Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing at Happy Valley on Wednesday, June 3rd.
Racing at Happy Valley is on the A course tonight, meaning the rail is in the true position. Inside barriers will be favoured in many of the nine races programmed.
Tim Geers has provided his thoughts on all the action below!
Happy Valley Racing Tips: Wednesday, June 3rd
Best Bet: Race 8 - (9) Rich And Lucky
Next Best: Race 3 - (2) Oriental Elite
Best Value: Race 9 - (9) Grade One
Race 1
Really tricky way to open the card here. I'll side with (2) Vincy on top. He's not a horse that wins out of turn, that's for sure, with just two wins from 22 career starts. Both of those were back in Ireland so he actually remains a maiden in Hong Kong. He ran a good race for 2nd two starts ago with Purton in the saddle over this track and distance, before dropping back to 1800m last start with Blake Shinn aboard. Back up to 2200m tonight and Purton gets back on. He'll need a good ride but he finds a suitable race. The big value in the race is (5) Tangmere. Purton has been riding this horse in his last four starts but it would appear he was booked in advance on Vincy, so Vincent Ho is aboard tonight. He won back-to-back races over the 1650m here, then was luckless in defeat two starts ago, before being slightly outclassed at Sha Tin last start. Back to Happy Valley suits, up to 2200m is a query but he draws well and the $10 appears a good price for a horse in career-best form. (3) Blastoise is racing in terrific form and is yet to finish out of the top two from three starts here at Happy Valley. There's no reason he won't be in the finish again.
Race 2
The inside six barriers are heavily favoured over the 1200m on the A-course. (9) Happy Tango draws an inside gate for just the second time in his career. The other time he drew low was over 1400m at Sha Tin in a much harder race than this. He went close over this track and distance two starts ago, albeit that was on the C+3 course. He gets barrier 1 tonight which should be a big help to him and at the $6.00 on offer he looks a reasonable price in an open race. (6) All Best Friends maps to get the one-out-one-back position from barrier 4 and he ran 2nd here last time out, so expect another bold showing from him. (8) Travel Datuk has had 40 starts in Hong Kong and is yet to win one. Zac Purton has only ridden him once in those 40 starts but he gets back aboard tonight. He's drawn out in barrier 12 which makes things hard but Purton got one of these types of horses over the line a couple of weeks ago and if anyone can get him to win, it's him.
Race 3
(2) Oriental Elite looks a great bet here in my opinion. Inside barriers are even more advantageous over the 1650m than they are over the short courses here on the A-course. Barrier 1 in particular has a 21% winning strike rate over this distance. Oriental Elite has been right around the mark and he's ready to win one if he gets things go his way, which he does tonight. He drew barrier 11 and was only beaten a length last start; prior to that, he was caught three-wide the trip, and three starts ago he ran 3rd beaten less than a length. Barrier 1 tonight is ideal and with even luck he should be right in the finish. $5.50/$2.15 looks a great 1x3 each way bet. (10) Green Envy draws well in barrier 3 and Moreira goes on for Casper Fownes, which is always a good sign. I'd suggest $10 for him is probably a decent price.
Race 4
(1) Sky Show looks a talented horse on his way up in class. He comes off a dominant win last time out over this track and distance and despite rising in the weights tonight, he should be able to win again on his way to class 3. He draws well in barrier 5, Purton sticks, he looks the obvious leader in the race and there doesn't look to be that much competition up front. If he finds the front early and gets a cheap sectional he'll prove too good again. (5) Destine Jewellery draws the coveted inside gate and could be one to include at $19.
Race 5
Another race over the 1650m so the inside gates are heavily favoured. (10) Courageous Dragon comes up with barrier 1 and Moreira jumps off a last-start winner in the race to stick with him after finishing 3rd last start. That was over this track and distance and he was beaten less than a length. He's yet to win a race but he gets absolutely everything in his favour tonight. (12) Lucky Missile draws well in barrier 4 and could be worth having something on at $31. I thought his trial was OK and his first up run was also not bad. Can forgive him for a poor performance last start but that was a tougher race. Back to an easier race third up tonight, up in distance, down on the minimum weight and with a good draw. (9) Incanto Prepared isn't hopeless at double figure odds either.
Value: (12) Lucky Missile $31
(10) Courageous Dragon
$2.90
Race 6
This is probably the hardest race of the night. I'll just be having one small each way bet on (5) Excellent Chariot here at $14. He debuted over 1000m here where he drew barrier 1, but he stepped away slowly and basically gave up the advantage of the inside draw. He then came off the rail in the straight and the winner took the run he left and hugged the inside. He had trialled well leading into that race and he started 6.8 in the market so clearly he was rated a chance. He should be better for the experience and although he draws wide in barrier 10 tonight, that might not be such a bad thing. It's a bit of a lottery this race.
(5) Excellent Chariot E/W
$14
Race 7
We see the return of (5) Columbus County here, who we last saw running in the Hong Kong Derby. He was outclassed in that race but he drops back to an easier assignment tonight, first up from 10 weeks off. Purton rode him in the lead up to the Derby and he jumps back aboard for hsi reappearance tonight. He gets a great draw to go with it in barrier 4 and if he was able to get straight back to his pre-Derby form, he'd be very hard to beat here. (4) Super Oasis is the horse Purton jumps off to get back on Columbus County. He had his first start for Ricky Yiu at Sha Tin last start and he had the race completely shot to bits, but turned it up late to run 2nd. He draws well again and gets his chance but he had his chance last start for me. (7) Righteous Doctrine was the horse who ran him down, making it three wins from his last four starts. He obviously rises in the weights but he can't be ignored in his current form. (9) Helena Baby ran 3rd to Righteous Doctrine and Super Oasis last start and gets a major jockey upgrade with Moreira taking over tonight.
(5) Columbus County
$3.50
Race 8
Another one on top for Purton here with (9) Rich And Lucky. He is weighted with 117lbs (53kg) and it's very, very rare to see Zac get down to that sort of weight, especially on a Wednesday night. He'll ride the horse 2lb overweight at 119lb, but even so, that's as low as he ever gets. You can guarantee if he gave up the ride due to weight, Moreira would get on and at this stage of the season, every win is very important in the race for the Jockeys' Premiership. He won first up at this track and distance in class 4 last start, carrying top weight to a comfortable victory. He rises to class 3 now so it's a harder race, but he's a horse on the up and comes up with a good draw, which is imperative at the 1650m. Happy to stick with him. (1) Sunshine Warrior gets barrier 1. He went down by less than a length last start and prior to that, he'd won three of his past four starts. The stable is in red hot form at the moment so with the good draw, he has to be included. (3) Flash Famous can be included at double figure odds.
Race 9
This is right up there with the hardest race of the night. Something small each way on (9) Grade One at $17. He ran 2nd over this track and distance last start behind Victoriam, with California Concord back in 3rd. That horse has since come out and won his next start, so the form has stood up. He draws well in barrier 6 tonight and has a decent record at the track and distance, so expect a good run at the big odds. (7) Highland Fortune wa svery brave last start when finishing 3rd over track and distance despite covering plenty of ground throughout. Purton goes straight on tonight, replacing the out-of-form Vincent Ho, and he comes up with a plum draw in barrier 4. He also jumps off (5) Island Shine, who himself has a great chance, to jump on Highland Fortune, so all signs lead to a good performance. (6) Hardly Swears returns to his pet track and distance. Tough finish!
