By Andrew Hawkins
‘Consistency’ was the buzzword of the morning at Sha Tin trackwork on Tuesday (21 March) as eyes turned to the Class 1 Happy Valley Vase Handicap (1800m) at the city track on Wednesday night (22 March). For trainer David Ferraris, who saddles up Dynamism, and jockey Nash Rawiller, who hops aboard Circuit Land, both believe that their charges can be rewarded for their honesty this season with victory in Wednesday night’s feature.
Dynamism (113lb) has not won since February 2015, but has only missed the board once from seven starts at Happy Valley. Ferraris believes that the dynamics of races over the 1650m and 1800m at the tight track play to the strengths of the New Approach six-year-old.
“He just seems to run well at Happy Valley. He enjoys the fast early pace before they steady up onto the first turn, it allows him to settle,” Ferraris said on Tuesday morning about the chestnut gelding, who will be ridden by Karis Teetan. “But that said, he hasn’t won in a long time, although he’s been very consistent. He’s been knocking on the door so hopefully he can go one better on Wednesday night. I did plan this race for him quite a while back and even though he’s out of the weights, he still has only 113 pounds which I think he will enjoy.
“He’s drawn well but he’s not the type of horse you can hunt out, Karis will just settle him where he is comfortable. I think he’s very well and I think he’ll be storming home. I’m expecting a very big run from him.”
Unlike Dynamism, Circuit Land (130lb) has tasted victory this season, winning a Class 2 over 1400m at Sha Tin in September.
The Danny Shum-trained galloper has been unlucky not to win either of his last two starts, though, finishing second by a short head in the G3 January Cup Handicap (1800m) behind John Moore’s Harbour Master, before filling the same position when a head behind Ricky Yiu’s Packing Dragon in the Class 1 Shan Kwong Handicap (1650m) last time out. Both Harbour Master and Packing Dragon reoppose here.
“You wouldn’t get a more consistent horse,” Rawiller said. “He’s one of those horses that, whatever you put in front of him, he raises the bar. He’s a top performer here on the Sha Tin dirt, but also on the turf at both courses. He’s very adaptable and never lets you down. Even at his last two, he’s ran terrific races both times, he’s going very well, he just hasn’t had everything go his way.
“Tomorrow night, he’s going to get a comfortable time in the run from gate two and the 1800m doesn’t worry me, he ran home well two back. He’s got a turn of foot when you ride him quiet, but he’s carrying big weights so you are always riding for an ounce of luck.”
Also among runners in the Happy Valley Vase is G3 Sa Sa Ladies' Purse Handicap (1800m) winner Horse Of Fortune (133lb), G3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) victor Supreme Profit (121lb) and Helene Super Star (113lb), whose chief score came in the 2015 G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m).
The Class 1 Happy Valley Vase Handicap is scheduled as the seventh of eight races and is set to jump at 10:15pm, with the opener, the Class 5 Finance Street Handicap (1650m), to kick off proceedings at 7:15pm.
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Photo 1:
Dynamism wins the Heung Yee Kuk Cup over 2000m two seasons back.
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Photo 2:
Circuit Land wins a Class 2 over 1400m at Sha Tin earlier this season.
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