Ferraris favours Young Emperor

Young Emperor and Romantic Son clash for a second time at Happy Valley on Wednesday in the HK$1.86 million Class 3 Fung Mo Handicap over 1200m, with the latter seeking payback after he was overhauled as a well-fancied favourite last month.

In that race it was Young Emperor who powered to victory from draw eight as an unfancied 41-1 chance for trainer David Eustace and an in-form Luke Ferraris. The 22-year-old South African ace has nine wins from 76 rides this season and is aiming to extend the three-year-old son of Holy Roman Emperor’s record to a perfect two-for-two in Hong Kong.

“I thought it was a really good win. It caught everyone a bit by surprise, so that’s always a good thing. He’s got a similar barrier this time round (No 9), but he’s showing us that he does have a pretty lethal turn of foot and I think he can get a similar run in transit,” Ferraris said.

Young Emperor dons the black, white and red silks of the HKJC Racing Club Limited. He was previously trained by James Stack in Ireland, where he won at Naas under his former name Eclipse Emerald.

The 74-rating Young Emperor carries an added 4kg this week (56kg to 60kg), while Romantic Son breaks from barrier No 3 with 56.5kg on his back (up from 54.5kg on debut) in the form of leading rider Zac Purton for dual Hong Kong Champion Trainer (1997/98 & 1998/99) David Hayes.

“Romantic Son looks like an exciting horse and he definitely looks the part – he looks really nice,” Ferraris said. “We’re up in weight now, too. I think it’ll probably come down to the run that we get in transit, if he can get a smooth passage and something to pull him into the contest then it should be an exciting finish.”

Sugar Sugar, Eason, Gustosisimo, Prawns Eleven, Denfield, Golden Empire, Happy United, Sovereign Fund, Our Lucky Glory and Sky Forever round out the hotly contested finale at the city circuit.

“If there’s a genuine pace on then there’s no reason why he can’t improve from his first run to now and he should be finishing the same way,” Ferraris said.

With 92 career wins in the city, Ferraris is the youngest rider on the Hong Kong jockeys’ roster. The son of David Ferraris – winner of 461 races in Hong Kong including the 2005 Hong Kong Derby (2000m) with Vengeance Of Rain – Luke is eyeing more momentum as the season advances.

“The strike rate is good and it was good to get a couple of those horses home early on who came as a bit of a surprise. I’m starting to generate a bit of momentum now, so I really need to keep capitalising on decent rides then hopefully we can just keep turning it over,” he said.

Leading the title race comfortably with 35 wins. Purton’s 1,775 overall in Hong Kong has him positioned only 39 away from surpassing Douglas Whyte’s all-time record for wins in Hong Kong (1,813).

The Australian reunites with debut winner Triumphant More in the second section of the Class 4 Lei Yue Mun Handicap (1200m) for trainer Frankie Lor.

“He had to fight for it a little bit. He wasn’t the cleanest from the gate and he had to do a little bit of work to get a position and then he didn’t really know what he was doing.

“He was on and off the bit, hanging in and hanging out, then he had his head up at one stage. It just never felt like he was in a rhythm at all but he still got the job done, so hopefully that bodes well for him going forward,” Purton said.

Purton also partners Palace Pal, Lucky Touch, Hakka Radiance, Ma Comet, Masterofmyuniverse, Circuit Duffy and Fighting Machine at the Valley today. – Hong Kong Jockey Club

Race-by-Race Previews

Race 1: Kingly Demeanor broke through in fine style last start and looks ideally placed to lead all the way again from an inside draw. Palace Pal will relish dropping to Class 5, where he boasts a strong record, especially with Purton aboard. Chateau Le Peche his recent runs have been encouraging, suggesting he is edging closer to a win. Golden Fairy should be highly suited by the step up in trip, as his best form lies over distances between 2000m and 2200m. Nice Birdie is better than his recent form suggests and could cause an upset.

Race 2: Lucky Touch caught the eye last start when running home well, and engaging Purton appears a significant positive factor. Escape Route finished powerfully with the fastest final 400m sectional time last start and should improve further from a better draw. D Star defied a wide draw to score an impressive win last start and looks on track for a double remaining in Class 4. The Azure turned in solid performance when storming home for third place last start. Tradition showed improvement at his first start after the stable change and could place at value.

Race 3: Happy Daily attacked the line strongly late in a strong form race last time out and will find this easier after returning to the city circuit. Hakka Radiance his recent runs have been encouraging, albeit on the AWT surface, and a win wouldn’t be surprising in a race of this nature. Lucky Banner a fast beginner, he could be hard to run down with a seven-pound claimer aboard. Youth Power scored an easy win in Class 5 last time and looks capable of handling the rise in class. Massive Action the drop in class and inside draw are both positive, and an improved performance is expected.

Race 4: Ma Comet probably hit the front too early last time out, and with a better-timed ride, he could score an overdue win. Lean Master a fast beginner who should relish the drop in distance after finishing a solid third last start. Champion Method did not disgrace at his last run and could surprise at value dropping to the minimum trip. Happy Tango scored a tenacious win in this class last time out and is worth considering if his odds still offer value. Victorythirtythree draws well and could sneak into the placings if allowed an uncontested lead.

Race 5: Masterofmyuniverse from an astute yard, he has trialled well for his debut and should play a key role with Purton aboard. Roaring Bebe showed significant improvement with a close second first-up and is primed for a breakthrough. Shinkansen has been racing in consistent form and can bounce back anytime in this class. Sunny Darling last start winner who remains in the same grade and should run well if he can dictate the pace again. Street Conqueror resuming from a break, he goes well first-up and his ratings are already below his last winning mark.

Race 6: Circuit Duffy looked unlucky when held up at a crucial stage on debut, and with a smoother run, he could make amends at his second start. Lakeshore Hero turned in a very nice debut run and looks to have good ability. Team Happy led from start to finish last time out and remains a strong chance from a favourable draw. California Deeply flashed home late into second last start and will surge again if the pace suits. Young Horizon has performed commendably this season and is well placed at the weights here.

Race 7: Triumphant More showed tenacity and won well on debut. With natural improvement, he is primed for a double, especially with Purton retaining the ride. Glory Cloud was narrowly beaten last start, and with a 4lb weight swing in his favour, he may turn the tables on Triumphant More. Affirm likes to jump and lead, and will run well if he can control the pace. The Prime caught the eye last start when letting down well in the straight, and could be a knockout chance under the right race shape. Spicy So Smart made all in Class 5 last time and should run well again from an inside draw.

Race 8: Soleil Fighter has received strong betting support in his last two starts and should be highly competitive in this wide-open field. Glorious Journey let down sharply to finish a close second last start, and could make amends if he settles closer to the speed from an inside draw. Talents Ambition a beaten favourite second-up, he should perform better with added fitness, and getting Bowman aboard ticks another box. Fighting Machine has been racing in consistent form and must be rated a strong chance. Jumbo Legend scored a last-to-first win last time and should run well again if the pace suits.

Race 9: Romantic Son put the writing on the wall with a close second on his local debut. Now fitter, he is primed to break through second-up. Sky Forever generally gets back in the running but dashes strongly home, and looks a lightweight chance despite an unfavourable jockey booking. Young Emperor a 42-1 winner on debut, he is worth considering if his odds still offer value. Prawns Eleven turned in a good performance when storming home for a nice second last start. Sugar Sugar last start winner who remains in the same grade, but the top weight is a major concern.