Brazilian Butterfield blooms to boost Derby credentials at Sha Tin

Brazilian references on the Hong Kong racing scene tend to centre around jockey Joao Moreira, but recent South American import Butterfield got people talking at Sha Tin on Sunday when staking a Derby claim in the Class 2 finale.

Danny Shum's gelding was a dual Group 1 winner when known as Halston in his homeland and relished the step up to 1,800m under Grant van Niekerk.

He was well-placed in a steadily run race and found plenty when pressed to beat fellow Derby hope Columbus County by half a length.

The runner-up did well considering he was left with plenty to do but both the first two, now rated 90 and 88, need to continue their progression if they are to threaten leading Derby hopes Golden Sixty (112) and More Than This (107).

However, even at this stage it is clear that Butterfield's new home is very different to his old one. His earnings for winning a couple of Brazil's biggest races came in at well under £20,000. By stark contrast, his first Hong Kong success netted his owner over £115,000 with an additional £100,000 high achievement bonus for winning a Class 2 before turning five.

More no more for Moore as Purton prevails

Racecourse rumour travels every bit as fast in Hong Kong as in other countries and one of the worst kept secrets on the block was made public on Tuesday when it was confirmed that Zac Purton will replace Ryan Moore aboard leading Derby hope More Than This.

Formerly trained by Richard Fahey, the son of Dutch Art has thrived this season but winning three out of three wasn't enough to help Karis Teetan keep the mount when Moore became available.

However, owner Huang Kai Wen has opted for another switch after More Than This finished second to stablemate Golden Sixty under Moore in last month's Classic Mile.

Zac Purton: will ride More Than This in the Classic Cup on February 23Credit: Hugh Routledge

Purton confirmed the booking after riding fellow Derby hope Private Secretary (formerly trained by John Gosden) in a workmanlike Tuesday trial at Sha Tin and gave away no state secrets in saying "I think More Than This is the better ride at this stage so I will go with him."

More Than This will meet Golden Sixty again in the £1 million Classic Cup on February 23. Purton will find him a very different horse to the More Than This he trialled this time last year.

Time will tell whether Moore finds an alternative mount when the second leg of the Classic Series takes place in just over two weeks.

Moreira and Badel on winning streaks

Joao Moreira makes no secret of the fact that beating Purton in the battle for the jockeys' championship is his prime target this season and he now leads the Australian 69-60 after outscoring his old rival 4-1 on Sunday's card.

A two-day ban took a little of the gloss off his latest four-timer, the 52nd time he's had four or more winners in Hong Kong, but the big two haven't had things all their own way of late.

French import Alexis Badel completed his third treble since Boxing Day aboard the unbeaten Inner Flame on Sunday and is up to sixth in the table with 19 winners and almost £2.5 million in prize-money as he enters the final few weeks of his latest winter stint.

Badel's easy-going charm has certainly helped him handle the intensity of Hong Kong but his riding is clearly impressing good judges.

Sunday's win aboard improving sprinter Hong Kong Win confirmed a promising link with champion trainer John Size, while Inner Flame's third win on the bounce means that Badel's record for the up-and-coming Douglas Whyte now reads eight winners from just 21 rides.

Bear could strike again at Happy Valley

Wednesday's Happy Valley meeting will go ahead with severely restricted attendance measures in place again due to the outbreak of the coronavirus and, at first blush, it looks the sort of card where the Moreira and Purton show might not be quite so dominant.

Joao Moreira: leads Zac Purton in the Hong Kong jockeys' championshipCredit: Edward Whitaker

Moreira can expect a bold effort from freewheeling Bear Again in the Class 3 Russell Handicap (2.15) if he avoids getting into an early scrap, while lightly raced Winner's Heart looks one of Purton’s brightest prospects in the Class 4 Percival Handicap (12.45) after showing fine speed when beaten a head here recently.

Dr Proactive is a viable alternative to recent impressive winner Happy Good Guys in a very winnable Class 4 Canal Handicap (11.45), while Flying Genius has drawn the widest gate for the second division of the closing Class 3 Sports Road Handicap (2.50) but has the speed and progressive profile to suggest he can get across and set some fair rivals a target under Teetan.

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