Patch Of Theta wins HK Group 3

HONG KONG - Francis Lui will consider a tilt at the HK$13 million (S$2.3 million) Group 1 Stewards’ Cup (1,600m) with Patch Of Theta, after the talented gelding’s emphatic HK$4.2 million Group 3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup Handicap (1,400m) triumph at Sha Tin on Jan 1.

Purchased for HK$8.6 million at the 2023 Hong Kong International Sale, Patch Of Theta took his career earnings to HK$11.1 million with his sixth win from only 14 starts after settling sixth, before issuing a late challenge to easily defeat Drombeg Banner and Green N White in 1min 20.91sec.

The impressive nature of the win under Karis Teetan prompted Lui to consider entering Patch Of Theta in the Stewards’ Cup – a race he won twice with Golden Sixty.

“He showed he’s a really honest horse and he keeps improving every time. After the race, he (Teetan) told me the horse was very good and he’s got a third gear, not a second gear,” said Lui.

“Of course, we’ll think about trophy races. Now he can run between 1,400m and 1,600m, next time we will think about the Stewards’ Cup (Jan 19).”

Teetan was also effusive of the Zoustar five-year-old’s gallant showing.

“I still think this horse once he knows how to race properly, he’s going to be even better,” said the Mauritian jockey.

“But with that weight on his back, he went through them and when I got into the straight, he changed gears pretty quickly.”

Howdeepisyourlove provided master trainer John Size with his fifth HK$4.2 million Group 3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy Handicap (1,000m) win when the 2022-23 Hong Kong Champion Griffin edged out favourite Magic Control by a short head in 56.16sec. Beauty Waves was third.

Jumping from barrier one, Howdeepisyourlove tracked Magic Control throughout, before Zac Purton angled him out to narrowly clinch his third win in the race after Little Bridge (2012) and Not Listenin’tome (2016).

Previously successful in the race with Grand Delight (2003), Amazing Kids (2017), Premiere (2018) and Sight Success (2023), Size was impressed with Howdeepisyourlove’s application in running down one of Hong Kong’s fastest sprinters.

“He did the job well, it was a pretty impressive effort, actually, to get the leader (Magic Control) down, he’s a hard horse to get past and he did the job very well. I couldn’t expect any more from him,” said the Australian trainer.

With six wins and 10 minor placings from 25 starts, the Deep Field gelding has forged a reputation for consistency, often performing well at elite level without winning.

“He’s made small improvement along the way, his pattern changed a little bit and his tracks have changed – he’s come to Sha Tin and run well,” said Size.

“As he’s gone up in class, he hasn’t looked anything flash but he’s always been there to do the job. Today, he got one of the rewards he’s entitled to.”

The Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint (1,200m) run over the straight course at Meydan in Dubai on April 5 is a possible target for Howdeepisyourlove.

“I’ll see how he is after the race at home and see what our options are and how he pulls up. But that’s (the Bauhinia Sprint Trophy) a straight race, so that opens up a possibility for him,” said Size.

Purton, who slotted a treble to move to 1,803 Hong Kong wins, 10 shy of Douglas Whyte’s record of 1,813, said the race mapped beautifully for his mount.

“The outside fence looked the place to be in the small field and the gate (one) allowed me to get out there because the speed in the race was great, it just opened everything up,” he said.

“We just followed the favourite and sneaked through. He is a consistent horse, he’s just a step below our top ones, so he needs to take his opportunity when he can get it and today was that.”

Purton also scored on Frankie Lor’s Legend St Paul’s in the Class 4 Tsung Pak Long Handicap (1,600m) and the Jamie Richards-trained Storming Dragon in the second section of the Class 3 Cha Kwo Ling Handicap (1,200m).

Vincent Ho marked his return from injury with a double on the Chris So-trained pair The Boom Box, in the second section of the Class 4 Lai Chi Chong Handicap (1,200m), and Devas Twelve in the first section of the Class 4 Lei Muk Shue Handicap (1,400m).

“It’s been really tough the past few weeks, but I’m grateful to be riding him today,” said Ho before praising The Boom Box, who is unbeaten after two starts.

“We wanted him to relax early to teach him the right way for the future when we might step him up and he’s got a great turn of foot and showed bravery between horses, so he’s on the right path.”

Britney Wong and Benno Yung combined with Fun Elite to win the first race of the New Year – the first section of the Class 4 Lai Chi Chong Handicap (1,200m) – as Wong posted her seventh victory of the season, while Yung slotted his fifth win from the past six meetings.

The Ricky Yiu-trained Chilli Baba won his first race in exactly two years with success in the Class 5 Yau Kom Tau Handicap (1,800m). The Capitalist gelding’s previous victory came on Jan 1, 2023.

Yiu completed a double with Solid Win under Hugh Bowman in the second section of the Class 4 Lei Muk Shue Handicap (1,400m).

Caspar Fownes teamed with Ellis Wong to win the first section of the Class 3 Cha Kwo Ling Handicap (1,200m) with Dancing Code, before Harry Bentley’s clinical ride enabled Huge Wave to snare the Class 3 Chuk Yuen Handicap (1,600m) for Jimmy Ting. HKJC