By Declan Schuster

David Hayes is eager to test Ka Ying Rising in Sunday’s (20 October) HK$5.35 million G2 Premier Bowl Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin, although the dual Hong Kong Champion Trainer (1997/98 & 1998/99) remains wary of an imposing California Spangle threat.

The 119-rating Ka Ying Rising is one of Hong Kong’s hottest young sprinters. The four-year-old bossed rivals first-up with top-weight (135lb) in the Class 1 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup Handicap (1200m) on rain affected ground at Sha Tin last month.

Trainer Douglas Whyte is predicting a bright future for Young Arrow’s racing career in Hong Kong as the Singapore import is pointed towards the first section of Wednesday night’s (16 October) HK$1.86 million Class 3 Flying Handicap (1200m) at Happy Valley.

A fast-closing third first-up this season in September, the HKJC Racing Club Limited-owned Young Arrow won once from two starts in Singapore before arriving in Hong Kong. Whyte feels the four-year-old sired by Showtime has what it takes to thrive in his new surroundings.

By Leo Schlink

Synonymous with Golden Sixty’s towering feats, Vincent Ho has anointed Galaxy Patch as Hong Kong’s “next future star” after the gelding’s dominant HK$5.35 million G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m) victory at Sha Tin on Sunday (13 October).

Ho piloted Galaxy Patch (129lb) to an emphatic one and half length win over Group 1 winner Voyage Bubble (135lb) and rising talent Chancheng Glory (115lb) in 1m 33.49s in another confirmation of Galaxy Patch’s extraordinary talent.

Happy Valley Selections
(Wednesday, October 16, 2024)

Cervinia became the third filly in this decade to win the final two legs of the Triple Crown for fillies in Japan with a victory in Sunday’s Grade 1 Shuka Sho at Kyoto Racecourse.

Cervinia won the second race in the series, the Grade 1 Japanese Oaks, at Tokyo Racecourse in May. She did not start between the Oaks and $1.43 million Shuka Sho at 1 1/4 miles on turf.

Cervinia, who paid $5.80 in American pools as the favorite, won the Shuka Sho by 1 3/4 lengths over 10-1 Bond Girl, who finished a half-length in front of 7-2 Stellenbosch.

A day after the 2-year-old filly Desert Flower made easy work of the Group 1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket Racecourse in England, her stablemate Shadow of Light toughed out a narrow victory there Saturday in the Group 1 Dewhurst.

Shadow of Light, William Buick riding for Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby – same as with Desert Flower – passed Expanded and Ancient Truth in the last of seven furlongs to win the straight-course Dewhurst by a neck.

The post position draw for Sunday’s Grade 1 Shuka Sho Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Kyoto Racecourse in Japan worked in favor of the contenders Queens Walk and Cervinia. It was not as kind for Stellenbosch, winner of the Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas earlier this year.

Queens Walk, who ended a two-race losing streak in Grade 1 races with a win in the Grade 2 Sho Rose Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Chukyo Racecourse on Sept. 15, will start from post 3 in a field of 15, while Cervinia, who won the Grade 1 Japanese Oaks in her last start on May 19, will break from post 5.\

The way Desert Flower bounded away from January on a Friday in October made the filly look like a horse to watch in May.

Desert Flower, a Godolphin homebred trained by Charlie Appleby, won the Group 1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket by 5 1/2 lengths, running her record to four wins from four starts and vaulting to second favorite with British bookmakers for the 1000 Guineas on May 4.

By Leo Schlink

Pierre Ng will venture to Sha Tin on Sunday (13 October) in search of two objectives with Galaxy Patch – a strong showing in the HK$5.35 million G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m) and greater clarity into the immediate pathway of one of Hong Kong’s most talented and versatile horses.

Paul Lally: 
R1: 9-6-7-1 
R2: 5-8-2-1 
R3: 1-6-7-2 
R4: 12-3-8-6 
R5: 9-7-3-1 
R6: 2-5-14-4 
R7: 8-4-1-2 
R8: 7-10-1-2 
R9: 7-5-2-13 
R10: 6-5-12-8 
Best Bet: R2 N5 Savvy Brilliant 
Longshot: R5 N9 Loving Vibes 
Play: R6 QQP 2-5-14