace to follow from speedy runners such as Ka Ying Star, Encouraging and Good Standing.

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Trained by Danny Shum, Harmony Victory overcame traffic to win a race at about a mile and 50 yards at Happy Valley around two turns on Feb. 26. The Lung Cheung Handicap is run at a mile around one turn at Sha Tin.

Harmony Victory has been assigned 122 pounds, 11 less than topweight Ka Ying Star. Harmony Victory will break from post 10. Blake Shinn has the mount. From that post, Harmony Victory could race as a stalker and will try to stay within range of Ka Ying Star.

The 5-year-old Harmony Victory has displayed competitive form in important races this year, having finished second in the Group 3 January Cup at Happy Valley on Jan. 8. Harmony Victory raced wide in that race, and was beaten only 1 1/2 lengths at 1 1/8 miles.

Ka Ying Star will attract significant support. A 5-year-old gelding trained by Tony Cruz, Ka Ying Star was second to two-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year Beauty Generation in the Group 1 Queen’s Jubilee Silver Cup at seven furlongs on Feb. 16.

This is Ka Ying Star’s first start in a non-group level stakes in seven starts, since a third in a minor handicap at a mile at Sha Tin last April. The runner-up finish in the Queen’s Jubilee Silver Cup was his best result in that span.

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