Perfect Glory brings four-race win streak into Perfect Gear

Perfect Glory has earned his four-race unbeaten streak. After winning his first three starts in Australia, Perfect Glory won his debut in Hong Kong on Oct. 10, recording an 18-1 upset in a six-furlong handicap at Happy Valley Racecourse.

First-time starters in Hong Kong are infrequent winners. The horses come from vastly different racing circuits, such as Australia, New Zealand, or Europe, and are often racing at night for the first time against tough competition.

Perfect Glory handled the task, which will make him the focus of Wednesday’s $176,033 Perfect Gear Handicap at six furlongs on turf at Happy Valley. Perfect Glory is the 133-pound highweight in a field of 12 and will break from post 5 under jockey Chad Schofield.

Trained by Tony Millard, Perfect Glory closed from eighth in the Oct. 10 race to win by 1 1/4 lengths. In Australia, racing under the name Spellology, Perfect Glory won three races last November and December at distances ranging from 6 1/2 furlongs to a mile. Horses often have their names changed when they are transferred to Hong Kong.

In the Perfect Gear Handicap, Perfect Glory will face a challenge from Powermax, who will carry 116 pounds. Trained by Richard Gibson, Powermax was beaten a short head in a handicap against a lower class of competition at Happy Valley on Oct. 3. Powermax is winless in 12 starts since May 2017, but did run an encouraging race in his last start.

There is one first-time starter in Hong Kong in Cheeky Bee, a maiden race winner in New Zealand in April who will have his second start on Wednesday. Now trained by David Ferraris, Cheeky Bee will carry 125 pounds and will be ridden by Douglas Whyte, the 46-year-old who has won 13 riding titles in Hong Kong, most recently in 2012-13. Cheeky Bee did not undergo a name change when transferred.

Through Sunday’s program at Sha Tin, Whyte had seven wins in the current season, well behind leader Zac Purton with 22.