SHA TIN SELECTIONS

(Sunday June 24, 2018)

RACE 1: #1 Bullish Glory, #7 Audacity, #6 Happy Rocky, #5 Enjoyable Success

RACE 2: #10 Chaparral Star, #7 Telecom Titan, #8 Victor Emperor, #3 Newswire Free

RACE 3: #3 Dinozzo, #4 Horse Of Fortune, #1 Exultant, #2 Gold Mount

RACE 4: #2 Giddy Giddy, #1 Amazing Moment, #10 Flying Godspell, #12 Striking Mr C

RACE 5: #8 Enjoy Life, #3 Empire Star, #1 Looking Good, #12 Hinyuen Swiftness

RACE 6: #6 Marzouq, #5 Famous Warrior, #1 Go Beauty Go, #2 Penang Hall

RACE 7: #1 Thewizardofoz, #3 Winner's Way, #7 California Whip, #2 Lucky Bubbles

RACE 8: #4 Master Albert, #10 Styling City, #1 Lean Perfection, #3 Patch Baby

RACE 9: #11 Cheerfuljet, #6 Pick Number One, #2 Calculation, #3 Shamal

RACE 10: #13 Harmony Hero, #2 Conte, #9 Solar Patch, #14 Win Beauty Win

RACE 1: TATE'S CAIRN HANDICAP

#1 Bullish Glory is his own worst enemy. The talent is there, he just needs to jump cleanly, settle well and then he’ll have every chance from the inside gate. #7 Audacity is two from two over this course and distance. Joao Moreira rode him to victory in a similar race in March and he’s a chance again. #6 Happy Rocky has been performing poorly in recent races but he could sneak a placing. #5 Enjoyable Success should be suited up to this distance and isn’t without a place hope.

RACE 2: TO FUNG SHAN HANDICAP

#10 Chaparral Star has spent the majority of his career racing over distances which will prove short of his best, only stepping up to this trip once. He will appreciate further in time but he’s getting to a rating where it wouldn’t surprise to see him improve drastically. Chad Schofield is a notable booking too. #7 Telecom Titan has shown signs recently that he can break through soon. He’s a chance in this spot. #8 Victor Emperor produced his best run at 1400m last time out and isn’t without a hope. #3 Newswire Free is sure to have his supporters with Joao Moreira aboard.

RACE 3: GROUP 3 PREMIER PLATE

#3 Dinozzo is not as well-suited as he was in the Group 3 Centenary Vase at this course and distance in February. Still, he shapes as a nice hope in this field and he deserves respect. #4 Horse Of Fortune won this race last year in something of a shock after hot favourite Pakistan Star pulled himself up. His last run in Singapore was good and this is his best trip, so back-to-back Premier Plates are not out of reach for him. #1 Exultant and #2 Gold Mount finished second and third behind Pakistan Star last time out in the Champions & Chater Cup. They have plenty of weight to carry but both remain chances.

RACE 4: PIPER'S HILL HANDICAP

#2 Giddy Giddy is racing well at the top of this grade. He should be somewhere near the lead from gate one and he’ll be hard to run down. #1 Amazing Moment gets the 10-pound claim of Victor Wong and that should allow him to go close once again. #10 Flying Godspell has drawn awkwardly but he is racing well enough that he can get into the finish again. He’s a danger. #12 Striking Mr C is still finding his feet but he has more talent than he has shown to date. Don’t be surprised to see him in the placings.

RACE 5: SHA TIN HEIGHTS HANDICAP

#8 Enjoy Life is an important runner for trainer Almond Lee, with the handler needing three winners from the final 65 races or he otherwise faces a battle to retain his licence next season. This horse has been in good form and he gets Zac Purton aboard once more. He is a major player. #3 Empire Star looms as a major danger in this spot. He’s racing consistently and a win looks near. Expect him to produce another big run under Joao Moreira. #1 Looking Good has performed well in two starts and now steps up to 1400m. He’s a chance. #12 Hinyuen Swiftness is next best.

RACE 6: EAGLE'S NEST HANDICAP

#6 Marzouq looked to be coming right before last start, when he never got into contention and subsequently pulled up lame. He has shrugged those off with a satisfactory trial recently and it won’t take much for him to find the winners’ circle here. #5 Famous Warrior has been racing well without winning. He’s right in contention. #1 Go Beauty Go will likely push forward under Matthew Poon and is sure to be around the mark. #2 Penang Hall can improve sharply and should be included in all exotics.

RACE 7: GROUP 3 PREMIER CUP

#1 Thewizardofoz won this race in remarkable fashion last year, but it was the sole bright spot in two seasons of disappointment. Perhaps it is notable that it was his only run at 1400m in that time, and that he has been a big winner at his last three starts at 1400m. Unfortunately, seven furlongs is a bit of a tough distance at which to specialise in Hong Kong, especially for a horse as highly rated as him. Still, this is his chance to end his season on a high note. #3 Winner's Way won the Sha Tin Vase very impressively last start. This is probably a better trip for him and he’ll be a threat. #7 California Whip won the Hong Kong Macau Trophy at the course and distance last time out. He has no weight and shapes as a danger. #2 Lucky Bubbles has probably been the most disappointing horse in Hong Kong this season, but he’s trialled well and can never be fully discounted in a race like this.

RACE 8: AMAH ROCK HANDICAP

#4 Master Albert sprinted nicely last time out to finally get a first Hong Kong win. Now that they’ve figured out how to ride him, hopefully he can score another victory and continue his progression through the grades. #10 Styling City has won his first two races impressively against griffin company. It is not often that a southern hemisphere two-year-old gets thrown in against the older horses, with subsequent Group 1 winner Amber Sky the last to win in Class 3. Still, he deserves respect on what he’s shown so far. #1 Lean Perfection will get to a higher rating than the 80 on which he sits currently, but gate 14 makes it tough for him here. Still, he’s not without a chance if things fall into place. #3 Patch Baby can run well again.

RACE 9: KAU TO SHAN HANDICAP

#11 Cheerfuljet was a big winner at his Sha Tin all-weather track debut last time out. He has no weight in here and looks capable of building his record on this surface. #6 Pick Number One has won five of his six starts, with all five wins coming on the dirt. He’s a chance to be named Champion Griffin and he could bolster his chances of taking that title if he scores another victory here. #2 Calculation returns to the dirt, where he had performed well earlier this season. He’s right in contention. #3 Shamal makes his dirt debut and he’s not without a hope if he can get out and rolling on the lead.

RACE 10: MA ON SHAN HANDICAP

This is a terrific Class 2 and probably the highlight of the card. #13 Harmony Hero could not have been more impressive two starts back, making up plenty of ground for a big victory. Last time out, though, he couldn’t get a clear crack at them early in the straight, yet even when he did get out, he found nothing. He pulled up lame, but looks to be over those issues. He’s a horse to watch in this spot. #2 Conte is undefeated from five starts. He looked in need of a break after winning in February and he returns a fresh horse. He has trialled very strongly and looks capable of continuing his progression here. #9 Solar Patch is looming as a Classic Mile contender next year. He’s drawn awkwardly but he’s right in the mix. #14 Win Beauty Win is another potential Four-Year-Old Classic Series horse. The Griffin Trophy winner has impressed since his return and looks to be heading higher than a mark of 81.

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