Marvel Hero the horse to watch in Chater Handicap

Marvel Hero was fifth behind Beauty Generation in a minor handicap at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong on Jan. 8. By the end of last weekend, the performance looked a bit better.

Beauty Generation was third in the $1,289,124 Hong Kong Classic Mile for 4-year-olds at Sha Tin, beaten 2 1/4 lengths by race favorite Rapper Dragon.
Marvel Hero has not reached that level of competition, but is capable of winning for the second time in three starts in Wednesday’s $227,615 Chater Handicap at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong. The Chater Handicap drew a field of 12 and is run at about a mile and 50 yards.

The Chater Handicap is the final race on a nine-race program that begins at 6:45 a.m. Eastern, or 3:45 a.m. Pacific.

Marvel Hero, a 5-year-old Irish-bred gelding by Lord Shanakill, won a handicap at Happy Valley on Dec. 14, when racing in class 3 company. The Chater Handicap is a more-difficult class 2 contest, for horses with ratings ranging from 80 to 100. Marvel Hero has a rating of 84 and has a weight assignment of 121 pounds, 12 pounds less than topweight Packing Llaregyb, who has a rating of 96.

Leading rider Joao Moreira has the mount on Marvel Hero.

Packing Llaregyb is winless in six starts during the current Hong Kong season, but has been second in his last two starts. On Jan. 11, Packing Llaregyb was beaten 1 1/4 lengths by Speedy Longwah, who won a handicap at Happy Valley in a 27-1 upset. Speedy Longwah is part of the field for the Chater Handicap.

The Chater Handicap is a notable drop in class for Eastern Express, who was 10th in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin on Dec. 11. Eastern Express is winless in four starts in Hong Kong this season.

Moreira rode Rapper Dragon to a two-length win in the Hong Kong Classic Mile, the first race in a three-race series that ends with the Hong Kong Derby on March 22.

A 4-year-old Australian-bred gelding by Street Boss, Rapper Dragon was second in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes at Randwick Racecourse in Australia in 2015 before being imported to Hong Kong.

In the Hong Kong Classic Mile, Rapper Dragon was always near the front and won as the 2-1 favorite over 11-1 Seasons Bloom. Rapper Dragon is expected to run in the second race of the series, the Hong Kong Classic Cup at 1 1/8 miles Feb. 19.