Moreira battles Purton in final Valley meeting
HAPPY Valley hosts its final meeting of the season with a nine-race programme today.
While trainer Frankie Lor may have one hand firmly on the coveted champion trainers’ trophy, it’s still all to play for in the Jockeys’ Championship race.
Zac Purton is grimly clinging on to a two-win lead over arch-rival Joao Moreira, with just the action here at the Valley and a 11-race card at Sha Tin on Sunday to determine who will be crowned champion jockey for their fifth time.
Both jockeys arrive at the inner-city track with a full book of rides, but it’s Purton who would have been looking to the heavens when learning of his draw numbers while at track-work on Monday morning.
The ‘B’ course heavily favours gallopers with low draw numbers, but while five of Purton’s nine rides have double-figure numbers, the ‘Magic Man’ partners a handful of contenders drawn in stalls no higher than three.
While Moreira will be hoping the improving Sugar Sugar can confirm recent promise in division two of the Sung Tak Handicap (1.15pm) and Excellent Peers can complete a hattrick in the Sports Road Handicap (3.15pm), his best chance of success is earlier on the card.
The Brazilian partners progressive three-year-old YELLOWFIN who looks ready to strike gold on only his fourth attempt in the Broadwood Handicap (12.45pm) over five furlongs.
This Australian import has always been highly regarded by Francis Lui’s stable since arriving in Hong Kong back in January.
Expectations were given a boost when, with Moreira aboard, the son of Territories-old closed off strongly from a wide draw to chase home the smart Gorgeous Vitality at the Valley early last month.
Returning to the track three weeks later, a slow start scuppered any hopes from the off, but despite that he finished strongly after another wide journey.
This time the gods have smiled on Yellowfin, housing him in the favourable inside stall one, which will allow him to sit on the fence from the off and then use his potent finishing kick to good effect down the home straight.
Purton will be hoping that not too much damage has been done to his slender championship lead by the time he partners the Tony Cruz-trained YO BEAUTY in the Sports Road Handicap (3:15) over six furlongs.
Top-weight Ping Hai Galaxy will be hugely popular following the grey’s annihilation of rivals over this course and distance a week ago, but there are reasons to worry about him winning again.
The six-year-old has never successfully followed up after any of his three wins and is racing off a career-high mark, burdened with his hefty eight-pound penalty.
Yo Beauty has looked a winner waiting to happen after finishing twice in the frame in the past month, despite suffering nightmare wide journeys.
Having already finished in front of Ping Hai Galaxy at the beginning of last month, and now with a better draw and Purton aboard, his chances look obvious.
POINTERS
Yellowfin 12.45pm Happy Valley
Yo Beauty 3.15pm Happy Valley