Happy Valley preview: More Moreira magic predicted

Prize money oozes over the £1 million mark at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, 11:45 am – 3:50 pm UK time, and all nine races have unsurprisingly attracted a full field of 12 runners.

It’s going to be ultra-competitive, there’s likely to be a fistful of hard-luck stories, but the cream can still rise to the top and there’s a couple running on the card that might just be a cut above the rest.

Schofield can keep a hot streak going aboard Yee Cheong Pegasus

There aren’t many more in form jockeys in Hong Kong at the moment than Chad Schofield and he’ll be hoping to make it eight wins from the last seven meetings when he gets aboard YEE CHEONG PEGASUS in the Larch Handicap (12:15 pm).

The five-year-old has been a revelation since moving from the David Hall yard over to Tony Millard’s, finishing second on three occasions and emerging victorious in February on the other. He went up seven pounds for that win at Sha Tin but showed that wasn’t a bridge too far when narrowly beaten by Good Luck Friend over that same course and distance last time. There is the suspicion he might have bumped into one there given the victor was having just his second start of his life and is clearly way better than his mark suggested.

A number of horses from that race have run well since giving the form a solid look and so Schofield’s mount looks worth backing to achieve his second Hong Kong victory.

Moreira to extend title lead Enrichment

Having ridden a treble at Sha Tin on Sunday, Joao Moreira now sits four winners clear at the top of the jockey standings and is the clear favourite to win his fourth title at 1/2. Like title rival Zac Purton, he has rides in all nine races at Happy Valley and while the majority can be given solid chances, his best ride could be ENRICHMENT in the Cedar Handicap (3:50 pm).

John Size’s gelding has been highly tried this season, running 12 times and although he is yet to find his way into the winners’ enclosure, his last two runs give optimism that his day isn’t far away. He was very highly touted last season to the extent he ran in the Hong Kong Derby and although he finished an eight-length eighth under Ryan Moore, running in that company showed the ability connections thought he had.

Admittedly, things have gone downhill since as he has struggled with a lofty mark and it is now over a year since he last tasted victory. However, he is now down to a rating of 84 – just one pound lower than his last winning mark – and given he’s finished second on his last two starts, there is plenty to suggest this could finally be his time.

The last time he won Moreira was on board and with the ‘Magic Man’ back in the saddle here, he looks the best bet in the race.

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