By Andrew Hawkins
Most attention at Sha Tin on Sunday (20 November) will be on the three Group 2 features that serve as key lead-up races to the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races next month, but beneath the surface, there is one of the most exciting undercards of the season to date with two of the most promising horses in Hong Kong hoping to continue their march towards the big leagues.
Tony Cruz’s Pakistan Star and John Size-trained Mr Stunning were two of the breakout stars of the 2015/16 season, each capturing the imagination of racing fans with breathtaking come-from-behind victories to begin their careers.
Pakistan Star became a worldwide internet sensation after his debut effort at 1200m in July, when he was tailed off by as much as nine lengths mid-race but produced a phenomenal turn of foot to sweep past his griffin rivals.
The three-year-old has raced twice this season, both times at 1400m. His first-up win arguably eclipsed last season’s triumph as he pounced on his Class 3 opponents to score in September. Last time out, though, he tasted defeat for the first time as he was unable to reel in John Moore’s Mr Bogart despite posting an imposing final sectional of 21.65 seconds.
Still, jockey Matthew Chadwick believes Pakistan Star (124lb) can only benefit from that hit-out as he prepares for his second run in Class 2 in the Fan Lau Handicap at what will be the son of Shamardal’s first attempt at 1600m.
“He keeps improving and even though he came out second best last time, he still ran a terrific race, the final sectional proves that,” Chadwick said at Sha Tin trackwork this morning (Friday, 18 November). “He’s got the ability, there’s no doubt about that. Now he’s stepping up in distance, he’s improving in his trackwork and it’s about putting what he’s learnt in the morning into practice on raceday.”
Chadwick believes the German-bred galloper does not need to find himself back at the tail in the 14-horse field, but that it all depends on what frame of mind the headstrong gelding is in when the gates crash back.
“I believe he has the capability of sitting closer to the speed, it’s more about whether he wants to do so or not,” the jockey said. “He has a very strong character about him, he does what he wants to do. As we saw last time, he jumps with them but it’s whether or not he wants to be within close proximity of all of them. So the big thing is how he goes into this in terms of his mindset. Obviously I’d like to have him a bit closer than I did last time, but it’s all about keeping him happy so he finishes off his race like he normally does.”
Last time out, Pakistan Star was undone by a solid tempo set by Kei Chiong aboard Spicy Sure, which made it nearly impossible for the backmarker to reach the leaders. Chadwick sees Chiong as the likely leader again, this time on Dennis Yip’s Lucky Girl (124lb, including the claimer’s five-pound allowance).
“I’d assume Lucky Girl might go forward with the apprentice aboard, he seemed to lead at a decent tempo when he won so it will be interesting to see what tempo she sets out this time,” he said. “But Pakistan Star has drawn five, so as long as he’s happy in the run and I don’t have to hustle and bustle him too much, if he finds himself closer or further back, he’s still going to show the turn of foot we know he has and hopefully he can rattle off that final sectional of 21 seconds.
“He’s still developing though, he’s only a three-year-old, so with extra time – going towards the four-year-old races early next year and even next season – we’ll see a much more improved horse. The best is yet to come.”
Chadwick was ruled out of completing his rides at Happy Valley on Wednesday after a fall from Hay Go Lucky in the night’s third race, but the jockey – who was at Sha Tin on Friday morning despite not riding trackwork – says he will be right to go come Sunday.
“I’m a bit sore but I’m OK, not too bad at all,” Chadwick said. “It all happened quite suddenly. I was right behind heels for two or three strides so I could see that something was going to happen. Unfortunately, I came off, but fortunately, I pulled up quite well so I’m looking good for this weekend.
“Once I knew all the horses had gone past me, I knew in a matter of seconds I hadn’t done anything major, so it’s been all about recovery since then, both on the night and afterwards too. I will be back riding trackwork tomorrow (Saturday) morning and then will be right to go on Sunday.”
The Fan Lau Handicap, the ninth race at Sha Tin on Sunday, is set for 5.15pm.
Size has high hopes for Champion Griffin upon return
Last season’s Champion Griffin Mr Stunning has been out of action since April, and in some sense his electrifying two wins that announced his arrival on the Hong Kong racing scene are a distant memory.
The son of Exceed And Excel debuted at Happy Valley in February and, despite spotting the leader the best part of eight lengths at the 250m, sprouted wings to land a 1000m Class 4 by a neck. Three weeks later, he stepped up to 1200m and won again at the city circuit, this time settling closer to the speed before railing through and racing away for an emphatic two and three-quarter length victory.
The switch to Sha Tin brought about his first defeat at the hands of Tonyboy in March, before he ended his campaign with a narrow win at the bigger track to propel himself into Class 2.
Size says his charge has been in good order, but that he has had to be patient with the lightly framed galloper as he has waited for the right contest. He says the Class 2 Chek Lap Kok Handicap (1200m) has long been circled on the calendar for Mr Stunning (119lb).
“He’s been fine, the Class 2 1200m races are a bit difficult to find, we don’t have many of them,” he said. “I’ve waited a fair period of time to get him to run in this one so I’d expect him to run well. He’s only a little fellow, he’s not a big, strong horse, he’s not a robust type by any stretch of the imagination. I have to handle him with a little bit of care. He’s had four barrier trials leading into this, so I hope that pays off for him.
“His trials, his lead-up work and his health, they have all been good, so I think, even though it’s his first run of the season, he will probably run one of his best races.”
The handler is typically cautious, though, and he says that Mr Stunning still needs to come back and do everything right if he is to win at his first run as a four-year-old.
“I’m not confident he will be too good for Class 2 company at all, everything gallops in Class 2, they can all run,” he said. “There are plenty of horses here that there is hype around, he’s just one of many. Obviously, because he hasn’t had many convictions, he’s going to be a favourite of the public.”
The Chek Lap Kok Handicap is the last event on the 10-race card and will jump at 5.50pm, with the first at Sha Tin, the Class 4 Tai O Handicap (1400m), scheduled for 1pm.
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Photo 1:
Pakistan Star wins his seasonal debut at his penultimate start.
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Photo 2:
Mr Stunning scores a narrow win in a Class 3 event last season.
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