Rematch featured in Begonia Handicap at Happy Valley

The $270,374 Begonia Handicap at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong on Wednesday could be a replay of the Blue Pool Handicap at the same venue on Feb. 26.

In the Blue Pool Handicap at six furlongs, Waldorf rallied from eighth to lead in the final strides, prevailing by a neck. Amazing Star set the pace, but could not sustain his advantage, fading to finish seventh by 2 1/2 lengths.

Waldorf and Amazing Star are part of a field of 12 in the Begonia Handicap, but this time Amazing Star could face early pressure from Moment of Power, who set the pace in a six-furlong handicap on the infield dirt course at Sha Tin on Feb. 19 before fading to finish fourth.

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If Amazing Star, who carries 127 pounds, and Moment of Power, who carries 126 pounds, set a quick pace in the Begonia Handicap, the duel could work in favor of Waldorf, who will carry 126 pounds and will be ridden by Karis Teetan.

Amazing Star, the mount of Zac Purton, won three consecutive starts at Happy Valley from Nov. 20 to Jan. 29, leading throughout each race. He rose in class level in Hong Kong’s handicap rating system and raced in a class 1 race for the first time in the Blue Pool Handicap. The only level aboard class 1 are stakes.

Waldorf, trained by Tony Cruz, has run in class 1 and class 2 races in recent months. The win in the Blue Pool Handicap was his first victory in five starts during the Hong Kong season, which began in September. A 5-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, Waldorf won three consecutive starts, all in lower-level handicaps from mid-March to late May last year.

The 133-pound topweight in the Begonia Handicap is Country Star, who was fourth in the Blue Pool Handicap and subsequently finished seventh in a tougher six-furlong handicap at Sha Tin on March 8, setting the pace to the final furlong.

Country Star will be ridden by leading rider Joao Moreira, who through the weekend had 87 wins, four more than Purton.

The Begonia Handicap is the eighth and final race on the Happy Valley program, with a post time of 10:50 a.m. Eastern, or 7:50 a.m. Pacific. The program begins at 7:15 a.m. Eastern.

Wagering is available at DRFBets.com.