Group One targets may very well be on the agenda for Hong Lok Golf subsequent season after the thrilling galloper continued his fast rise with a profitable Comfortable Valley debut on Wednesday evening.
Despatched off the $2.8 favorite for the Class Two Cheung Sha Handicap (1,650m), Hong Lok Golf settled sixth and labored into the race when Harry Bentley made his transfer on the flip.
Because the $3.5 second favorite Soleil Fighter shot to the lead early within the straight, Steps Forward launched a decided problem to hit the entrance on the 100m.
However it was Hong Lok Golf who dug deep when it counted most, lifting down the centre of the monitor to edge Steps Forward by a brief head. Soleil Fighter was shut behind in third.
Hong Lok Golf added to his status as a rising star of Hong Kong racing along with his sixth win from seven begins. The Chris So Wai-yin-trained gelding ought to arguably be unbeaten, with a luckless second to Righteous Arion at Sha Tin in February his solely defeat.
“I used to be frightened about coming to Comfortable Valley for the primary time, however I assumed the horse may very well be versatile – he can lead, sit off the tempo or come from behind – so it was definitely worth the attempt,” stated So.
“Each time he provides you a shock – he’s such a tricky horse and by no means provides up, he all the time hits the road strongly. I hope he generally is a Group One horse in time.
“I don’t assume we’ll go for the Group Three [Premier Plate] subsequent week, there’s a [Class One] mile race on July 13 at Sha Tin that we will possibly have a look at, however we’ll see how he pulls up and what the proprietor thinks.”
Bentley, who has been aboard Hong Lok Golf in all seven begins, labelled the four-year-old “a jockey’s dream”.
“This horse is simply so powerful and he actually goes to the effectively,” Bentley stated.
“The tempo was a bit sedate, maybe, for him early on. We acquired a stunning run by means of following Steps Forward however the straight here’s a bit on the quick aspect for him and it blunts his endurance, the place Sha Tin actually fits him with the lengthy straight.
“Chris and his workforce have achieved a extremely good job in preserving him in tip-top form till now.”
A day after celebrating his thirty third birthday, Bentley notched a Valley double after additionally hanging on Jimmy Ting Koon-ho’s Smiling Emperor within the Class 5 Tai Wo Ping Handicap (1,650m).
Elsewhere on Wednesday evening, Caspar Fownes prolonged his lead within the unofficial Valley trainers’ championship with a race-to-race double courtesy of Autumn Delight and Capital Delight.
Autumn Delight broke by means of at begin six, capitalising on a dream run simply off the pace from gate 4 to say the second part of the Class 4 Tai Dangle Tung Handicap (1,200m) underneath Andrea Atzeni.
“It’s good when you will get a outcome with horses which have loads of issues,” Fownes stated of the four-year-old, who was struck down by a tendon harm final yr.
“The homeowners have been very affected person and now they’re beginning to get the rewards. I feel this horse hopefully will enhance and win one other race earlier than the season finishes.”
Capital Delight efficiently backed up from a closing second every week earlier to attain a barnstorming triumph within the Class 4 Tai Kok Tsui Handicap (1,650m) for in-form apprentice Ellis Wong Chi-wang, who has booted dwelling eight winners because the begin of Could.
Often known as “the King of the Valley”, Fownes has recorded 25 wins on the metropolis circuit this time period. Mark Newnham is his nearest rival with 22.
Karis Teetan additionally chimed in with a brace aboard Sensible Metropolis and Definitive.
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