By Declan Schuster

Massive Sovereign is one of Hong Kong’s brightest talents and the Irish-bred is aiming to become the sixth galloper to win the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) and HK$13 million G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) in the same season.

Since Hong Kong racing turned professional in 1971/72, only five horses have completed the Hong Kong Derby-Champions & Chater Cup double: Co Tack (1983), River Verdon (1991), Makarpura Star (1995), Vengeance Of Rain (2005) and Viva Pataca (2006).

Paul Lally:

R1 1-8-10-7
R2 2-8-5-1
R3 3-2-7-6
R4 1-6-7-3
R5 4-5-11-6
R6 6-10-2-5
R7 4-3-9-10
R8 6-2-3-4
R9 2-10-9-7

Best Bet R1 N1 Cheer For South
Longshot R8 N6 Fairy Horse
Plays R9 QQP 2-9-10

Tom Wood:

R1: 1-4-10-7
R2: 2-4-10-1
R3: 3-7-6-2
R4: 3-4-7-2
R5: 4-11-5-2
R6: 6-10-2-8
R7: 2-4-3-5
R8: 3-4-1-6-
R9: 2-1-3-6

BEST: R3 N3 NOBLE PURSUIT (WIN)
VALUE: R7 N2 GALLANT HERO (EW)
PLAY: R3 QQP 3,6,7

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday May 15, 2024)

Nobody knew anything on Sunday at Longchamp, where heavy rain delayed the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and unlikely longshots poured down in both the Poulains and its sister race, the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches.

Rouhiya, 30-1 on the North American tote, won the Pouliches, the 1000 Guineas, by a head over Kathmandu, who set the pace and was nipped on the line at odds of 45-1. Just a neck farther back came Vespertilio, who loomed a winner a furlong out but settled for third at 17-1.

There are wacky results and then there is the outcome of Sunday’s Grade 1 Victoria Mile for fillies and mares at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan.

The turf race was won by Ten Happy Rose, who paid $233.80, and was one of four runners in a field of 15 at 100-1 or higher in American pools. In Japan, she was 207-1, the second-longest shot in the field.

With the win, Ten Happy Rose earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 2.

The last time the 5-year-old mare Namur raced in Japan, she beat males in the Grade 1 Mile Championship last November.

Since then, she has enhanced her international reputation, finishing third in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin last December, and second by a nose in the Group 1 Dubai Turf in the United Arab Emirates on March 30.

In 2021, the English-bred gelding Zaaki won his first stakes in Australia in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes at Sunshine Coast Racecourse in Brisbane. When he was retired earlier this year, Zaaki had amassed 11 stakes wins, including three consecutive runnings of the Hollindale.

Zaaki was trained by Annabel Neasham who has another recent import in her stable for the Hollindale in Mighty Ulysses, a two-time stakes winner in England in 2022 and 2023 for trainers John and Thady Gosden.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Saturday, May 11, 2024) 

Super Joy N Fun’s unblemished record will go on the line in Wednesday night’s (8 May) Class 3 Shelley Handicap (1200m) at Happy Valley.

Two for two to commence his career for trainer Benno Yung, the gifted Super Joy N Fun faces nine rivals in his class-rising task, including five who have won in the grade before.

Zac Purton takes the mount this week from barrier one. Jerry Chau, who is suspended, steered the three-year-old son of What’s The Story to both of his previous victories.