Hong Kong: Surging Lor sends out three with chances at Happy Valley

Frankie Lor’s seven winners at this early stage of the Hong Kong racing season ties him for third among trainers, and Lor looks like he can add to that total on the Wednesday, Oct. 13, card at Happy Valley.

Lor has contenders in all three Class 3 handicaps that close the eight-race Wednesday program. The handicaps all are for horses rated 80-60; races 6 and 7 are carded for 1,200 meters, race 8 over 1,650 meters.

The Lor-trained All Beauty gets into race 6 carrying just 117 pounds, as much as 16 fewer than his higher-rated rivals and a very manageable impost. Four-year-old All Beauty rises in class after winning for the first time in his career but with just three races behind him brings ample upside into Wednesday’s contest. Second in his career debut, All Beauty made only two starts during the 2020-21 season, both at Happy Valley, and closed stoutly to take down a 1,200-meter Class 4 on Sept. 22 in his first try over the Happy Valley course.

Moving midway around the far turn after rating kindly from seventh position, All Beauty, rallying wide, made the lead in the final furlong as jockey Zac Purton, his work finished, eased up on his mount in the last few strides. All Beauty won by one length and got an eight-point rating hike to 62. Purton is serving a two-card suspension and cedes this mount to Alexis Badel.

Lor’s runner in race 7, the other Class 3 over 1,200 meters, is Hurry Hurry Gain, another 4-year-old, who began his career last season, though he got in five runs compared to All Beauty’s two and has yet to make a start this season. Hurry Hurry Gain fell apart in his last two races, badly beaten in May and June starts, but his first three performances were far better, including an easy Class 4 win going 1,200 meters in his only Happy Valley appearance. Hurry Hurry Gain does have positional pace to help mitigate a wide draw in post 11.

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Last up for Lor is Everyone’s Delight, weighted at 131 pounds as the second-highest rated entrant (78) in race 8, the 1,650-meter contest. This New Zealand-bred 5-year-old’s merits are obvious: three wins in his last four 2020-21 starts including two in a row in Class 3s over 1,650 meters at Happy Valley. Everyone’s Delight hasn’t raced since July but won his career debut last season, showing Lor knows how to get this gelding to fire fresh.

First post for the card is 7:15 a.m. Eastern. Watch and wager at DRFBets.com.