Helios Express prevails in gripping Hong Kong Classic Cup battle
Helios Express (Toronado) will be given the chance to match the colossal deeds of Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’Oro) and Rapper Dragon (Street Boss) by chasing a Four-Year-Old Classic Series clean sweep and Hong Kong Derby (Listed, 2000m) success after John Size’s emerging star’s Hong Kong Classic Cup (Listed, 1800m) victory at Sha Tin yesterday.
Winner of the Hong Kong Classic Mile (Listed, 1600m) last month, Helios Express gave Size a fifth Hong Kong Classic Cup win, joining Unique Jewellery (O’Reilly) in 2009, It Has To Be You (Volksraad) in 2013, Thunder Fantasy (Lucky Owners) in 2015 and most recently Sun Jewellery (Snitzel) in 2016.
The high-class gelding was forced to dig deep under Hugh Bowman before catching Chancheng Glory (Mor Spirit) and Keagan De Melo in the last stride after finally bullocking into the clear late, eventually winning by a short head as Size’s stablemate Ensued (Lemon Drop Kid) finished third, two and three-quarters of a length further back under Ryan Moore.
Inconvenienced when the tempo came out of the race between the 800 metres and 400 metres with a 24.40 second split, Helios Express needed luck in gaining a run but still clocked the fastest final sectional of 22.93 seconds to grab Chancheng Glory in an overall time of 1:47.73 seconds.
“It seemed like he was pretty strong in the run in a slow-run race and he was lucky to get out, get the breaks and get the leader,” Size said. “It could have been prettier than that, but he got the job done, so that’s the main thing.
“I’m not sure how confident he [Bowman] was that he was going to win, but it was a difficult assignment for any rider and he certainly made a good fist of it.”
Addressing the Hong Kong Derby on March 24, Size said: “The degree of difficulty just gets greater as these races continue for each of the horses. His health has been good and his work’s been good so, at the moment, we’re hoping he’s got another one in him.”
Notching a treble with success on Sun Of Makfi (Makfi) for David Hall and Blue Marlin (Capitalist) for Douglas Whyte, Bowman hopes Helios Express – winner of six of eight Hong Kong starts after leaving Australia as a Benalla maiden winner – can match the deeds of Golden Sixty in 2020 and Rapper Dragon in 2017 by snaring all three legs of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series.
“He settled really well but then when the pace started to change, it got really muddling around the corner, he didn’t cope with that very well. It’s hard to be too critical of him for that reason, either. With a smooth run race [in the Derby], he’ll be okay,” Bowman said.
“He needs an even tempo, he doesn’t particularly need it fast. Like all horses, he’s going to benefit from an even pace. It’s not only him – it’s the entire field.
“Look, it [Classic Cup] probably doesn’t define the Derby picture. It wasn’t run genuinely enough, so two good horses fought the finish out and I’m very proud of my horse because he had to dig deep and most horses wouldn’t have done that.
“There were a few anxious moments at the 700 metres when I couldn’t hold him but I was given no option but to ride him as I rode him, given the way the race panned out.”
Dennis Yip’s Massive Sovereign (No Nay Never) charged into the Hong Kong Derby calculations with a dazzling win in the Class 3 Somerset Handicap (2000m), providing Zac Purton with a treble.
Formerly known as Broadhurst when trained by Aidan O’Brien, Massive Sovereign impressed six-time champion jockey Purton, who also scored on Oriental Smoke (Artie Schiller) and Devas Twelve (Headwater), with his striking three and quarter-length win.
“I’ve liked him [Massive Sovereign] in everything I’ve had to do with him, he’s just got a lovely attitude,” Purton said. “He really conserves his energy and looks after himself well. His trials, I thought, were good and it was unconventional to run him over 2000 metres the first time but the owner really wants to run him in the Derby.
“We had to roll the dice and if it worked, it worked – which it has. Off that effort, he’s got to be in the Derby field, doesn’t he?”
David Hayes produced a double, scoring with Oriental Smoke in the second section of the Class 4 Essex Handicap (1200m) for Purton and Nervous Witness (Star Witness) in the Class 2 Rutland Handicap (1000m) under Andrea Atzeni.
Purton also prevailed on Chris So’s Devas Twelve in the Class 4 Norfolk Handicap (1600m), while Harry Bentley also posted a brace with Ricky Yiu’s Mr Ascendency (The Gurkha) in the Class 2 Kent Handicap (1650m, dirt) and Mark Newnham’s Prawns Eleven (Super Easy), who finished powerfully to claim the Class 3 Kowloon Tong Club Trophy Handicap (1200m).
“Great to get a double. I’m really pleased with how things are going at the moment. The momentum is up and to be able to capitalise is really good – hopefully there’s more to come,” Bentley said.
Blake Shinn made a triumphant return to Hong Kong, teaming with familiar ally Caspar Fownes in landing the first section of the Class 4 Essex Handicap (1200m) aboard Sky Heart (Ardrossan).
“Very special, actually. Caspar was wonderful to my career when I was based full-time in Hong Kong for three years,” Shinn said. “Still to have that association and for him to ask me to come over here today – he’s thrown me a great book of rides – is wonderful.
“To win in these colours is very sentimental, going back to [Hong Kong Sprint winner] Sky Field. It’s really fitting that I could come here today and get a result for Caspar and his owners.”