The Chinese New Year Raceday is one of the biggest events of the season at Sha Tin racecourse, typically drawing a large holiday crowd, and the HK$2.84 million Chinese New Year Cup Handicap on Friday, 31 January has attracted 11 smart entrants, including Group 3-winning Healthy Happy.
The Frankie-Lor trained Healthy Happy (135lbs) won the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) in his rookie season as a four-year-old, and further improved in his five-year-old campaign, making his Group race breakthrough by winning the G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup (1400m). He added another Group 3 victory in last season’s Celebration Cup (1400m) and Lor admitted that 1400m is the horse’s ideal distance, as the Chinese New Year Cup has all long been his target.
Lor said: “1200m is too short but a mile is a bit long for him, and therefore we have always planned the Friday’s feature as his target. Last start he raced in a strong Group 3 race but he was not beaten far. It will be an easier race for him this Friday.
“The only concern is the weight – and therefore I decided to put apprentice Ellis Wong on who have seven-pounds claim. As this will be the first time Wong is engaged to ride him, I will arrange Wong to ride him in trackwork on Tuesday (28 January),” Lor added.