Douglas Whyte dominated Happy Valley with three goals on Wednesday night, highlighted by Giant Ballon who scored a hat-trick in the Grade Three Busan Handicap (1,200m).
Gameplayer Elite and Find My Love completed three times for the trainer, who sent only a few runners on the city circuit.
“We’ve only had five runners and three winners – it’s been a great night. The Valley has always been a special place for me, more as a trainer than as a jockey. It’s smart, smart and leaves no room for error,” Whyte said.
“(The near end) makes it even sweeter – I probably won’t sleep tonight! It makes it even more special.”
Giant Ballon continued his winning ways with a quick success in Grade Three company with an all-out victory after jumping as the $2.7 favourite.
Showing his customary gate speed, he received pressure from Happy Index who moved forward from his bulk to join the front favourite. The Mehmas galloper started with Zac Purton up the straight to set up the winning goal and shut down the fast finishing Flying Wrote by a head.
“He really softened in the 800m – Hugh Bowman (on Furaha Index) got really stuck and Zac had to make a decision to hold the lead or stop,” Whyte said.
“Obviously he decided to take first place and he softened, but that was his most difficult victory, he had no way to go but he still turned and went home and ran two or three lengths very quickly and was in danger, but Zac said that even though he was in a difficult situation, he was still able to show tenacity and hold on.
“He’s up 19 points in two races, so he was always going to be vulnerable and he had to raise his game tonight, which he did.”
Gameplayer Elite continued his recent run of form when he won the Korea Division Four Racing Authority Award (1,200m).
Jumping from the first barrier, Harry Bentley stayed close to the rail with the pace set by leader Superb King. The Kentuckian gray was able to advance in the 100 meters to make it two wins from his last three races.
Find My Love stormed home with a superb burst in the first leg of the Grade Four Yeongcheon Handicap (1,200m) with Hugh Bowman in the saddle for his first win of the season.
“He wants the 1,400m but he doesn’t either – he’s in the middle of the distance. I think being cut on the ground and pulling out the hurdles definitely helped him,” Whyte said.
“He’s good and he’s honest. He’s on a good, competitive streak, so there was a lot going for him tonight.”
Elsewhere in the Valley, David Hayes also won two races in the opening two races courtesy of Honest Witness and Dashing Maurison.
Honest Witness made it back-to-back wins over the course and trip with a dominant front-running display in the third leg of the Grade Four Yeongcheon Handicap (1,200m), closing by four and three-quarter lengths over Golden Friendship with Purton in the saddle.
“He’s taken a while to find his feet in Hong Kong. He’s been consistent without a win, but we’ve got the key; Happy Valley, go ahead. He’s dominated the race and that was his best performance yet,” Hayes said.
“We know he’s getting a bit wet, and we’ll definitely get more wet for the rest of the season and in the same Grade Three races, he can be competitive.
“I thought it was a very weak race. So I would have been disappointed if he didn’t win – but I didn’t think he would win that easily.”
Purton went on a ride thanks to the Mark Newnham-trained Armor Golden Eagle in the final race of the night, taking him to within 14 of Hong Kong’s 2,000 wins.
Dashing Maurison was Harry Bentley’s first double in the Grade Five Daejeon Handicap (1,800m) after staying in the lead and opening the field in the straight to hit by two and a half lengths over Splendid Force.
“In the first blink of an eye, if he jumped well, I told Harry to put him in the race. I really felt this horse, if he focused, would be a very good Grade Five horse,” Hayes said.
“He definitely went through (the soft field), so if it rains in the back part of the season it will be good for us. I think he probably has another win in him this season.”
Super Goldendragon scored the biggest upset of the season for $88.8 in the Grade Four Daegu Handicap (2,200m) on his first outing over the trip.
The Kitten Joy colt was given a perfect chance by Derek Leung Ka-chun, tracking the pace from barrier six without any early work before setting the middle line and being saved in the home straight to emerge the winner.
“It was a surprise. In his pedigree, he’s a long-distance horse and he’s an ISG, so he needs more time to mature,” trainer Cody Mo Wai-kit said.
“The track also helped and I used the blinkers on one side because in his last race at Sha Tin, he hung really badly. After using them in his last race, he was much better.”
Matthew Chadwick was able to claim victory after running 159 out for a fully rated ride on Another Zonda in the Grade Four Incheon Handicap (1,650m) for Me Tsui Yu-sak.
Crossing the seventh barrier with Mighty Steed to the outside, Chadwick got out of the race and was able to gain a lot in the straight to beat Mighty Steed to close Never Too Soon and record his third Hong Kong victory by a short head.
“It was a good performance and he ran at his level. He went very hard, considering the track and in the 500m, I made the decision to go and take them out a bit and if it worked, it did and if it didn’t – this time it worked,” Chadwick said.
“It’s been a whirlwind since December. The horses I’ve been riding weren’t in their ratings and just needed time to come back down. The young horses weren’t ready, some horses had to be helped to re-educate or retire – it’s been normal in Hong Kong, really.
“Unfortunately, it took longer than we would have liked.”
Meanwhile, a pair of Japanese Group Two winners have been combined for Group One Champions and the Chater Cup (2,400m) – Deep Monster, ridden by Yasutoshi Ikee and globetrotter Rousham Park, trained by Hiroyasu Tanaka, who ran fifth in December’s Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m).
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