January Cup a drop in class for four at Happy Valley
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLEFor four runners in Wednesday’s $386,752 January Cup at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong, the Group 1 international races held at Sha Tin Racecourse on Dec. 11 were too tough.
A drop in class to the Group 3 January Cup at 1 1/8 miles on turf could be productive for Horse of Fortune, Flame Hero, Romantic Touch or Helene Super Star. Aside from the recent starts in Group 1 races, all four have credentials that will make them competitive in Wednesday’s race, the seventh on an eight-race program.
First post time is 7:15 a.m. Eastern, or 4:15 a.m. Pacific.
Horse of Fortune, a 7-year-old gelding, won the Group 3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse at Sha Tin Racecourse on Nov. 6, but was sixth of 12 in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase at 1 1/4 miles on turf Dec. 11. Horse of Fortune was beaten 4 3/4 lengths by the Japanese star Maurice.
In the January Cup, Horse of Fortune will be ridden by Silvestre de Sousa and will carry topweight of 133 pounds.
Flame Hero and Romantic Touch will carry 129 pounds. Both are seeking their first wins of the 2016-17 Hong Kong season, which began in September.
Flame Hero won the 2016 January Cup. An 8-year-old gelding, Flame Hero was ninth in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase at 1 1/2 miles on turf. He was a more promising second in the Group 2 Jockey Club Cup at Sha Tin on Nov. 20.
Romantic Touch was eighth in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile on Dec. 11, but second, beaten a short head, in the Group 2 Jockey Club Mile at Sha Tin on Nov. 20. He was 11th behind Horse of Fortune in the Sa Sa Ladies Cup.
Helene Super Star is familiar to American racing fans, but under the name Lines of Battle. Lines of Battle was seventh in the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita, won the 2013 UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, and was seventh behind Orb in the 2013 Kentucky Derby. He began racing in Hong Kong in early 2014 when his racing name was changed.
Helene Super Star was a Group 1 winner at Sha Tin in May 2015 and was last of 12 behind Maurice in the Hong Kong Cup last month.
