For the unassuming six-year-old Happy Together, this Sunday (14 December) at Sha Tin represents the chance to step out of the shadows. While the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) has been dominated in recent years by favourites like Golden Sixty and Voyage Bubble, trainer Frankie Lor and jockey Alexis Badel hope their consistent performer can buck the trend.
Happy Together, a Dragon Pulse gelding, has quietly built a strong record in Hong Kong over 35 starts. With six wins and 11 further top-three finishes, he has amassed HK$24.85 million in earnings. His form has been impeccable of late; on 23 November, he finished a close third in the G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile, just behind Galaxy Patch.
Lor praised his runner’s reliability, saying, “His form is really good. He’s been beaten by small margins. He always keeps his form really good; he gives you everything in his races and he’s a really consistent horse. If he has a good draw, I think he will run well on Sunday. He always gets prize money for the owner.”
Despite a career-best finish only recently at Group 2 level, Happy Together has yet to capture a Group 1. His biggest win came in the 2024 G3 January Cup Handicap over 1800m, and his most recent victory in Class 2 was over 600 days ago. Still, his recent performances show a horse peaking at just the right time.
The LONGINES Hong Kong Mile has historically favoured the market favourites, with 18 winners since 2000 starting in single figures. This year, Voyage Bubble, My Wish, Soul Rush, and dual Group 1-winning Embroidery are expected to attract the spotlight, while Happy Together may again be flying under the radar.
Other contenders include Docklands, Beauty Joy, Beauvatier, Red Lion, Sunlight Power, Copartner Prance, Patch Of Theta, and The Lion In Winter, promising a competitive field for Sunday’s HK$36 million feature race.
Lor will also be represented in the HK$28 million LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) by dual Group 1 runner-up Lucky With You. The Artie Schiller gelding impressed in his last start, running home strongly after being held back early. “With a good draw on Sunday, he will be close. Very hard to beat Ka Ying Rising. The prize money is good, too,” Lor noted.
The HK$130 million LONGINES Hong Kong International Races also feature the HK$26 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) and the HK$40 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m), making Sunday a showcase of world-class racing. Fans will have already had a taste of the action during Wednesday night’s LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley, where 12 top jockeys competed under the floodlights.
Stay tuned to Racebuzz for more such updates.
