It was definitely a case of the old maxim 'there's a race in Hong Kong for all horses providing they drop low enough (in the ratings)' allowing the Andy Leung Ting-wah-trained Chuk Way to prevail in last night's opening event, and it may also apply soon to the runner-up Joyful Star.
The five-year-old Australian-bred gelding had dropped 17 pounds during the close-season reshuffle in the handicap scale to a mark of 21. He had also made the short hop across the stabling complex from David Hayes' full complement of horses to the much less fashionable hostelry of local handler Chris Cheung Ting-pong.
The huge drop in the ratings allowed Cheung to start Joyful Star against largely Class Six opposition, and Cheung also took the trouble of racing him at the New Territories venue where he had shown his only form. His races at Happy Valley have been nothing short of disastrous, yet those last five outings, all over the Valley mile, are what was largely behind his ratings relief.
Joyful Star was the subject of a fair degree of support and only just failed to hold Chuk Way, himself making his Class Six debut. Joyful Star also had trouble getting a clear run and is worth following in similar company in the bottom grade - with the all-important proviso he is racing at Sha Tin.
