Eighteen of trainer Caspar Fownes’ season-leading 31 training wins have come at Happy Valley Racecourse, and eight of those – more than at any other distance – have come in 1,200-meter races. Explosive Witness has accounted for two of Fownes’ Happy Valley winners during the 2020-2021 racing season, scoring both times at 1,000 meters, and in the featured ninth race Wednesday night, Explosive Witness tries to stretch his winning streak to three while stretching out to 1,200 meters.

The 4-year-old Australian-bred Ulysses has been the highlight of December for Chris Williams, a 29-year-old apprentice jockey.

Ulysses gave Williams his most recent win through Monday in a handicap at Warwick Farm Racecourse on Dec. 9. Ulysses and Williams are back at Warwick Farm in Sydney on Wednesday for another appearance in a handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs. They will race against some of the same rivals as the Dec. 9 race.

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, December 23, 2020)

Paul Lally:

R1: 5-3-7-4

R2: 5-3-11-9

R3: 1-6-7-8

R4: 1-4-12-3

R5: 3-1-5-8

R6: 12-3-9-2

R7: 9-8-4-6

R8: 10-8-3-5

R9: 10-2-5-4

R10: 1-4-5-2

Best Bet R4 N1 Everyone’s Delight

Longshot R9 N10 Smart Wongchoy

Play R6 QQP 3-9-12

Mark McNamara:

R1: 4-3-2-9

R2: 5-11-3-4

R3: 12-1-6-2

R4: 1-11-12-2

R5: 10-1-8-3

R6: 14-7-2-3

R7: 4-8-9-11

R8: 11-10-12-8

R9: 12-5-10-2

R10: 4-2-10-1

Best Bet – R7 N4 All for South

The 4-year-old Australian-bred filly Je Suis Belle returned from a six-month layoff to win her second consecutive start in a handicap at 5 1/4 furlongs at Toowoomba Racecourse on Dec. 4, her fourth win in six starts.

Christophe Soumillon ranks as one of the world’s leading jockeys. He doesn’t need you to feel badly for him. Still, it’s been a rough six weeks for Soumillon. The good news is the Swiss-born, France-based veteran reinsman has recovered from COVID-19. The bad news – for Soumillon, at least – are the horses he missed riding because of COVID.

By Declan Schuster

This Sunday (20 December) at Sha Tin, two-time champion trainer David Hayes will unveil smart four-year-old Conqueror, who is looking to lay out his BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) credentials in the Class 2 Bellflower Handicap (1400m).

Sidelined from two of the most prestigious meetings in the world because of COVID-19, Belgian ace Christophe Soumillon is anxious to make up for lost opportunities – and time – when he resumes with a full book of rides at Sha Tin on Sunday (20 December).

Diagnosed with COVID-19 shortly before the Breeders’ Cup meeting at Keeneland on 7 November, the 10-time French champion surrendered winning rides on Tarnawa in the US$4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf.

Truly Great was a 17-1 chance when he beat even-money favorite Inspirational Girl in the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic at Ascot Racecourse in Perth, Australia, on Dec. 5 for his seventh win in his 12th start.

Saturday at Ascot, Truly Great will be the heavy favorite in the Group 2 Ted Van Heemst Stakes at 1 5/16 miles, the top race of the day in Australia.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, December 20, 2020)