The opening Happy Valley fixture of the new campaign will carry added significance on Wednesday, September 9, with the DBS x Manulife Million Challenge set to commence alongside an eight-race programme. The Happy Valley 9 September evening will also usher Australian trainer James Cummings into Hong Kong racing, with Day Day Victory set to represent his new stable in the Class 4 KOWLOON TONG HANDICAP over 1000m.
Cummings, 38, will bring an impressive résumé to Happy Valley, with 52 Group 1 victories forming the cornerstone of his Australian record. His professional grounding will also include time spent alongside his grandfather, the late Bart Cummings, while his most recent position will have been as Godolphin’s head trainer in Australia. His arrival will consequently represent one of the more notable additions to Hong Kong’s training ranks for the new season.
The early phase of Cummings’ Hong Kong tenure will be characterised by a stable containing a considerable number of new horses. Rather than seeking immediate results, he will take a deliberate approach as his team acclimatises to its new environment. Encouraging progress in training and a smooth transition into Hong Kong will provide the foundations, with the stable expected to assume greater strength as the season advances towards its second quarter.
Day Day Victory will provide the first indication of Cummings’ prospects at the city circuit. The gelding will carry 125lb in the KOWLOON TONG HANDICAP, with Alexis Badel returning to the saddle. Badel will already have four victories aboard the horse, while the 1000m course-and-distance assignment will appear well suited to his profile. The principal concern will be barrier 11, which will leave the gelding with little margin for error over the sharp sprint distance.
Happy Valley 9 September will feature Nichola Yuen’s debut
The Happy Valley 9 September programme will also mark a significant step for apprentice jockey Nichola Yuen, who will make her first appearance at the venue. The 26-year-old, apprenticed to Ricky Yiu, will claim a 10lb allowance when she partners Harmony N Blessed in the Class 3 WAN CHAI HANDICAP over 1200m.
Trained by David Hayes, Harmony N Blessed will return following a victory at his latest start and will attempt to extend a record that will stand at 11 wins from 80 appearances. The 10-year-old will face another demanding draw from barrier 11, but Yuen will have considerable faith in the veteran as she prepares to experience the distinctive atmosphere of a Happy Valley evening for the first time.
The DBS x Manulife Million Challenge will run until February 17 and will encompass Class 3 races and above. Points will be awarded to the first four finishers, with 15 points going to each winner in the HK$1.5 million competition. Harmony N Blessed will therefore have an opportunity to make an early contribution to the standings if he can reproduce his recent winning form.
Motor will provide another point of interest in the WAN CHAI HANDICAP, where he will shoulder 133lb and will arrive after recording three victories from his last five appearances. Karis Teetan will take the ride, with further improvement expected from the four-year-old. Trainer Cody Mo will have seen Motor cope effectively with the demands of his preparation, while his consistency and advancing maturity will offer grounds for continued progress.
Robot Lucky Star will meanwhile contest the Class 4 TSIM SHA TSUI HANDICAP over 1200m with Zac Purton booked to ride. Trainer Mark Newnham will consider the horse capable of climbing back to Class 3 and will expect him to be suitably prepared for the assignment. A satisfactory trial down the straight will reinforce that confidence, while barrier two will provide a favourable platform from which to negotiate the race.
The eight-race programme will begin at 7:05pm with the Class 5 ADMIRALTY HANDICAP over 1200m. The opening fixture will combine the arrival of an accomplished international trainer, a significant riding debut and the commencement of a lucrative season-long challenge, giving the Happy Valley meeting a distinctly consequential character from the outset.
Happy Valley 9 September will see James Cummings begin his Hong Kong training career with Day Day Victory, while Nichola Yuen will make her Happy Valley riding debut. The evening will also launch the DBS x Manulife Million Challenge as the new season gets underway.
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