Trainer Michael Chang will consider a tilt at the HK$4.2 million Gr.3 Sha Tin Vase Handicap (1200m) on 31 May with Lady’s Choice (NZ) (Charm Spirit) after the much-improved gelding upstaged a class field of rising talents to win the Class 2 Pok Fu Lam Reservoir Road Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin on Saturday.
Bred and sold by Ardsley Stud, Lady’s Choice led all the way under Matthew Poon to score at odds of 13/1, defeating Bottomuptogether by three quarters of a length with Tomodachi Kokoroe a head further way in third.
Clocking 1m 08.44s, the five-year-old posted his fourth win of the season and took his earnings beyond HK$10 million for connections, the HK Association of Lady Horse Lovers, having started this preparation on a mark of 66.
Rated 87 before today’s race, Lady’s Choice was brilliantly rated in the lead by Poon before fending off Bottomuptogether and Tomodachi Kokoroe as Fast Network finished fifth with Wunderbar, eighth.
“He’s now fully mature. Mentally, he’s improved a lot. Last year, he was still mentally a little bit hot but he’s now calmed down a lot. He relaxes, he knows the racing and he tries and he keeps improving,” Chang said. “Maybe I will run him in the Group 3 race at the end of this month. He will carry a light weight, he holds his form well.”
Flash Current (NZ) (Derryn) posted his second win from five starts with a strong display in the Class 4 Tuen Mun Public Riding School Handicap (1400m), scoring impressively under Zac Purton, who fired in a treble.
Riversley Park graduate Patch Of Stars (All Too Hard) also showcased his potential with an easy win in the Class 4 Lei Yue Mun Public Riding School Handicap (1400m), clocking 1m 22.00s under Purton after being eased down over the final 100m.
“He’s only three, still learning and does a little bit wrong,” Purton said. “He wants to grab the bit and get a bit aggressive in the run and in the straight, he was hanging in quite bad. I think there’s a little bit more there and next season when he’s a bit more mature, he’ll start to show his best.”
Jolly Jumper (NZ) (Belardo) broke through at his ninth start with success in the Class 5 Castle Peak Handicap (1600m) for Britney Wong and Dragon Air Force (NZ) (Swiss Ace) claimed his third win of the season for Ricky Yiu with a courageous performance for Matthew Chadwick in the Class 3 Lei Yue Mun Park Handicap (1650m, dirt).