Welcome to our preview and horse racing betting tips for racing at Happy Valley on Wednesday, July 3rd.
We've got eight races on the card to look forward to and I've offered my thoughts on every race below.
Happy Valley Racing Tips: Wednesday, July 3rd
Best Bet: Race 5 - (9) Smart Rocket
Next Best Bet: Race 7 - (6) Bouyant Boy
Best Value Bet: Race 2 - (7) Mischievous Sundae
Race 1
This is a particularly ordinary Class 5 event to start off the night. There's a lot of slowies and a lot of non-winners in here. I think there's only one way I will be getting involved here and that's by backing (9) Carry To Win each way, with my bet weighted heavily on the place. He's still a maiden after 25 starts and is $5.50, which tells you all you need to know about the race. But he has seven 2nd placings to his name, five of which have come over this track and distance (from six attempts). He's second up from a spell tonight, whereas many of these horses have been going around for months, so he finds a race that he can certainly win. Draws well, carries no weight, so I'll take the $2.20 for him to place. 1x4 betting scenario if you're getting involved.
Race 2
Competitive race. (8) Precious Sweetie is running well and draws a good barrier in 3 tonight. The inside three barriers are hugely beneficial over the 1200m on the C course, so unlike last start, we should see him in midfield somewhere. (7) Mischievous Sundae is the fresh horse, having just his second start this campaign. He's a Size/Moreira horse and you can totally forgive his first up run, when caught wide without cover all race. He ran 2nd over track and distance at the end of last prep, so he's certainly capable and he draws much better tonight in barrier 7. He's the value at $7.50. (2) Oriental Elite might have just found his mark in the handicap but he draws well in barrier 2 and that gives him his chance. (4) Gunnar should relish the step up to 1200m and should run well.
Value: (7) Mischievous Sundae $7.50
(8) Precious Sweetie
$3.00
Race 3
Another tough race with no standouts. Purton might be able to throw (1) You Have My Word over the line. He was the last jockey to ride this horse to victory so it's a positive sign that he goes back on tonight. He's been racing okay at Sha Tin in recent starts and that should see him competitive in this. (8) Crown Avenue has run 2nd in his past two starts and goes back up in trip to 1800m after dropping from 2200m to 1650m last start. (5) McQueen draws for a nice run. He's yet to win from eight starts at the track and distance but he can be somewhere in the finish. The chances don't end there.
(1) You Have My Word
$4.40
Race 4
(2) Reliable Team did a good job to win on debut vover this track and distance a month ago. He worked across from a wide barrier and was challenged on the turn but fought on and was strong through the line. He basically carries top weight tonight and draws poorly once again, so he will need to be good, but he finds a pretty weak class 4 and I'd be disappointed if he wasn't in the finish. (3) Bulb Elite is second up after a fair run first up at Sha Tin. The form out of that race has been franked with the winner since winning again easily. He's also drawn wide and he has a poor record at 1200m but he does go alright second up. (1) California Gungho drops in class and Moreira goes on from a decent draw, so he gets his chance.
Race 5
Best bet of the night here in the form of (9) Smart Rocket. His recent form is well and truly good enough to win this. He won over the mile at Sha Tin three starts back, then ran 3rd over this track and distance after starting from barrier 12, and last start ran 3rd at Sha Tin. Back to the Valley, Purton goes on for John Moore, drawn very well in barrier 2 and should go very close to winning this.
Race 6
Playing each way on (11) Looking Good at $6.00. He's been racing at Sha Tin recently, with three placings in his past three starts, including a head defeat last start. He returns to Happy Valley tonight and he's raced well here previously. Drawn well in barrier 4 and he actually finished ahead of the favourite (10) Jenerator back in March. Jenerator steps back up to 1650m tonight after an eye-catching run over 1200m last start. His two most recent runs here at Happy Valley have been good. He drew wide last start but starts from barrier 1 tonight so should be no worse than midfield in the run. (9) All You Know finished off well for 2nd last start. He's finding it hard to win another one but can run well again. The most interesting runner in the race is (1) Chefano which makes its stable debut for John Moore. He only raced here a month ago so he hasn't been in the stable long but Moore has wasted no time in booking Purton to ride him. He drops in class tonight and Moore has a knack of getting new horses to his stable to win in their first few starts. I wouldn't be letting him go around $8.50. He's the value.
Race 7
(2) California Argent is technically first up again tonight given he's had 12 weeks between runs, but this is his third run of the preparation and he's previously undefeated third up. He's been kept up to the mark with two trials leading into this and hsi run here two starts ago was good. He's a value chance at $17. (6) Bouyant Boy gets Purton on tonight and the last time he rode this horse, it won by 3L. The horse has run 2nd twice in its past four starts and both of those have been at this track and distance. Last start he wasn't given the best ride but he still clocked the second-fastest final 400m of the race. Drawn well in barrier 4 and should get his chance tonight. He goes on top. (8) Star Luck is another at odds to include. He draws the all-important barrier 1 here and he steps up to class 3 after victory in class 4 last start. The Alfred Chan claim gets him in very light at the weights and he can run well. (11) Jumbo Prize is favourite but I think that could be wrong. He ran 2nd in the same race as Bouyant Boy last start. Both horses ran 22.48 for their middle sectional, but Bouyant Boy ran a final sectional 0.64secs quicker than Jumbo Prize.
Value: (2) California Argent $17
Race 8
Think (10) Fat Turtle is a good price here at $3.80. He won on his Hong Kong debut here over 1200m and has since run 2nd three times in a row. The form out of those races is good though. One was behind Champion's Way and one was behind Yee Cheong Baby. Purton goes back on tonight after jumping off him last start and even though he's drawn wide in barrier 11, he should be very competitive and the price is more than reasonable.
