Hall lands Happy Valley treble as Fast debutant gives rivals a Serve

It was the David Hall and Luke Ferraris show early at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, and Fast Serve was the common denominator, defying a late drift to deliver an impressive debut victory.

After Ferraris snared the opener aboard Jimmy Ting Koon-ho’s Concerto and Hall tasted success with the Zac Purton-ridden Management Folks in the second race, the pair came together with Fast Serve in the Class Four Stanley Gap Handicap (1,000m) to bank swift braces.

A winner of two trials over the same Happy Valley course and distance, aptly named Swiss Ace gelding Fast Serve was on the nose late in betting – drifting from $2.7 to $3.5 in the three minutes before the jump – but provided a nice watch for those who did back him.

Moderately away from barrier three, Fast Serve mustered well to work his way to the lead and Ferraris had him positioned nicely on the rail by the 750m.

“Race speed is a bit different to trial speed. He was getting it a bit easier in the trials, and he’s got a little bit of a high head carriage – as everyone knows. What he was going to find under pressure was the big question,” said Hall, who went on to land a treble thanks to the victory of Maldives in race eight.

“But I had confidence he wasn’t a weak horse. To come to Happy Valley first start as a three-year-old against some older horses who know what their job is – he did it well.

“Luke made the comment he’ll be a lot sharper next time. He took a lot in tonight. Trials are in the morning, the races are at night time. Just even out of the gate he wasn’t quite as sharp as what he was at the trials. I think there’s still room for improvement with him.”

Another debutant flashed his potential in the next race, with the Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained Joyful Hunter producing a big run from barrier 10 under Vincent Ho Chak-yiu to storm over the top of his rivals.

“He was very green – so raw and green – but he’s got a good turn of foot, and he’s a big boy,” Ho said. “He’s got plenty to improve on, for sure. He was very hot behind the gate – everything was wrong – but he could still run well, so looking forward to seeing what he can do in the future.”

A couple of weeks from this year’s Hong Kong International Sale, last year’s star graduate Nordic Dragon rang up a hat-trick of victories in the Class Two The Cricket Club Valley Stakes (1,200m).

“Thank you for the owner [Edmond Yue Kwok-yin] for spending a lot of money, buying a good horse, and supporting me. He’s a nice horse,” trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing said after the HK$7 million purchase’s fifth win at start eight, and first victory under Matthew Poon Ming-fai.

“I’ll give him a rest and bring him back for next season. Hopefully, he can handle Sha Tin in the future. I did try once unsuccessfully, but hopefully with more maturity, he can handle Sha Tin. I’ll give him one more start at Happy Valley next season, then Sha Tin.”

Ho chimed in with a double of his own later in the card, piloting Cantopop star Aaron Kwok Fu-shing’s Dancing Code to his maiden Hong Kong success at local start three in the Class Three Tai Tam Gap Handicap (1,200m).

To round out the card, Manfred Man Ka-leung’s Encountered overcame a tough run under Derek Leung Ka-chun to make light work of his rivals in the Class Two Windy Gap Handicap (1,650m).

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