Frankie Lor will be hoping it is a case of the third time’s a charm for Lucky With You in Sunday’s (10 March) HK$13 million G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin.
Lucky With You heads into the second leg of the Hong Kong Speed Series after a pair of Group 1 second placings. The gelding is one of two entrants for Lor, alongside the Group 3-winning Healthy Happy.
“He’s (Lucky With You) good and he trialled last week – he trialled good. Andrea Atzeni rode him on Monday (4 March) and he is happy. He’ll have one more gallop on Thursday morning (7 March),” Lor said.
Lucky With You is by Artie Schiller and surprised at odds of 36/1 when runner-up to Lucky Sweynesse in the 2023 HK$26 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin last December.
“He’s very consistent and it still looks like he can improve a little bit,” Lor said. “He’s a six-year-old, so we just need to ensure he’s fit. He’s only had a few runs over 1400 metres and he finished second once, so I think the distance is ok for him.”
Healthy Happy is a five-time winner in Hong Kong, including twice over Sunday’s course and distance at Group 3 level. He landed the HK$4.2 million G3 Celebration Cup Handicap (1400m) first-up this season under Alexis Badel.
“1400 metres is his best distance. We gave him a little break to wait for this race as he’s getting older,” Lor said.
Healthy Happy is a seven-year-old. He claimed the 2021 Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m).
Happy Together has risen impressively to prominence this season with four wins, including the HK$4.2 million G3 January Cup Handicap (1800m) at Happy Valley earlier this year. He returns over that race’s distance at Sha Tin in Class 2 this weekend.
“He’s going well. The pace was too slow last time and he carried a big weight but he still finished strong,” Lor said.
The five-year-old was luckless in the HK$4.2 million G3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) two runs ago.
Harry Bentley has nine wins from the past eight fixtures and is chasing a hat-trick of wins aboard Watch Buddy at Happy Valley tonight (Wednesday, 6 March).
“He’s a horse who is in fantastic form. He’s been ultra-consistent throughout his career, obviously he’s going up again in the weights, but he couldn’t be coming into the race better,” Bentley said.
The four-year-old lines up in the Class 3 Kwoon Chung Bus Cup Handicap (1200m), this time under top-weight of 134lb and against eight rivals.
“There are a few factors counting against him this time. He’s been a horse that’s been quite fortunate with his draws in the past and starting from gate nine this time makes life a little bit harder, especially with more weight on his back,” Bentley said.
The Rothesay gelding has only drawn a barrier wider than five on one occasion. The 31-year-old jockey has 20 wins this season from 176 rides.
“Things are going really, really good and I couldn’t be happier with the form that I am in at the moment and I have some nice rides coming up, so I just hope I can keep that momentum and I’ll be very happy,” Bentley said.
Tonight’s (Wednesday, 6 March) nine-race fixture at Happy Valley commences at 6.40pm with the Class 5 Kwoon Chung Motors Handicap (1200m).
By Declan Schuster, HKJC
