David Hayes will cast unbeaten Beauty Joy (116lb) into a daunting Sha Tin initiation in the Class 2 Choi Hung Handicap (1400m) on Sunday (10 January) in a contest featuring the return of Excellent Proposal (132lb) and a host of international form lines.
Formerly known as Talladega prior to export from Australia, Beauty Joy will be ridden by Alexis Badel in a race which boasts high-class opposition headed by John Size’s Excellent Proposal, Douglas Whyte’s Irish import Russian Emperor (123lb), Caspar Fownes’ Enrich Delight (126lb) and Francis Lui’s Lucky Patch (117lb).
The quintet, along with Irish Listed winner Beauty Smile (ex Justifier) and British import Tsar (116lb), will be challenged by a handful older gallopers ahead of Hong Kong’s lucrative Four-Year-Old Classic Series.
Hayes expects Beauty Joy to improve from Sunday’s run, but points to the gelding’s quality – including his victory in the Listed JC Roberts Stakes (1800m) at Ascot in mid-March last year.
“He’s undefeated from Perth, his last win was his best,” Hayes said.
“He’ll get better with the races over more ground and he’ll be better for the Classic Mile and his two trials in Hong Kong have been very good. But it’s a pretty hot race.”