Lyle Hewitson is hopeful Highland Rahy can dispel a class rise query when the in-form galloper chases a hat-trick at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
A winner at Gowran Park in Ireland pre-import, Highland Rahy took 13 starts to break his Hong Kong duck and made it back-to-back victories at the city circuit when eclipsing the Class Four 1,650m track record on his latest appearance.
However, the Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained gelding faces a tougher test rising to Class Three in Wednesday night’s Chamomile Handicap (1,650m). He bumps into several proven performers in the grade, headlined by last-start winner Aestheticism and the consistent Embraces.
Hewitson believes Highland Rahy has to elevate on his two all-the-way victories at the course and distance of Wednesday night’s race.
Strong win! 💪
— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 12, 2025
Highland Rahy makes all in the Ireland Trophy at Happy Valley with @LyleHewitson for Francis Lui... 🏆#HappyWednesday | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/g1hg9DODHV
“I have my reservations of what he’ll be like in Class Three but with that said, he’s clearly started to acclimatise to Hong Kong as we’ve seen in his recent two runs,” Hewitson said.
“You can’t take away from the fact that he’s just run the class record last time out. It was a solid effort and I think one thing that will benefit him is being a strong galloper down in weight.
“There’s a couple in there with chances and it’s quite an open race. The difference between Class Three and Class Four for a horse like him is they are going to have a turn of foot and enjoy the pace that he sets, so it makes his task harder.
“But the fact he’s got a lighter weight, he should be able to keep running. I think it will be a tough task, but I think he’ll acquit himself well.”
Jockey Lyle Hewitson and trainer Francis Lui combine again on Wednesday night with Highland Rahy.
Highland Rahy drops 14 pounds to carry 118 and jumps from barrier seven.
Of his other seven rides at the midweek meeting, Hewitson fancies the Lui-trained King Miles to run a bold race from gate nine in the first section of the Class Three Violet Handicap (1,200m).
“If I had to single one out on the night that can maybe take a step forward, it would be him,” Hewitson said.
“He’s always getting bad barriers, always going back and looking quite good in the finish. I think we’ve got to start taking luck out of the equation and be more positive on him.
King Miles gallops on the dirt.
“He gives me a really nice feel. If he had an inside draw, I would think he’d be a leading chance. If he overcomes that, he could be one of the horses to keep an eye on.”
Meanwhile, trainer Ricky Yiu Poon-fai was fined HK$75,000 on Monday for failing to ensure Dragon Air Force was free of any prohibited substance when he ran second on the Sha Tin dirt on February 12.
An illegal level of omeprazole, which is used to treat gastric ulcers, was detected in Dragon Air Force’s post-race urine sample.
“A comprehensive joint investigation conducted by Racing Security and Integrity Assurance and the stipendiary stewards, which included a detailed review of the stable close circuit television, interviews with stable staff allocated to Mr Yiu and a review of treatment and medication records, did not identify the cause of the detection of omeprazole in the post-race urine sample,” chief steward Marc van Gestel said in a statement.
Dragon Air Force was disqualified from his second placing on February 12.
