'Vallee' Deep in Hong Kong Vase

With a powerful late run, Vallee Enchantee ran away with the HK$14 million, 1 1/2-mile Hong Kong Vase (HK-I), the first major race on the Hong Kong International Race card at Sha Tin Racecourse. The 3-year-old filly by Peintre Celebre was bred and is owned by the Wildenstein Stable of France.

It wasn't the first time the diminutive filly had beaten up on the boys¡Xshe beat a field of eight in the Prix Conseil de Paris (Fr-II) on Oct. 19 going the same trip. "And it won't be the last," said winning jockey Dominic Boeuf.

Tracking an early pace of :25.8 and :50.5 over the firm going at Sha Tin Racecourse, trainer Elie Lellouche's instructions were to stay to the outside. Bouef did just that and his filly exploded in the late to win going away. Prince Khalid Abdullah's Polish Summer, who took the lead in mid-stretch, held for second in a photo finish with favored Warrsan.

Vallee Enchantee won by three-quarters of a length and got the trip in 2:28.2. Polish Summer beat Warrsan by three-quarters of a length.

Vallee Enchantee was a 7-1 shot in the field of 14. Alec Wildenstein noted that he bred both the sire, Peintre Celebre, and the dam, Verveine (by Lear Fan). "Her mother was second in this race 10 years ago," he said. "I'm very proud she produced this filly. It's very satisfying as a breeder, because I've bred three to four generations of his horse on both sides of the family.