Hong Kong Thursday morning: Picks, analysis, free PPs

Hong Kong racing is back Thursday morning, running at 6:45 a.m. EDT. Free PPs are available at Horse Racing Nation. For more free handicapping information, visit the Hong Kong Jockey Club website.

Race 1: 6 Cable Speed, 1 Ai One, 8 Fortune Triple, 4 Jubilation

Race 2: 5 Raging Blaze, 6 Strive For Glory, 8 Tronic Mighty, 11 U W Brother 

Race 3: 12 Packing Monkeyking, 1 Ready Player One, 8 V Chevaliers, 3 Gang Of Brothers

Race 4: 3 Big Two, 9 Perfect Rock, 7 Right Honourable, 1 Young Victory 

Race 5: 3 All Beauty, 10 Packing Succeeder, 5 Zone D, 6 Delightful Laos 

Race 6: 1 Kokushi Musou, 10 Loriz, 11 Our Class Act, 5 Happy United 

Race 7: 1 Red Majesty, 2 Rocket Spade, 5 Helene Feeling, 7 Hk Dragon

Race 8: 10 All Is Good, 2 Son Pak Fu, 1 E Brother, 9 E Rainbow 

Race 9: 11 Super Vince, 10 Hoss, 7 Valiant Elegance, 5 Winning Icey  

 

Race 1: Flamingo Flower Handicap 

No. 6 Cable Speed is in the right vein of form following a breakthrough win last time out. The step up in trip should be of no concern, especially if he can save ground from gate two under Karis Teetan. No. 1 Ai One has been thereabouts for a while. Expect he finds the front here and plays catch me if you can from there. The right run gives him an excellent winning chance. No. 8 Fortune Triple is racing off a dangerous mark and Silvestre de Sousa might be what he needs to get over the line in first position. No. 4 Jubilation is honest and has shown staying potential. Don’t disregard.  

 

Race 2: Geranium Handicap 

No. 5 Raging Blaze has found his groove and he can win again here. He’s been rattling off some slick closing sectionals, enough so to suggest that an improbable rise to class 4 is on the cards, especially after struggling early on in his career. One to beat. No. 6 Strive For Glory just needs to offset the wide gate. He’s been racing well this season. No. 8 Tronic Mighty pairs favorably with Zac Purton. The Aussie rider scored a double in tandem with Jamie Richards on Sunday and the pair are hoping for more success this week. No. 11 U W Brother slots in light. He doesn’t win out of turn but does have claims with gate two.  

 

No. 12 Packing Monkeyking has shown ability early on. He draws ideally here for Matthew Poon, which should give him every chance to conserve energy before pouncing late. His latest run was sound from the tail of the field. No. 1 Ready Player One looks ready to win. Zac Purton hops up and he gets every opportunity here in class 4. No. 8 V Chevaliers draws ideally and is in the right vein of form for trainer Manfred Man. No. 3 Gang Of Brothers is chasing back-to-back wins. The in-form Alexis Badel sticks aboard following his last-start win.  

No. 3 Big Two rarely runs a bad race and is more than capable of winning again in this grade. The inside draw should afford him the run of the race. He could take beating here under Lyle Hewitson. No. 9 Perfect Rock closed off well last start. He looks set to improve again here and it wouldn’t surprise to see him test these. No. 7 Right Honourable has found his mark and it’s just a matter of time before a suitably run race sees him return to winning ways. Keep safe. No. 1 Young Victory is after back-to-back wins. Expect he’s holding his condition.  

 

No. 3 All Beauty was an impressive winner three starts ago. He draws ideally here and it wouldn’t surprise to see him bounce back to that form this week. One to beat with Vincent Ho engaged. No. 10 Packing Succeeder has the benefit of no weight on his back. This is a big advantage, especially for a horse who won well two runs ago. No. 5 Zone D is consistent and you always know what you’re going to get from him. Zac Purton’s services are a plus here. No. 6 Delightful Laos is better than his record suggests. He’ll be finishing fast.   

Race 6: Oncidium Handicap, second section 

No. 1 Kokushi Musou has been racing well. He’s in the right vein of form to suggest a win is close, especially as he’s proven himself by shouldering hefty weights across this season at the top of class 4. He can use the inside gate to win. No. 10 Loriz is a winner already this term and he should get a sweet run from gate one. No. 11 Our Class Act has a bit of ability. Perhaps the stable change can spark him up. Like the booking of Karis Teetan from barrier five. No. 5 Happy United turned his form around last start. He can take another step forward here.  

No. 1 Red Majesty knows what he’s doing and the return to this grade is more than suitable. He gets an ideal draw for Karis Teetan who knows the horse well. He can win. No. 2 Rocket Spade is so, so close to a first win in town. His racing pattern tends not to favor him, however, he should be running on fiercely against this group. Big danger. No. 5 Helene Feeling hit the ground running with a solid third on debut last time out. Expect improvement and the retention of Zac Purton’s services bode well for this contest. No. 7 Hk Dragon is next best.  

 

No. 10 All Is Good is racing off a menacing mark. He’s lowly weighted which suits and his recent form suggests that a win is nearing. One to beat. No. 2 Son Pak Fu has turned it around with a pair of wins at his last to starts. He draws well once again and still appears open to further ascending the handicap. No. 1 E Brother doesn’t know how to run a bad race. The draw isn’t the best but his form at Happy Valley should offset this. No. 9 E Rainbow is beginning to find consistency and a breakthrough win isn’t too far away. Next in line.  

Race 9: Primula Handicap  

No. 11 Super Vince looks ready to climb the handicap now after an impressive win last start. He steps back up to class 3, however, this isn’t a concern as he’s previously been competitive in this grade. One to catch. No. 10 Hoss is chasing a hat-trick of wins. He has a number of rating points to climb and the inside gate is a big plus at the Valley for Zac Purton. No. 7 Valiant Elegance can find the right spot from the middle draw. No. 5 Winning Icey is nothing short of consistent and this holds him in good stead, especially at Happy Valley.

Declan Schuster grew up loving the sport and doing the form after Pierro won the 2012 Golden Slipper. His love for racing in Asia and the puzzle of finding winners took him to Hong Kong, where he is employed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. His favorite racecourse is Happy Valley. Coverage of the entire Hong Kong Thoroughbred season at Horse Racing Nation is made possible through a sponsorship by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.