Hong Kong: Lucky Sweynesse gets in light in Happy Valley Class 3

Things may be working out beautifully for the Hong Kong connections of the New Zealand-bred 3-year-old gelding Lucky Sweynesse.

Their horse scored an eye-catching debut victory Feb. 9 at Happy Valley, winning a Class 4 handicap over 1,200 meters by 2 1/4 lengths. That triggered a nine-point rating rise, from 52 to 61, from the Hong Kong Jockey Club handicapping team, which means Lucky Sweynesse runs back Wednesday night at Happy Valley carrying a very low weight while trying Class 3 competition for the first time.

Lucky Sweynesse is among a dozen entrants in race 9, the card’s nightcap and the last of three Class 3 handicaps for horses rated 80-60. He loses Zac Purton, who rode him last out and moves to Toronado Phantom but picks up the very able services of Joao Moreira.

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In his debut, Lucky Sweynesse raced midpack in the early stages but moved into contending position racing along the fence while loaded with run. When Purton found a seam, his mount accelerated rapidly and was one of those much-the-best winners who looks ready for a class hike. That comes Wednesday, and Lucky Sweynesse carries just 118 pounds, getting as much as 18 pounds from top-rated Shining Gem.

He gets 14 pounds from Toronado Phantom, Purton’s mount and another horse coming off an impressive win. Trained by John Size, Toronado Phantom is a French-bred 4-year-old who has won three of his seven starts, none as impressively as the one on Feb. 6 at Happy Valley. Toronado Phantom appears to be strictly a hold-up horse and Purton snagged him to the back of a Class 3 field in a 1,200-meter sprint, wheeling out to make a run with about 500 meters to race and getting a big response. Despite closing into a pace that was slower than standard for the class level and distance, Toronado Phantom mowed everyone down with a fast 22.43-second final 400 meters and coasted under the wire an easy winner.

The other two Class 3s are race 8, another 1,200-meter sprint, and race 1, a one-circuit, 1,650-meter tour of the Happy Valley course. First post for the card is 5:45 a.m. Eastern. Catch all the action at DRFBets.com.

* The Hong Kong Jockey Club, if you hadn’t noticed, does not mess around. The club has fined trainer Frankie Lor about $77,000 for allowing into his HKJC lodgings people who were not permitted there under the COVID-19 protocols established by the club and agreed to by those within its purview, such as Lor. Lor will not appeal the ruling.

* Blake Shinn has picked up the mount on The Irishman for the Hong Kong Derby, according to a report in the South China Morning Post. Shinn takes over for Vincent Ho, best known as the pilot of Hong Kong star Golden Sixty. The Irishman, who will be a leading HK Derby contender stretching out to 2,000 meters, endured a very difficult trip finishing a creditable sixth Sunday in the Hong Kong Classic Cup. Purton plans to retain the mount on the Classic Cup winner California Spangle. Karis Teetan will ride back fourth-place Romantic Warrior, who took his first career loss following five victories while enduring a very wide, uncovered trip Sunday.