Hong Kong: Money Catcher picks up weight but can work out stalking trip

Money Catcher, fresh off two surprisingly good performances at Sha Tin in the 4-year-old classic series, tries his luck Wednesday at Happy Valley.

Money Catcher is among seven entrants in race 4, a Class 2 handicap for horses rated 100-80 carded at 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles). This is a small field by Hong Kong standards but it’s a solid group and the race has some substance.

Money Catcher was bred in New Zealand and campaigned there during 2020 and 2021, making eight starts and placing in a pair of Group 2s, one over seven furlongs, the other at 1 5/16 miles. Money Catcher made his Hong Kong debut in January and didn’t set the world on fire, though he improved upon his 1,400-meter local unveiling when stretched to 1,800 meters second time out.

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Still, he got no respect in the Hong Kong Classic Cup, second leg of the 4-year-old series. Dismissed 62-1, Money Catcher tracked a modest pace and held third in a 14-horse field, and at 35-1 in the Hong Kong Derby, he showed the Classic Cup was no fluke. Racing over 2,000 meters, Money Catcher pulled a similar trip and held resolutely to again finish third of 14.

Now comes a test against older, more seasoned rivals, and with Money Catcher’s rating up to 94 from 78 less than three months ago, he carries 127 pounds, more than anyone else in the Wednesday feature save Telecom Fighters. From the look of his finishes at Sha Tin, the shorter Happy Valley stretch could suit Money Catcher, and while he’s drawn outside in post 7, a two-wide trip stalking the pace with cover (known as “one out, one back” in Hong Kong) seems possible.

Telecom Fighters is going to the lead but doesn’t really want to run this far and should have company from Enjoying, whose running style has been changed this season to front running.

If Looking Great is asked for speed from post 6, it could spell trouble for Money Catcher, who would either have to be hard-used or drop in and find a slot farther back to avoid being caught three wide on the first of two turns.

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Savaquin and perhaps to a slightly lesser extent Sunny Star look like the main dangers. Joao Moreira, in a battle for leading jockey, rides Savaquin for John Size, in a battle for leading trainer, and Savaquin has proven Happy Valley form at the Class 2 level and at 1,800 meters. Savaquin was done in by post 12 in his most recent start under these conditions, on Dec. 8, and in his previous such race, on Nov. 3, Savaquin ran more than well enough to win.

Racing at the back of the pack of the field, slow-paced, turning down the backstretch Savaquin was taken wide by Moreira, zooming past five rivals to lead. The bold early move nearly worked as Savaquin was nailed on the wire by Zebrowski, who subsequebntly won the Grade 3 January Cup at Happy Valley and the Grade 3 Centenary Vase at Sha Tin.

Sunny Star endured a difficult trip finishing fourth in the November race where Moreira made the early move and went on to finish a good closing second in the January Cup. His last two starts came at 1,650 meters, short of his best, and he is liable to improve Wednesday. Sunny Star is very much pace-dependent but might have a lively tempo in front of him.

First post on an appealing nine-race card that includes a pair of Class 3 handicaps is 6:45 a.m. Eastern. Watch and wager at DRFBets.com.