Lucky With You has banked HK$18.09 million across his career. (HKJC/Alex Evers)
By Declan Schuster
HAPPY VALLEY – Frankie Lor will be hoping it is a case of the third time’s a charm for Lucky With You in Sunday’s (10 March) HK$13 million G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin.
Lucky With You heads into the second leg of the Hong Kong Speed Series after a pair of Group 1 second placings. The gelding is one of two entrants for Lor, alongside the Group 3-winning Healthy Happy.
“He’s (Lucky With You) good and he trialled last week – he trialled good. Andrea Atzeni rode him on Monday (4 March) and he is happy. He’ll have one more gallop on Thursday morning (7 March),” Lor said.
Lucky With You is by Artie Schiller and surprised at odds of 36/1 when runner-up to Lucky Sweynesse in the 2023 HK$26 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin last December.
“He’s very consistent and it still looks like he can improve a little bit,” Lor said. “He’s a six-year-old, so we just need to ensure he’s fit. He’s only had a few runs over 1400 metres and he finished second once, so I think the distance is ok for him.”
Healthy Happy is a five-time winner in Hong Kong, including twice over Sunday’s course and distance at Group 3 level. He landed the HK$4.2 million G3 Celebration Cup Handicap (1400m) first-up this season under Alexis Badel.
“1400 metres is his best distance. We gave him a little break to wait for this race as he’s getting older,” Lor said.
Healthy Happy is a seven-year-old. He claimed the 2021 Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m).
Happy Together has risen impressively to prominence this season with four wins, including the HK$4.2 million G3 January Cup Handicap (1800m) at Happy Valley earlier this year. He returns over that race’s distance at Sha Tin in Class 2 this weekend.
“He’s going well. The pace was too slow last time, and he carried a big weight, but he still finished strong,” Lor said.
The five-year-old was luckless in the HK$4.2 million G3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) two runs ago.
