Danny Shum’s quest for a maiden trainers’ championship is likely to feature a double-handed tilt at the Gr1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup over 2400m in three weeks after the trainer led home a memorable quinella in the Gr3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap over 2400m with Butterfield and Charity Fun at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Butterfield (outside) edges Charity Fun to nail a dramatic win. (Pic- HKJC)
Sitting joint fourth in the trainers’ title with 51 wins alongside Francis Lui behind John Size (59), Caspar Fownes (58) and Frankie Lor (53), Shum moved to within touching distance of his career-high tally of 54 (in 2015/16) when Matthew Poon piloted Butterfield to victory over stablemate Charity Fun and Alexis Badel.
With only a short head separating Shum’s charges – and with Reliable Team just a head away in third – it was one of the tightest finishes in the history of the race despite a pedestrian tempo which had South American-bred Butterfield clocking 2m 28.14s – almost two seconds slower than standard.
The sluggish pace was of no relevance to Shum, who is now contemplating a similar assault on the final Gr1 of the 2020/21 season – the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup over 2400m.
“For sure, Butterfield, yes. Charity Fun’s owner wants to run in the race but I need to see how he pulls up,” Shum said, also confirming Poon is likely to be required to ride Francis Lui’s Glorious Dragon in the race.
Ultra Express wins under Joao Moreira. (Pic- HKJC)
His double was matched by Karis Teetan’s brace on The Hulk in the second section of the Class 3 Game Spirit Handicap (1200m) for Caspar Fownes and Lor’s Jade Phoenix to land the Class 4 Manicou Handicap (1200m).
Having his 13th start in Hong Kong, the Per Incanto gelding ended a frustrating run of four seconds, four thirds and a fourth with breakthrough success for Lor and Teetan.
Richard Gibson described Cordyceps Six’s triumph under Tony Piccone in the Argonaut Plate over 1000m for Griffins as equal in satisfaction to Wellington’s Gr1 victory in the FWD Champion’s Sprint Prize over 1200m a week earlier.
“You would be surprised to hear, but wins like this give me as much pleasure as the win last week with Wellington. It shows the stable knows how to deal with young horses,” Gibson beamed after the Star Turn gelding landed at 107-1.
“I think it’s my first two-year-old winner in Hong Kong. The horse ran very well on debut but was just ridden on-pace. He learnt his lesson and it was a great win.
“It was a great ride by Tony because the horse was green in the final stages and Tony made the difference.”
David Hayes continued a remarkable late-season surge when newcomer Ka Ying Spirit scrambled to narrow victory in the Class 4 Isle Of Man Handicap over 1000m under Zac Purton.
Ka Ying Spirit wins on debut. (Pic- HKJC)
Hayes gave the Rubick gelding seven trials before this afternoon’s debut.
“He was just very green his first few trials, especially in Conghua,” Hayes said. “Zac at the 300 metre mark thought he might win very easily and then when it was time to go, he was a bit lost. He was star gazing and it was a relief to win.”
Hayes predicted a bright future for Fantastic Treasure after the Written Tycoon gelding maintained an unbeaten record with a fourth consecutive victory for Chad Schofield, who drove the talented youngster to success in the Class 3 Inch Arran Handicap 1400m.
“I think he’s a really progressive horse,” Hayes, who now has 24 wins for the term, said. “I think he’ll have one more run this season and hopefully get a fifth win. He’s the type of horse I’d like to aim at the Hong Kong Classic Mile next year.
“He’s very talented. Chad said that was his easiest win.”
The David Ferraris-trained Mcmunigal set a new class record in claiming the Class 5 Special Cargo Handicap (2000m), clocking 2m 01.58s under a superb Jerry Chau ride to post his third victory in Hong Kong from 27 attempts.
McMunigal bettered Gorgeous Again’s mark by two hundredths of a second.
Derek Leung is poised to better his personal-best of 37 winners in a season after Love Me More – another talented youngster by Sacred Falls – claimed the Class 4 Monaveen Handicap (1400m) for Ricky Yiu.
Leung, 32, now has 36 victories for the term.
Alexis Badel and Chris So combined with Decisive Twelve in the first section of the Class 3 Game Spirit Handicap 1200m.
Hong Kong racing continues at Happy Valley on Wednesday.
