Three Class 3s highlight Happy Valley card

A trio of Class 3 handicaps round out a nine-race program on Wednesday at Happy Valley in Hong Kong, the most interesting of them race 8, a 1,200-meter sprint.

This race, for horse rated 80-60, drew 14 entrants and has a likely solid favorite in Capital Star. Trainer by Caspar Fownes and with Joao Moreira back aboard, Capital Star seeks to build on a strong start to his Hong Kong career. Bred in Australia and campaigned there during 2020, when he won three of seven starts while racing as Classy Jaybee, 4-year-old Capital Star has a win and a place in his two races – both 1,200-meter Happy Valley Class 3s, since being imported.

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First time up he broke from the fence and lacked the speed to establish favorable early position, getting shuffled back to 10th around the turn as horses crossed in front of him and Capital Star got hemmed in along the rail. Moreira found room inside turning for home and Capital Star responded to his strong urging, splitting two rivals in the final 200 meters to finish second of 12. Tactics totally changed on Feb. 3, when Moreira sent Capital Star to the lead from post 10 and the gelding never wavered as the pacesetter, posting a 1 1/4-length victory under 122 pounds. His rating raised eight points to 77 after that performance, Capital Star carries 130 pounds Wednesday breaking from post 6. The weight might burden him more than some horses since Capital Star weighed in this week at a relatively light 1,084 pounds.

California Concord presents a confusing case. Seven of his 10 Hong Kong starts have come over the Sha Tin dirt track, where he has raced with some effectiveness, while his two turf races this season were 1,200-meter Class 2s at Happy Valley. Those weren’t especially encouraging performances but last season, in a 1,200-meter Happy Valley Class 3, his first race in Hong Kong, California Concord showed speed and finished a creditable third.

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Kinda Cool raced so poorly in his most recent start, a 12th-place finish at this class level and distance on Jan. 20, that Hong Kong stewards required him to go through a barrier trial (training race) and veterinary examination before he could start again. Those protocols having been met, Kinda Cool seeks to return him to the form that produced a two-race winning streak prior to his last-out clunker. The pair of wins coincided with an equipment change, blinkers on, and while Moreira, Kinda Cool’s former jockey, winds up on Capital Star, Zac Purton takes over the mount Wednesday.

First post for the program is 5:45 a.m. Eastern. You can catch all the action at DRFBets.com.