John Moore heads into Wednesday’s (30 October) eight-race card at Happy Valley with four chances as he aims to snap a frustrating run of six minor placings from his last seven starters, including three runner-up efforts at last week’s midweek fixture.

The seven-time champion trainer is hopeful that the Class-dropping Hello Beauty (133lb) should cope with the city track’s tight-turning corners, as the Sepoy gelding steps out at the venue for the first time in the Class 3 Hebe Hill Handicap (1200m).

“We’re gambling a little bit in respect to whether he will handle Happy Valley as it is his first time there, so there’s a bit of a question mark around that and he’s drawn quite wide in gate 11,” Moore said.

Hello Beauty raced in Australia pre-import as Fullazaboot and was trained in Queensland, Australia by Stuart Kendrick. His exploits Down Under earnt him HK$2,457,680 across three starts, thanks largely to his runner-up effort behind subsequent three-time G1 winner Sunlight, in the lucrative Magic Millions 2YO Classic.

“He’s definitely a horse that’s going to win in Class 3 but first time at the city circuit and an awkward gate is tricky. But he gets the services of one of the best in Joao Moreira, so from that point of view he’s going to be competitive,” Moore said.

The Happy Valley 1200m course, which features two sharp turns and a short home straight of 312m on the “A” Course differs from the 1200m strip at Sha Tin; the latter sees horses make one sustained sweeping turn before entering the 430m home straight on the “A” Course.

Chefano (130lb) will also fly the flag for Moore this Wednesday, in the Class 3 Shek Uk Shan Handicap (1800m). The gelding joined the stable at the tail-end of last season from Tony Millard.

“He was a nice acquisition to the stable, I haven’t trained a South African horse before and he’s done everything right,” the handler said.

Chefano has raced twice since being gelded in the offseason, including an unlucky fourth last start when he found traffic at key moments in the straight.

“He was gelded at the back end of last season after that one run, he’s come on really well and he’s worked strongly coming into this race with that last run under his belt, which was very positive,” Moore said.

G2 placed in South Africa, Chefano has raced at the city track on four occasions, finishing second over 1650 two starts ago.

“He just took a little time as an entire, no doubt it took time for him to acclimatise, but he’s doing everything right, so he should be the one to beat,” Moore said.

Callan’s drive

Neil Callan is well-accustomed to the competitive environment in Hong Kong and after clicking a double to end a 44-ride winless run a fortnight ago, the Irishman has put his faith in his famed hard work and determination in an attempt to continue that momentum.

“I feel like I’ve been riding well all season and I’m not going to change that, I’m just going to keep working hard and keep riding hard,” he said.

Since arriving in Hong Kong for the 2014/15 season, the Irishman has enjoyed plenty of good days, tallying a total of 231 wins as well as four top level wins in this time, highlighted by a famous partnership with Blazing Speed. The pair won the QEII Cup (2015) as well as two Champions & Chater Cups (2014 & 2016).

“I’ve been here long enough, I know how it works, you just keep working hard and I don’t try and change anything about my riding because I feel when you start to try and change your riding style or change your way of thinking it shows,” Callan said.

Callan heads into Wednesday’s (30 October) eight-race card at Happy Valley with six mounts, including the ride aboard Owners’ Star (121lb) in the Class 3 Shek Uk Shan Handicap, the horse he rode for his first success this season.

“It’s always nice to ride any winner but it was nice to get a winner for Danny (Shum), my first winner of the season and I’ve galloped him since. He feels like he’s improved a bit so hopefully he can win again,” Callan said.

Owners’ Star made the most of a messy affair. As the signature Happy Valley mid-race moves commenced it was Callan who remained cool and collected before pouncing in the straight.

“It was a little bit of a messy race but because he jumped quite well and got a forward position he was able to sit there while all the to-ing and fro-ing came from horses making runs – he just sat there and saved all his energy,” he said.

“When your horse is comfortable you let him travel, if you’re stuck wide and you’ve got no option then you either press forward or not.” 

Seven days prior to Callan’s first seasonal success, he came agonisingly close aboard the winless Travel Datuk, who is now 0/34 since arriving from Ireland.

The pair will reunite in the Class 4 Tin Ha Shan Handicap, with the galloper allocated 125lb.

“It was quite frustrating to get nailed on the post but I suppose the winner, with the way the race panned out and the injection of speed mid-race, it gave something the chance to close off,” Callan said.

The Richard Gibson trainee will step back to 1000m for this week’s assignment.

“He’s shown in the past that he’s pretty versatile in regard to racing over 1000 or 1200 metres; it’s nice saying that when he’s still a maiden but once he gets the tempo and the right draw, the right pace and the right position – it gives him every chance,” Callan said.

Wednesday’s eight-race card at Happy Valley begins with the Class 5 Wa Mei Shan Handicap (2200m) at 7.15pm.