Cheerful Days gets share of Million Challenge; Purton, Teetan ride four-timers

Cheerful Days continued his amazing season to grab a share of the DBS x Manulife Million Challenge on a night when Zac Purton and Karis Teetan rode fantastic four-timers.

Heading into the final meeting of the Million Challenge, which awards points for horses finishing in the first four in races at Class Three level or above at Happy Valley, Cheerful Days needed a win to draw level with Fa Fa at the top of the standings and claim a share of the first prize.

And he did it in dramatic fashion when coming from last turning into the straight to shoot through on the rail to grab his fourth win at the Valley and a remarkable sixth win of the season in the Class Two Shan Kwong Handicap (1,650m).

Trainer Francis Lui Kin-wai continues to be surprised by Cheerful Days and he was delighted to claim a slice of the Million Challenge riches, with the connections of Cheerful Days and Fa Fa collecting HK$450,000 each after the first and second prize money was combined.

“He surprises me, this horse, because he just keeps on improving,” Lui said. “He loves Happy Valley but he was also able to win at Sha Tin. I don’t know where we go next, but it’s good to share the series with Frankie [Lor Fu-chuen].”

Joao Moreira returns from suspension at Sha Tin on Sunday and he could have been forgiven for watching this Happy Valley card through his gloved fingers as Zac Purton wiped out the Brazilian’s title lead.

The Magic Man was 18 winners clear of Purton when starting his six-meeting ban but a four-timer for the Aussie top gun means he has ascended to the top of the table with 75 wins.

Purton has put in one masterclass after another at the Valley recently, with 16 of his last 19 winners coming at the track, and he again showed his quality when making a sparkling mid-race move to steal the opening Class Four Yuk Sau Handicap (2,200m) on Champion Pal.

While Purton benefited from a superb move in the first race, he was nearly caught out by a similar one in the Class Three Tsui Man Handicap (1,650m) as Alexis Badel pushed Gift Of Lifeline forward to challenge leader Fast Pace.

Entering the straight, it appeared Badel had made a race-winning manoeuvre but Purton got favourite Meaningful Star up by a nose.

That win was for Cheerful Days’ trainer Lui and the pair teamed up for another success when Scotch Tycoon saluted in the Class Four Village Handicap (1,000m) to take the Purton-Lui combination’s record to 14 wins from just 26 runners this season.

Purton’s four-timer was completed when Armour Eagle burst through on the rail to win the Class Three Sing Woo Handicap (1,200m).

Purton back to his best with fantastic five-timer at the Valley

He was a welcome winner for trainer Me Tsui Yu-sak, who had gone 98 runners without a winner since the victory of Gunnison on December 18.

“To be honest, I didn’t think I was going to be able to ride 18 winners in six meetings and I’ve ridden 19, so things have worked out really well and hopefully it’s the catalyst to push me onto the end of the season,” Purton said.

It’s rare for more than one jockey to grab a four-timer on a Hong Kong card but Karis Teetan shared riding honours with Purton thanks to four winners of his own.

The Mauritian rider’s most impressive winner was Packing Award, who did things the hard way before winning by a neck in the Class Four Yik Yam Handicap (1,650m).

Packing Award joined Peter Ho Leung this season and the manner of the victory in his first try over 1,650m suggests there are more wins to be had with him as he rises in class.

Teetan’s next two winners came for trainer Tony Cruz and the duo were first on the board when Mercurial got up in the last strides to land the Class Four Wang Tak Handicap (1,250m) and they saluted again when Whizz Kid made all the running to win the Class Three King Kwong Handicap (1,000m).

Teetan ended the night with a fourth winner on well-backed favourite Majestic Star in the closing Class Two Blue Pool Handicap (1,200m) to round off a fantastic Valley night.

Comments