Happy Valley Selections
(Wednesday, April 02, 2025)
Race 1: #7 Wah May Wai Wai, #1 Prestige Good, #2 Capital Legend, #5 Harmony Galaxy
Race 2: #1 Lucky Generations, #5 Talents Supremo, #8 Winning Heart, #2 Sweet Diamond
Race 3: #9 Sharpen Bright, #8 Charity Gain, #5 Fallon, #10 Jumbo Legend
Race 4: #2 Swagger Bro, #10 Rewarding Twinkle, #4 Flying Wrote, #3 Giant Leap
Race 5: #5 Thunder Prince, #2 Heroic Master, #11 Crystal Powerful, #1 Colourful Prince
Race 6: #1 Viva Graciousness, #8 Amazing Award, #6 The Heir, #2 Foremost Teddy
Race 7: #1 Dragon Four Seas, #4 Happy Park, #2 Motoman, #7 Savvy Twinkle
Race 8: #4 Definitive, #1 M Unicorn, #6 Aestheticism, #7 Chain Of Gold
Race 9: #2 View Of The World, #7 King Of Fighters, #4 Romantic Son, #3 Beauty Infinity
Race 1 - CHUKYO HANDICAP
#7 Wah May Wai Wai should roll forward and take up the lead. He’s proving costly as a 10-start local maiden but will be giving a decent sight once again, especially having drawn an inside gate while some of his key rivals have drawn wide. #1 Prestige Good showed instant improvement on the class drop last time at his first attempt in Class 4, placing third to Sky Vino over this distance. He’s taken time to find his feet in Hong Kong but looks ready to go a step better at his fifth local outing. #2 Capital Legend drops back into Class 4 where he is a two-time winner from six and also steps back up to a more suitable trip. He’s capable of bouncing back sharply. #5 Harmony Galaxy is another still adjusting to local racing, but his late surge into fifth from the widest draw last start was encouraging. With a genuine tempo up front, he looks ready to improve again.
Race 2 - NIIGATA HANDICAP
#1 Lucky Generations was desperately unlucky last time out, held up from the 300m until passing the 100m before checking in three and a quarter lengths away in ninth. He’s since dropped two points in the handicap, which sees him eligible for Class 5 for the first time, where he can make his presence felt. #5 Talents Supremo gets a key jockey upgrade for his second start in Class 5 with Zac Purton taking the reins. Though awkwardly drawn in barrier 10, he has shown enough to suggest he has what it takes to go close here. #8 Winning Heart hasn’t had the best of luck from wide draws in recent starts, caught wide in his last two runs, which has clearly cost him. He’s capable of bouncing back with a smoother trip from barrier 6. #2 Sweet Diamond always warrants respect in this grade with a respectable Class 5 record. He can show early speed and give a sight.
Race 3 - HANSHIN HANDICAP
#9 Sharpen Bright is a model of consistency, having missed the top three just once from six starts this season. He will relish the rise to 2200m with a strong record over the trip—two wins and two seconds from four attempts—and looks hard to hold out. #8 Charity Gain is less exposed than Sharpen Bright and appears to still have improvement to come. This is his second try at 2200m, having placed third on his first attempt five runs back. #5 Fallon takes a sharp rise in distance from 1800m to 2200m for the first time, but he’s back in good form with a win and a runner-up finish in his last two starts. #10 Jumbo Legend is a knockout chance at odds under a light weight. He has a decent turn of foot on his day, as shown last start when flashing home late for fourth behind Beauty Alliance over 1800m.
Race 4 - NAKAYAMA HANDICAP
#2 Swagger Bro showed instant improvement on his first attempt in Class 4 last start, finishing a one-length third to Dragon Four Seas. That reads as strong form for this, and a recent trial win between runs suggests he is primed to break through for his first Hong Kong win. #10 Rewarding Twinkle is just a three-year-old with five starts to his name, and he’s yet to draw better than barrier 9. He’s improving with racing, and his last-start seventh—beaten just two and a half lengths—was solid. With a kinder draw and a more favourable speed map, he’s ready to put his best foot forward. #4 Flying Wrote closed in nicely for second behind Ace Power last start, missing by only a head. He’s back in good form and looks close to a second career win. #3 Giant Leap set too strong a tempo last start and faded late into fifth, beaten two lengths. With a more measured ride, he can improve—especially as this is only his second attempt back in Class 4, where his best form lies.
Race 5 - THE JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION TROPHY (HANDICAP)
#5 Thunder Prince is on his second attempt in Class 4 after a better run than it reads down the Sha Tin straight last time. He was crowded at the start and settled towards the rear before finding the line well into sixth, beaten three lengths by the talented Super Strong Kid. He can make his presence felt here. #2 Heroic Master hasn’t won for some time but drops into Class 4 for the first time, and if he runs up to some of his Class 3 efforts, he’s right in the mix. #11 Crystal Powerful bounced back to winning ways last start with a drop into Class 5. The five-year-old has typically raced over 1200m, but the minimum trip appears to suit, and Cody Mo sticks to 1000m back up in grade. #1 Colourful Prince returns from a break and maps to lead. He could get a soft time on speed, but race fitness may be telling late.
Race 6 - CHUKYO HANDICAP
#1 Viva Graciousness looks poised to get a soft time on the lead in this race, which will make him hard to peg back late. He was only narrowly denied on his return to Class 4, and the handicapper has kept him on a mark of 60, giving him every hope of going one better. #8 Amazing Award won well three starts ago, followed that with a fast-finishing fourth over 1800m, then returned to this course and distance last time but had barrier 11 to contend with and still ran a creditable fifth. #6 The Heir is struggling to shed his local maiden status but has slid down the ratings and is starting to show signs he can break through. His runs at Sha Tin since the class drop have been sound, and the form around him holds up. #2 Foremost Teddy gains a start and resumes following a vet excuse. He’s been knocking on the door in recent runs despite still being a local maiden, and from a good draw he maps for a nice run in transit. A knockout chance.
Race 7 - NAKAYAMA HANDICAP
#1 Dragon Four Seas was heavily backed and delivered in style last start, leading from pillar to post on his first go around the city circuit. Class prevailed, and he scored by a neck. He’s shown tactical versatility, so he doesn’t necessarily need to lead again with other pace influences engaged, and he looks good enough to make the step into Class 3. #4 Happy Park hasn’t had much go right from wide draws in recent starts and is better than his recent form suggests. Bringing strong Sha Tin form to Happy Valley looks key to his chances of rebounding. #2 Motoman has been in good form with more racing and the drop in class. He won well five runs ago and has placed third in three of his last four. #7 Savvy Twinkle is still learning but has shown glimpses in three starts. His last-start seventh down the Sha Tin straight had merit after a late check, and he wasn’t beaten far. He’s open to improvement.
Race 8 - TOKYO HANDICAP
#4 Definitive surprised at odds three runs ago with an all-the-way win at this course and distance and has followed up with two solid efforts since. Last start he drew wide over 2000m at Sha Tin, rolled forward and gave a bold sight before fading late into fourth behind Enthralled, which reads well for this. #1 M Unicorn bounced back to his best with a dominant two-length win last time, benefitting from a genuine tempo. He now shoulders top weight in Class 3 but does so as a five-time course and distance winner, and remains a major player. #6 Aestheticism is yet to break through in this grade but continues to go close, no less than last start when beaten half a length into third. He has the talent to win in Class 3 but does rely on luck in running. #7 Chain Of Gold returns to his preferred course and distance after three runs at Sha Tin where he hasn’t disgraced. He’s capable of improving sharply in this setup.
Race 9 - KYOTO HANDICAP
#2 View Of The World resumes off a 56-day let-up after seeing his winning streak come to an end last time when drawing wide in barrier 11. He was eased back early before making good late ground into eighth. A solid tick-over trial since has him poised to bounce back into the money. #7 King Of Fighters went under by a neck as the odds-on favourite last start and continues to improve with racing. He should be going close again having drawn perfectly in barrier 2 to suit his pattern. #4 Romantic Son chases back-to-back wins from barrier 10, which is tricky, after breaking his Hong Kong maiden in style last start at this course and distance following a string of encouraging runs. The four-year-old has since won a trial in impressive fashion and gives the impression he still has ratings points in hand. #3 Beauty Infinity backed up a nose second to Romantic Son two starts ago with a subsequent win over Lucky Eight. There’s no reason he shouldn’t be in the mix once more.