Under the glittering Hong Kong skyline, Happy Valley’s floodlights burned brighter than ever on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, and the night’s feature — the Shing Yip Handicap (Race 9) carrying a rich HK$3,120,000 purse — delivered goosebump moments from the outset. When the field turned for home it was Huge Wave, ridden masterfully by A. Badel for trainer K. H. Ting, who exploded through the gap and surged clear, his powerful stride cutting through the night air as the crowd rose in a single, sustained roar. This was a performance of intent and authority: Huge Wave’s late thrust made the victory feel inevitable in the last furlong, and the sense of occasion — purse, prestige and pulse — was fully justified by the emphatic finish that sealed the meeting in spectacular fashion.
The drama that set up that final flourish had been building all evening, beginning with a sparkling display in the opener. In Race 1 — the Bedford Handicap, Lucky Blessing and jockey M. F. Poon, trained by W. K. Mo, combined to deliver a tactical masterstroke, stalking the pace before pouncing with a perfectly timed burst that left rivals scrambling. Poon’s early double was already on the cards, and Lucky Blessing’s crisp finish ensured the crowd were hooked well before the midway point of the card.
That momentum carried into Race 2 — the Cheong Wan Handicap (1200m) where Double Bingo, again aboard M. F. Poon for trainer Y. S. Tsui, produced another neat, decisive turn of foot. Poon’s patient ride and Double Bingo’s electric sprint to the line made it back-to-back successes for the rider and confirmed his thrilling midweek form; the pair left little doubt about their finishing speed and race savvy.
In the 1650m Cheung Shun Handicap (Race 3), Beauty Glory, guided by Y. L. Chung for trainer A. S. Cruz, stamped his authority over the trip with a performance that combined class and consistency. Beauty Glory settled smoothly, picked his way through the race with poise and then threaded a closing run that proved unstoppable — a textbook staying performance that thrilled aficionados of the longer middle-distance tests.
The stakes were raised in Race 4 — The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce 125th Anniversary Cup (Handicap) as Turin Warrior, ridden by C. Y. Ho and trained by K. L. Man, produced a gritty, determined display to claim the prestigious prize. Turin Warrior’s gritty determination in the closing stages turned a tight contest into a memorable presentation moment for connections and a crowd eager for spectacle.
Speed returned to the programme in Race 5 — the Fat Tseung Handicap (1200m), where Team Team Folks, partnered by M. L. Yeung and trained by K. H. Ting, delivered raw acceleration and timing to win in style. The sprinter’s explosive turn of pace and Yeung’s cleverly judged trajectory through traffic gave the crowd one of the night’s most exciting dash-to-the-line finishes and foreshadowed Ting’s later success in the feature.
The intensity didn’t let up as the card moved into the back half. In Race 6 — the Fat Tseung Handicap (Class 4, 1200m, HK$1,170,000) King Oberon, under L. Ferraris for trainer D. J. Whyte, charged to the line in a scintillating time of 1:09.55, showcasing blistering sprint speed and flawless race shape. Ferraris timed his run to perfection and King Oberon’s final burst left rivals with too much to do, producing one of the night’s definitive clocking and a display of pure sprinting class.
Race 7 — the Fife Handicap (Class 3, 1200m, HK$1,860,000) — gave fans another dose of top-level riding as Chateauneuf, ridden by Z. Purton for trainer D. A. Hayes, produced a polished performance that mixed patience with a devastating late acceleration. Purton’s exemplary positioning and Chateauneuf’s explosive closing section transformed a competitive contest into a showcase of experience and speed.
Distance and stamina returned centre stage in Race 8 — the Hing Yip Handicap (Class 3, 1800m, HK$2,050,000) where Awesome Fluke, guided astutely by E. C. W. Wong for trainer P. F. Yiu, answered every test the trip demanded. Wong bided his time, kept Awesome Fluke in ideal striking range and launched a decisive run in the final stages — a beautifully measured ride that converted endurance into a memorable staying victory and set the table perfectly for the night’s final drama.
And so the meeting came full circle: a card that mixed tactical intelligence, raw speed and staying courage reached its climatic high when Huge Wave thundered home to capture the feature, turning anticipation into elation. The win capped a night of fine performances from rising stars and established names alike, with jockeys — from Poon and Purton to Ferraris and Badel — producing rides that matched the high stakes on offer. Happy Valley once again proved why its midweek fixtures are a theatre of racing theatre — where fortunes turn in a flash and great performances are lit up under the city lights.
When the crowd dispersed into the neon glow of the city, the stories of the night were already being replayed: the precise timing of Poon’s pair early on, King Oberon’s blistering clock, Chateauneuf’s polish, Awesome Fluke’s stamina and, above all, Huge Wave’s authoritative finish in the HK$3.12M Shing Yip Handicap — a night sealed with spectacle, heart and unforgettable finishes.
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