Our Hong Kong expert Graham Cunningham takes a look at Sunday's Sha Tin card live on Sky Sports Racing.
Rising shines as Doyle and Kingscote celebrate
Preparations are ramping up as some of HK’s biggest stars prepare for Longines HKIR action.
Ka Ying Rising left David Hayes and Zac Purton in upbeat mood on Thursday after powering through his final turf gallop before next week’s Sprint, while Helios Express, Galaxy Patch and Voyage Bubble were in AW trial action ahead of next Sunday’s showpiece.
Queen Anne winner Docklands enjoyed a gentle AW workout ahead of his date in the Mile and a couple of other British stars are heading into the weekend in positive mood.
Hollie Doyle notched the fourth winner of her pre-Christmas stint when Double Win scrambled home at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
Richard Kingscote doubled his seasonal total when Blue Illusion popped up at 97-1, but David Probert’s struggles continue and the luckless Welshman is 0-92 with just two chances to right the ship this weekend.
I’m looking forward to a pre-HKIR trip to Sha Tin on Sunday – with plans to arrive for the second half of a ten-race card - and the early gameplan reads as follows:
Kimberley Handicap (7.00)
Fit For Beauty is on the up after a decisive course and distance win, while Purton seems to have chosen With A Smile ahead of Better And Better having ridden both horses several times.
But BETTER AND BETTER has been running with plenty of credit this season, doing well to finish fifth from well back four weeks ago, and the combination of a lower draw and a smoother trip make him a solid win and place option.
Middle Handicap (7.35)
Remember a horse called Inquisitively winning the Cornwallis Stakes at Newmarket for the Philippart De Foy stable in 2023?
That speedy juvenile is now a FAST RESPONDER down the straight track at Sha Tin and Douglas Whyte’s gelding arrives fresh from a fine second to a horse who upheld the form from a 7lb higher mark last week.
It’s a Class 3 dash – so there are several dangers – but Fast Responder can go well from a handy high draw and it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see SKY TRUST come home strongly at a price even though all his best form is over longer distances.
Austin Handicap (8.05)
Physical prowess isn’t everything and there’s a certain irony in the fact that one of the biggest horses in HK is also one of the lowest-rated horses in the John Size stable.
SIGHT DREAMER tips the scales at a whopping 1317lb – and his best form is over further than 1200m – but he isn’t short of speed. A close third over 1400m three weeks ago shows he handles dirt well enough and a 1lb rise leaves him fairly treated from the bottom of the weights under Keith Yeung.
Chatham Handicap (8.40)
There’s the thick end of £300,000 in the pot for this featured Class 2 on the AW and it’s going to take some cracking.
Time will tell whether the likeable grey miler TALENTS AMBITION has the early speed to go with some fast foes, but Mark Newnham’s gelding is in better form than two recent turf runs suggest and can come calling late at a fair price if Bottomuptogether and Harmony N Blessed set fast fractions.
Mody Handicap (9.15)
Aussie handler Newnham is being pressured at the top of the trainers’ table but he has a sure touch on the AW and New Forest and Excellence Value give him a strong hand here.
New Forest demolished a useful field over course and distance last time and has been hiked 10lb, while Excellence Value has been progressing on turf and has trialled well on the dirt. They both have potential but, all in all, this looks a complex puzzle.
Salisbury Handicap (9.50)
Purton knows all about the two key market players here having won three times on Top Dragon and once on Little Paradise.
Reports suggest the champ was already booked for Little Paradise before Top Dragon came into the equation and Jimmy Ting’s gelding was a shade unlucky when finishing third having been forced wider than ideal on his latest start.
He’s probably still ahead of his mark having been raised just 2lb for that narrow defeat but Top Dragon is a strong traveller with a handy turn of foot and, all in all, this looks a tough one to call.
Sunday’s Sha Tin Selections
7.00: Better And Better (EW)
7.35: Fast Responder/Sky Trust
8.05: Sight Dreamer
8.40: Talents Ambition (EW)
To bet on Hong Kong racing via Betfair's Tote click here
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
