Avdulla sets sights on California Spangle challenge after Happy Valley double
Preparing to reunite with California Spangle (Starspangledbanner) in Sunday’s Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (Gr 1, 1400m) at Sha Tin, Brenton Avdulla continued a searing run of form with a double at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
Boosting his season’s tally to 24, Avdulla has ridden 12 winners across the past 11 meetings and with success on Mark Newnham’s Same To You (Mikki Isle) and the Tony Cruz-trained Gustosisimo(Exceed And Excel), he is now well placed to surpass the 33 victories he posted last season.
“I had a competitive book and thought most of them could run well. I ended up with two winners, a second and two thirds, so it was a good night,” Avdulla said. “It’s been a good month and a half. Getting the right opportunities helps.
“It’s easier when you’re getting the better stock here but it’s all about working hard and getting the opportunities. It was good to ride one for Tony and another for Mark.”
Beauty Destiny’s (Star Turn) career transformation continued apace with a strong win in the first section of the Class 3 Ma Wan Handicap (1200m) as Andrea Atzeni also slotted a double. Trained by Frankie Lor, the gelding has won three of his past four starts after failing to win at his first eight attempts.
“It’s never easy to carry top weight in these Class 3s and I thought it was a very competitive race,” Atzeni said. “He was impressive again and Frankie keeps on improving him. In his early days, even when he was trialling, he always looked like a proper horse – he’s really turned the corner now.”
Atzeni also triumphed on Thesis (Kingman), who broke through at his 16th attempt to win his first race in Hong Kong with success in the Class 4 Rotary Centenary Challenge Cup Handicap (1650m), giving Me Tsui his eighth winner of the season.
Winner of the 2022 Britannia Stakes (1m) at Royal Ascot, Thesis was unplaced in six starts for Richard Gibson before joining Frankie Lor’s yard.
Ben Thompson rode his first winner for Tony Cruz when Irish import Fallon (Galileo Gold) sprinted sharply from the home turn to snare the Class 3 Consensus Cup Handicap (1800m).
“It’s a privilege to ride for a trainer like Tony Cruz. I came here knowing he [Fallon] was a great chance and I’m very thankful to connections,” Thompson said of the gelding who won twice over 1600 metres at Sha Tin last season.
“It was a nice strong tempo and from barrier six, he jumped away beautifully and I think that’s what made the difference because he was able to find a nice spot, just worse than midfield.
“Once he straightened up and I gave him room – the three wins that he’s had, he’s been on the outside where he’s been able to use his big action – and it came through for him.”
Newnham sealed a race-to-race double with Same To You and Tactical Command (Charm Spirit) to vault to fifth in the 2024/25 Hong Kong trainers’ championship with 28 wins, trailing only David Hayes (31), Pierre Ng (31), Danny Shum (29) and John Size (28).
“We’ve had a lot of horses that won early in the season and they went up in the ratings. Now they’ve sort of found their level,” Newnham said after Tactical Command’s victory in the first section of the Class 4 Kwai Chung Handicap (1200m).
“Same To You won on the first day of the season and then he’s got back to a rating where he can win again. Tactical Command’s been dying to win a race, he just needed the right circumstances.”
Jamie Richards clinched his tenth win of the season when Written Casa (Written By) finished powerfully under Karis Teetan to land the second section of the Class 4 Kwai Chung Handicap (1200m).
“Karis rode him really well with the benefit of a really good draw [barrier five]. He’d been trialling well but is just one of these PPs [Privately Purchased horses] who had been taking a bit of time to adjust to life here in Hong Kong and probably, in hindsight, the time he had off with his throat surgery was a benefit to him,” Richards said.
“I probably didn’t expect him to win but I thought he would run well and improve out of it. Hopefully there’s a bit more in the tank there.”
Plentiful (Capitalist) slotted his third course and distance win this season with victory in the Class 4 Tsuen Wan Handicap (1000m) for Ng. Eased out of an early pace battle by Matthew Poon, the gelding surged away late in 57.05s.
Francis Lui’s Hameron (Night Of Thunder) returned to the winner’s stall for the first time since September 2023 with success for Tom Marquand in the Class 3 Kap Shui Mun Handicap (1650m).