Prime Mortar has been tipped to win Race 5 (Picture: HKJC)
Tim Carroll (At The Races)
Race 1: Class 2 Chun Shek Handicap (1215pm) (1 mile)
4 ADEFILL, who is a dirt specialist with all five career wins coming on this track, bombed as favourite two back, but the run is easily forgiven as he copped a bump at the start and was held-up at the back in race that was run slowly and developed into a sprint home. The selection bounced back to form when narrowly denied over course & trip last time when he had Yellowfin in behind, who he now meets on 3lb better terms, and although he’s no slow coach, there is a strong gallop on offer & it’s likely he’ll be saved up for the last shot, thus the small field will help.
Dangers:
5 Yellowfin, who moves up in grade under a 6lb penalty having won over this trip at Happy Valley last time, is one of three pace runners in the small field, but her carries a lot less weight than the other two, and he did hack up over course & trip earlier in the season.
1 Telecom Fighters is a classy type on his day that was runner-up with a couple of these in behind when last seen over course & trip in March, and he’s likely to make a bold bid from the front.
2 Bundle Of Charm usually goes over six-furlongs, but he has won both his starts on this track this season and is in shrewd hands.
Race 2: Class 5 Mei Lam Handicap (1245pm) (6 furlongs)
9 DAILY TROPHY is a seventeen-start maiden, which is hardly a strong selling point, but he has run well on this track a few times this season, and this is a moderate affair. The selection was beaten a lip by Super Joy, who he meets on 5lb terms, when last seen over course & trip in April, which looks a strong form line for this. With all things being fair & equal, there shouldn’t be much between the pair again, however, the selection ran through the line strongly that night after a tardy start and Hugh Bowman is back on board.
Dangers:
1 Beau Gosse was unplaced at Happy Valley last time, but he had a tough trip planted wide from a high draw when less than a length behind Super Joy, who he meets on 3lb better terms, his only try on this track in March, blinkers go on, and he has a favourable draw this time.
8 Super Joy arrives with a 4lb penalty having broken his duck over course & trip last time having been runner-up in four of his previous five steps, and the race maps favourably from the low draw.
5 Diamond Soars has had thirty starts but interestingly only three on the dirt given he has won and been placed on this track, and a return to the dirt could be the catalyst for an improved effort.
Race 3: Class 4 Hin Yiu Handicap (115pm) (6 furlongs)
4 REGENT GLORY recorded just his third win from twenty-eight starts when going in over course & trip last time, but it’s worth noting he’s only had four spins on this track for two wins. The selection was able to box seat behind the two leaders last time, and he’ll probably look to work across from a high draw here, but he won by nearly two lengths running away with something in the locker last time, thus a repeat performance would see him go close, despite a 6lb penalty.
Dangers:
7 Diamond Flare hacked up over course & trip in December and whilst he has failed to score again since then, he has been placed a couple of times on this track and he has the perfect draw in 1 given he’ll look to go from the front.
10 Triumphant Warrior is a low mileage maiden that drops back from a mile, but he has been placed a couple of times over this trip, including on this track in February, and he should have all the favours from the low draw.
1 Must Go won over course & trip last month and although unplaced his last two, he didn’t have a lot of luck last time with the rider losing a stirrup iron out of the gates which saw him further back than ideal, but he does go from the top of the handicap and has a tricky draw.
Race 4: Class 5 Shui Cheun O Handicap (145pm) (1 mile)
3 RELIABLE PROFIT will be a bit of a swing given he hasn’t shown a lot at his last few starts on turf, but he’s having just his third run back this year following a setback, and although yet to hit the frame in nine starts, he has run with some promise on this track a couple of times. The selection wasn’t beaten far when fourth at a level above this in a stronger race in September when running from a 9lb higher mark, and if he can get back to that level, he would give this a decent shake, hopefully at a decent price.
Dangers:
2 Go Hero is an eleven-start maiden, but he was only beaten a nose here last time when having his first try on the dirt track, and Purton is a first-time booking.
4 Charming Steed was a wide margin winner here two back before finishing runner-up at Happy Valley last time, but he is 7lb higher in the handicap than when winning and will have to overcome a high draw.
7 Perfect Peach, who will be sporting first-time cheek-pieces, will be having his first spin on the dirt and he’ll probably be ridden from the second half of the field, but there’s a strong gallop on offer and he did win on the turf track from a 9lb higher mark last season.
Race 5: Class 4 Hin Yiu Handicap (215pm) (6 furlongs)
5 PRIME MORTAR goes up 8lb having won by a margin over this trip at Happy Valley last time when having just his third start of the year. He was impressive that night as he had to work hard from an outside draw but was still able to find plenty when pushed. He does go onto the dirt for the first time, but I’m confident he’ll excel on this track given he hacked up in a trial here earlier this month, running quick splits, and his natural pace is a good fit.
Dangers:
3 Self Improvement recent figures look average, but he drops down to this level for the first time having won in a grade above this over course & trip at the start of the season, and he’ll find this easier than recent assignments.
1 Euro Rocks was only beaten a length after a tardy start last time when having his first run at this level and this looks withing his scope.
7 Everyone’s Victory has recorded all three career wins on this track and although his last success was over a year ago, he has been placed his last two and is worth considering for the exotics.
Race 6: Class 4 Lee On Handicap (245pm) (9 furlongs)
7 STARSHIP EIGHTY, who won on turf when last seen over this trip but has also been successful on this track, draws toward the outside, but I wouldn’t be to be concerned as they will most likely want to snag him back anyway, and he gets a solid gallop to aim at here. The selection can be forgiven an unplaced run last time when he met more trouble than the early explorers but was only beaten two-lengths. He will need some luck given his run style, but he should be in the mix with a clear round.
Dangers:
8 Forever Folks has had just the two starts on this track this season, recoding a win here last month before a narrow defeat last time over the mile when doing his best work late, thus he should enjoy stepping back up in trip.
11 Brave Witness is a nine-start maiden that met with support when runner-up at Happy Valley last time and although beaten all three starts on this track, he has improved since then and the step up to nine-furlongs for the first time looks helpful.
1 Kimberley takes a drop in grade having won over ten-furlongs on the turf when last seen at this level, and he did place from a 7lb higher mark on this track earlier in the season, but he goes from the top of the handicap and has the outside draw.
Race 7: Class 3 Chung On Handicap (315pm) (6 furlongs)
6 HONG KONG HALL is a progressive type that was placed behind Sing Dragon his first start on this track before making all over course & trip last time with a few of these in behind. The David Hall 4yo goes up 7lb for a two-length winning margin, which does make things a bit more challenging given this is a strong class 3, but he won with a bit in hand last time and it is likely that there is more improvement to come.
Dangers:
1 Sing Dragon is a promising type that is undefeated all three starts on this track and he does tend to find plenty for pressure, but he only just held on last time, he goes up another 6lb and he draws the outside.
4 Super Win Dragon was having his first start of the year when doing his best work late to grab the silver behind the selection last time, and he does meet his rival on 7lb better terms.
3 Victory Moments continues to run well in defeat, and he should get the run of the race on the leaders’ tail from the low draw, but he has now been turned over four-times on the bounce when at the very pointy end of the betting.
Race 8: Class 3 Fung Wo Handicap (350pm) (1 mile)
2 WOODFIRE BRO has only ever had two starts on this track, winning over course & trip in September 2022, then last time out when runner-up to Massive Action, beaten a lip with a couple of these in behind. He endured an awfully tough trip that day, planted wide without cover all the way from a high draw. If you swapped the runs around of the first two, you get a different result, thus he should be able to turn that form around easily enough on 4lb better terms and from a favourable draw.
Dangers:
1 Berlin Tango is one of the more honest horses in training and whilst his last win was some time ago, it did come from a 12lb higher mark, and he arrives having been beaten a narrow margin behind Massive Action and the selection last time when picking up strongly the last bit.
9 Aestheticism could easily be the selection if this was on turf, but he’ll be having his first run on dirt under a 5lb having won over the mile on the turf last time, and he is a late closer, thus he may need a bit of luck.
5 Massive Action has recorded four wins from thirty-one starts, but he arrives under a 5lb penalty having won over course & trip last time at just his third spin on this track and he’s likely to make a bold bid from the front.
BETTING ON HONG KONG RACING
Punters can bet into the Hong Kong pools online through Tote.co.uk
WEDNESDAY’S PLACEPOT
Today’s Place Pot will be races 3 through to 8. All up we will be playing 27 combinations (1x3x1x3x3x1), which will cost £2.70 for a 10p stake and so on. Good luck.
LEG 1- 4 REGENT GLORY
LEG 2- 2 GO HERO 3 RELIABLE PROFIT 4 CHARMING STEED
LEG 3- 5 PRIME MORTAR
LEG 4- 7 STARSHIP EIGHTY 8 FOREVER FOLKS 11 BRAVE WITNESS
LEG 5- 1 SING DRAGON 4 SUPER WIN DRAGON 6 HONG KONG HALL
LEG 6- 2 WOODFIRE BRO
TIM’S BEST BETS
1.15pm SHA TIN
REGENT GLORY (NB2)
2.15pm SHA TIN
PRIME MORTAR (NAP)
3.50pm SHA TIN
WOODFIRE BRO (NB)
