Returning to top form in emphatic fashion, Hong Lok Golf continued Harry Bentley’s bountiful string of lucrative wins this season with success in the HK$3.12 million Class 2 Handicap (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (30 November).
Hong Lok Golf (129lb) enhanced an imposing record to seven wins from 10 starts – all under Bentley – as Chris So’s consistent galloper took his earnings over HK$10 million by defeating Soleil Fighter (121lb) and Steps Ahead (123lb) in 1m 34.02s.
Hong Lok Golf provided Bentley with his 10th victory this season – including five in Class 2 and the HK$5.35 million G2 Premier Bowl Handicap (1200m) on Tomodachi Kokoroe.
By Grunt, the five-year-old was rated 96 before today’s triumph and will edge higher in the handicap after justifying Bentley’s pre-race confidence.
“His trial was really good the other day, so he was coming into this race with quite a bit of confidence. The race panned out from me from barrier one. The pace was good with a bit of an injection of speed around the bend, he travelled into it really well and he’s a game horse,” Bentley said. “Once the gap came, he picked up really well for me. Credit to the horse and the team as well.
“It’s been a good start to the season with some nice races and I hope to keep the ball rolling, but this horse has been a very good advocate for me. Hopefully we can get some more winners together.”
Eight-time Hong Kong champion jockey Zac Purton took riding honours aboard three talented gallopers – Majestic Valour (127lb), who posted a clinical win in the Class 4 Handicap (1200m) for Pierre Ng, Ricky-Yiu trained Packing Glory (128lb) in the Class 4 Handicap (1000m) and David Eustace’s Colourful King (119lb) in the Class 2 Handicap (1000m).
“It was a really good effort (by Colourful King), it’s really hard to win from that side of the track,” Purton, said referring to barrier two up the straight course. “I thought there was no choice but to take him back and go across.
“The speed was always going to be there and it was just a matter of whether the race came and we had enough time to reel them in and he’s done it in really good fashion.”
Eustace notched a double with Dazzling Fit (124lb) in the Class 3 Handicap (1600m) under James McDonald. The Ribchester gelding dug deep as he tracked towards the HK$52 million Four-Year-Old Classic Series to deny Beauty Bolt (135lb) by a short head with the same margin to Withallmyfaith (115lb).
Yiu, who sealed a brace in combination with Hollie Doyle and Victory Sky in the Class 3 Handicap (1200m, dirt), is confident Packing Glory can develop into a quality galloper: “The horse (Packing Glory) has got talent. He’s a nice up-and-coming horse. He doesn’t know what he’s doing.
“Zac came back in and said it’s not easy to win first up with that draw (barrier two) and it obviously shows that he has some talent. If you want him to be one of the top horses over the spring, you’ve got to get 1200 (metres).”
Ng was similarly effusive about Toronado gelding Majestic Valour, who breezed to victory under a hold from Purton.
“He trialled really well. He trialled well in New Zealand, that’s why we got him, and we gave him four trials here and he did it easily,” Ng said. “He’s got the ability and good size, so hopefully he can improve.
“I told Zac just to be aware and to make sure that if he goes out, to go back in. He did it nicely today and hopefully he can do a lot more. We’re ticking along. We started off pretty slowly but it’s still early and we just have to time it right for the big races.”
Brent Crawford-trained Young Horizon (128lb) – owned by the HKJC Racing Club – finished powerfully under Karis Teetan to land the Class 5 Handicap (1400m) before Hong Kong International Sale graduate Day Day Victory (128lb) made it two wins in a row for Michael Chang after surging late to clinch the Class 4 Handicap (1200m, dirt) under Alexis Badel.
Audacious Pursuit (130lb) broke through for his first victory in the Class 4 Handicap (1600m) for Caspar Fownes and Hugh Bowman in the equal closest finish of the day. Smart Fat Cat (126lb) was second, beaten a short head – with the same margin to Amazing Duck (121lb) – before standby declared starter Matters Most (122lb) gave Danny Shum and Ellis Wong a surprise win in the Class 3 Handicap (1200m).
Hong Kong racing continues at Happy Valley on Wednesday (3 December).
By Leo Schlink
