Welcome to our preview and horse racing betting tips for racing at Sha Tin in Hong Kong on Sunday, May 27th.
We have a monster 11-race card today, headlined by the Group 1 Standard Chartered-Chater Cup over 2400m (Race 8).
We’ve got betting tips and comments for every race below.
Sha Tin Racing Tips
Best Bet: Race 10 #9 Sacred Ibis
Next Best Bet: Race 6 #8 Emerald Spur
Best Value: Race 5 #3 Relentless Me
RACE 1
Very keen to bet early here and I’ll be having a decent crack at the favourite (6) Super Model who makes his debut here after two trials. His trials have been good enough to win this. He ran 3rd behind Montreal in his first trial and that form has been franked already with Montreal winning since, before winning his latest trial when leading all the way. He has to go around a corner today with the 1200m distance, which is something he hasn’t had to do in either trial, but Purton has been on all prep and sticks with him for race day. From what he’s shown, he’s been very green so far, but there isn’t a great deal he has to beat here and $2.20 seems a reasonable price. I think the biggest danger is actually (4) Ruletheroost, which is one of the lesser favoured Frankie Lor runners engaged. He’s had three trials and has been steadily progressing, winning the latest of those. Alberto Sanna has been aboard in all three trials and keeps the ride for today. I’d be saving on him at $7.50.
TIP: (6) Super Model
RACE 2
Tough little race with very few standouts and a host of horses on debut, which makes things tough. (1) Triumphant Jewel is the veteran of the race and drops back from Class 3 to Class 4 company here. That’s important, as is the drop back from 1200m to 1000m. All six of his career wins have come over 1000m. The wide draw is a big help too, as the outside rail at Sha Tin is the place to be in the straight races. (6) Highland Dancer trialled fairly last time out and has barrier 14 here which will put him in the right part of the track. (8) Lightning Treasure was beaten a long way on debut but was in the wrong part of the track the entire race so can improve today from the wide barrier. (11) Goko drops back from 1400m to 1000m today with Purton taking over the ride, while Prebble jumps off Goko to ride (12) Lunar Zephyr, who has two 2nds from his past three starts.
TIP: (1) Triumphant Jewel / (8) Lightning Treasure EW
RACE 3
(1) Red Elysees won over this track and distance three starts ago but hasn’t had much go right in his two starts since. Drawn well today in barrier 6 and can bounce back at near double figure odds. (6) Sunny Power gets Purton on today after having Vincent Ho on board for his four career starts so far. He’s placed twice over the 1400m and now steps up to 1600m. Draws perfectly in barrier 3 and will be in the finish. (7) Fame Lily unleashed a very strong effort from the back of the field to be beaten less than a length last start. Will have to come from a similar position today from barrier 12 but appears to be ready to win. (8) Good Choice Ahead saluted in Class 5 company last start but had been competitive in Class 4 company prior to that. Barrier 1 and a light weight today so can run a good race back up in Class. (11) The Full Bloom next best.
TIP: (6) Sunny Power / (1) Red Elysees EW
RACE 4
Group 3 over 1200m here. On his best form, (2) Lucky Bubbles would take care of this lot, but it’s been a fair while since he’s shown anything near that kind of form, so even with the drop back in class today I’d be hesitant taking $2.60 about him. Much the same can be said about (1) Thewizardofoz for Moreira and Size. If he turned up and produced anything like the performance which saw him win by 3.5L over 1400m back in June last year, he’d win this, but since then he hasn’t done a great deal, even though he’s been racing at Group 1 level recently. That leaves me with (3) Winner’s Way on top. We’re getting each way odds here with $5/$1.80 available and I think that’s a good play with the queries about the others. He was beaten less than a length by Beat The Clock and Mr Stunning just two starts ago, so if he can bring that form here then he’ll go very close. Purton back aboard today after jumping off last start and he looks a great place chance at the very least.
TIP: (3) Winner’s Way EW
RACE 5
Thought this was a fairly thin race on paper and the pointy end of the market is where I’m looking. (5) Have Fun Together goes on top for Moreira and Frankie Lor. He drew wide last start and went back before finishing strongly to run 4th. From the better barrier today he could be a touch closer and I suspect he’ll be going close in this. Whether or not he deserves to be such a clear-cut favourite is debatable. (3) Relentless Me comes out of that same race where he was first up. He ran 3rd and his final 400m was only 0.03 slower than Have Fun Together’s. He’s a $7.50 chance here and will certainly give this a shake. (8) Gracious Ryder finished ahead of both of those horses when running 2nd last start. He did enjoy a good draw last start and draws wide today so I’m looking more at the other two.
TIP: (5) Have Fun Together / (3) Relentless Me EW
RACE 6
Quite keen on (8) Emerald Spur here at $4.60. His debut was very promising, going back from a wide draw before unleashing the fastest final 400m of the race to run 4th, beaten 2L. He’s drawn in barrier 2 today so shouldn’t be as far back in the run and if he’s improved off that debut run then he’ll take some beating here up to the 1400m. Moreira jumps off last-start winner (2) Experto Crede and onto (7) Empire Star, who is knocking on the door after a string of near-misses over this track and distance. Happy to take on (1) Happy Sebring today, who goes up in weight and draws awkwardly after his good win last start.
TIP: (8) Emerald Spur
RACE 7
He hasn’t got much form to speak of, (13) Sky Melody, but the booking of Purton at 53.5kg (a weight he doesn’t ride at is very ominous here, especially given it’s for Casper Fownes. In recent times, this jockey/trainer combination has been pretty potent, and if Zac is riding one at that weight it’s probably for a good reason. He’s likely to ride it a couple of pounds overweight but up in trip and drawn in barrier 2, I expect him to be in the finish here. (6) Marzouq has had three runs in Hong Kong now for trainer Joh Size and has been progressing nicely with each of them. He was only beaten 2L last start and gets up in trip to 1800m now. He won over 2000m in the UK before coming to HK so the rise in trip will suit him. Moreira continues to stick with him and he looks a chance of breaking through for his first win in HK here. (10) Acclaimed Light has been running in easier races at Happy Valley but his last run at Sha Tin was over this distance back in February when he finished 2nd. Not the worst hope at 20/1.
TIP: (13) Sky Melody
RACE 8
The Group 1 Standard Chartered-Chater Cup over 2400m with just five runners set to go around. The real (1) Pakistan Star turned up last start and absolutely murdered the field in the G1 QEII Cup over 2000m, powering away to win by 3L. Tommy Berry takes over the ride today with William Buick staying in the UK and we might even see him lead this small field. The step up to 2400m is obviously some query given it’s his first attempt but he could be the best horse going around in HK now and on the strength of his win last start you’d have to say he’s clearly the one to beat here. $1.70 is always a risky price to take about a horse that’s stopped in his races in the past though! I think the biggest threat comes in the form of (3) Gold Mount who ran 2nd to him in the QEII Cup last start after winning over 1800m two starts ago. One thing is for certain and that’s he fact he’ll relish the 2400m. (5) Exultant comes off a 6L romp against some C-grades in Group 3 company last start over this distance. The fact he’s had the run (and dominant win) over 2400m leading into this is a big plus for him. (2) Chemical Charge and (4) Eagle Way look outclassed.
TIP: (1) Pakistan Star
RACE 9
Nice little race with a number of horses making their HK debuts here. Nothing flash about the price but based on what we saw (2) Raging Storm do last start, he’s deservedly a short-priced favourite here. The concern may be that he’s yet to put two together but he won untouched by 2.5L last start. He does cop a 7.5kg hike in the weights here, which is never easy to cope with at this early stage of a career, especially in Class 3, but he does look a horse destined for better races. (5) Patch Baby is one of those horses making his HK debut after recording two wins from two starts in Australia as Star Of Africa. Purton and Lor have a decent strike rate together but I expect them to ride this horse dead cold from barrier 11. If that’s the case, they’ll struggle to pick up Raging Storm. I wouldn’t necessarily be diving in at the price or having a huge bet on Raging Storm given he’s up so sharply in weight, but I think he will win.
TIP: (2) Raging Storm
RACE 10
Two I’m interested in here. Big jockey change on the favourite (9) Sacred Ibis with Purton taking over from Karis Teetan today after a particularly odd ride last start. This horse won in Class 4 over this track and distance five starts ago and has been knocking on the door in Class 3 ever since. Drawn well and looks very hard to beat today. (7) Right Call has won two of his past three starts over this track and distance. He’s drawn barrier 1 with the apprentice on today and will once again go straight to the front in an attempt to lead all the way. He looks the value at $15. Moreira jumps off the Size runner to ride (3) Shamport for John Moore. He’s had four starts in Hong Kong and gets his chance here but he’s short enough at the quote. (11) Falcon Turbo next best.
TIP: (9) Sacred Ibis / (7) Right Call EW
RACE 11
Terrific race to end the day. (2) Fast Most Furious comes off two strong wins at Happy Valley. He cops a rise in grade and is fairly poorly treated at the weights here carrying 57kg after carrying 60.5kg in easier class last start. With that said, he’s flying this prep and at $7.50 looks a nice each way chance. Purton jumps off (3) Apollo’s Choice to keep the ride on Fast Most Furious. (4) Rattan returns back to the 1400m after being tried over 2000m for the Hong Kong Derby. His three performances over this track and distance have all been very good (never finished outside the top two) and from the good draw he can bounce back today at $9. (13) Hezthewonforus beat a smart one last start and rises in grade today but unlike Fast Most Furious, he only carries 53.5kg. Looks hard to beat again from the good draw.
TIP: (2) Fast Most Furious EW / (4) Rattan EW
