The Chinese New Year Raceday is one of the biggest events of the season at Sha Tin racecourse, typically drawing a large holiday crowd, and the HK$2,84 million Chinese New Year Cup Handicap on Friday, 31 January has attracted 11 smart entrants, including Group 3-winning Healthy Happy.
Healthy Happy is a dual Gr3 winner in Hong Kong (Pic – HKJC)
The Frankie-Lor trained Healthy Happy won the Hong Kong Classic Cup in his rookie season as a four-year-old, and further improved in his five-year-old campaign, making his Group race breakthrough by winning the Gr3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup.
He added another Group 3 victory in last season’s Celebration Cup and Lor admitted that 1400m is the horse’s ideal distance, as the Chinese New Year Cup has all long been his target.
Lor said: “1200m is too short but a mile is a bit long for him, and therefore we have always planned the Friday’s feature as his target. Last start he raced in a strong Group 3 race, but he was not beaten far. It will be an easier race for him this Friday.
“The only concern is the weight – and therefore I decided to put apprentice Ellis Wong on who have seven-pounds claim. As this will be the first time Wong is engaged to ride him, I will arrange Wong to ride him in trackwork,” Lor added.
Healthy Happy ran well without winning after last season’s triumph in the Gr3 Celebration Cup. The Zoustar gelding made an encouraging comeback when third behind The Golden Scenery in his season reappearance last September.
“He always run well fresh,” Lor said. “But on his current rating he should be very competitive, and I am pleased with his condition now. If he can race comfortably in the front, he should be there and thereabout.”
Friday’s eleven-race card which starts at 06h30, also features the Hong Kong Classic Mile, the first leg of the 2025 Four-Year-Old Classic Series and the Gr3 Centenary Vase Handicap, in which Ricky Yiu-trained Straight Arron is set to carry top-weight.
The Triple Trio’s estimated dividend for a single HK$10 winning unit could reach HK$18 million for the Chinese New Year Raceday. The Quartet & First 4 Merged Pool will also be topped up with a HK$2.8 million jackpot.
