Hong Kong Wednesday morning: Picks, analysis, PPs

Hong Kong racing from Happy Valley is Wednesday morning at 6:40 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: 1 Kingly Demeanor, 5 Smart City, 8 All Are Mine, 3 Splendid Force

Race 2: 7 Precision Hope, 5 Noble Pursuit, 1 Legend Winner, 2 Cheaha

Race 3: 10 Silver Spurs, 3 Bullish Nova, 5 King Oberon, 7 Heroic Vanguard

Race 4: 3 Grand Nova, 8 Harmony Fire, 9 Mapogo, 5 Beauty Show

Race 5: 7 Absolute Awakened, 5 Decision Link, 1 General Redwood, 3 Sturdy Ruby

Race 6: 3 Elegant Life, 2 Superb King, 8 Live Wire, 4 Giant Leap

Race 7: 8 Ace War, 1 Fallon, 3 The Auspicious, 10 Audacious Pursuit

Race 8: 8 Tycoon Resources, 5 Szeryng, 4 Greater Bae, 12 Refusetobeenglish

Race 9: 1 Flying Wrote, 6 Storming Dragon, 4 Motor, 2 Lifeline Express

Race 1, Chek Lap Kok Handicap 

No. 1 Kingly Demeanor finds a winnable race back down in Class 5, where he is a three-time winner from nine starts, and he will also appreciate an inside draw after stepping from post 13 in his last two runs. He can lead and prove hard to run down. No. 5 Smart City maps for a good run just off the speed from post 4 and will be more effective back on turf after a failed run on the all-weather last time. No. 8 All Are Mine was well beaten over 1 3/8 miles last start but was unsuited racing on speed and being hard to settle. Back in trip and ridden off the pace should suit his chances better. No. 3 Splendid Force placed a fast-finishing second at this track and trip two starts ago before stepping to 11 furlongs and not seeing it out.

Race 2, Kai Tak Handicap

No. 7 Precision Hope put the writing on the wall last time with a fast-finishing fourth, beaten half a length in a strong race. Post 1 sets him up for a sweet run and he looks ready to win. No. 5 Noble Pursuit is 623 days between wins but is more than capable against this lot, and his last-start fast-finishing fifth was a solid effort. No. 1 Legend Winner needs to overcome post 11, but his first look in Class 4 was a good return to form when placed third, and he is on an upward trajectory. No. 2 Cheaha steps up to one mile, which is the query, but he has performed well in two runs since the class drop with a pair of fourths. Last start, he had a very poor trip but recovered and finished off strongly. He likely sits back from post 10 and launches late.

Race 3, Stanley Handicap

No. 10 Silver Spurs draws widest in post 12, but in a race without much early speed on paper, Moreira may be able to come across and find a comfortable position. He did that last start from post 14 at Sha Tin, when he led and was only collared late into second. No. 3 Bullish Nova placed an encouraging third on debut, which is not always easy at Happy Valley, and can take natural improvement from that effort. No. 5 King Oberon gets Purton in the saddle for the first time and the booking looks timely after some luckless recent runs. No. 7 Heroic Vanguard ran an encouraging seventh at his first look at Happy Valley, settling back from the outside stall before closing late despite finding traffic. Post 3 sets him up for a better run.

Race 4, Tsim Sha Tsui Handicap

No. 3 Grand Nova seems a better horse at Happy Valley after a couple of recent second-place finishes to handy types, while he has not performed as well down the Sha Tin straight. Post 2 gives him every chance in the run. No. 8 Harmony Fire has been running well but has had to do it from outside gates recently, making post 1 key to his chances today. No. 9 Mapogo has not delivered on his trial form in three runs so far, but the switch to Jerry Chau is an encouraging jockey booking and a gear tweak could prove the key to improvement. No. 5 Beauty Show went too quickly on pace last time and only faded late into seventh. He is only a 3-year-old who will be better in time, but the ability is there.

Race 5, The Tourism Cup

No. 7 Absolute Awakened steps out for David Hayes for the first time and his two trials since the stable switch have been encouraging pieces of work. He looks ready to go first-up. No. 5 Decision Link won easily last time as the well-backed odds-on favorite, and post 3 gives him the right set-up to repeat the dose. No. 1 General Redwood won smartly from post 12 last start, coming from the rear with a big run and showing tactical versatility after leading throughout two runs prior. Post 1 should see him more prominent here. No. 3 Sturdy Ruby can map sweetly from post 2 and take a step forward on his close-up eighth when returning to Class 4 last time.

Race 6, Stanley Handicap, div 2

No. 3 Elegant Life carries nine pounds more for his facile last-start win, where he scored by two and a quarter lengths, and gets the same set-up again from post 3, where he will be hardest to hold out. No. 2 Superb King can make full use of post 2 to lead or be handy. He has been knocking on the door for a maiden win, coming off four straight placings, and gets every chance to break through here. No. 8 Live Wire led and gave a solid sight first-up from post 11, only being caught late when beaten under a length into fifth. Post 6 second-up should help him save energy early and have more left in the tank late. No. 4 Giant Leap also gets a better map than last start, when he stepped from post 12 at Sha Tin.

Race 7, Victoria Harbour Handicap

No. 8 Ace War gets a post upgrade, drawing post 2 after stepping from gates 8 and 11 since returning to Class 3, where he has placed both times off an impressive Class 4 win. The inside gate may allow him to settle that little bit closer in the run. No. 1 Fallon returns to a track and distance where he thrives, with three wins from five attempts, after three runs at Sha Tin since winning here four starts ago. No. 3 The Auspicious has the form on the board, having beaten Ace War two starts ago before backing it up with another solid effort when second to Liveandletlive. No. 10 Audacious Pursuit steps into Class 3 for the first time after registering his second career win at start 12 and will relish a 14-pound drop in the weights.

Race 8, West Kowloon Handicap

No. 8 Tycoon Resources is a smart 3-year-old on the up after stringing together back-to-back wins in Class 4 over five furlongs. This is his first Class 3 test, as well as his first attempt at six furlongs, but post 4 gives him every chance to post the winning hat-trick. No. 5 Szeryng returns off a mandatory stand-down after bleeding in his last race in January. He has looked good in his trials for return and can enjoy a good run from post 1. No. 4 Greater Bae needs plenty of luck from post 11, but his recent trial in blinkers did not go unnoticed. He will have to be ridden back, but he is one to look for late. No. 12 Refusetobeenglish is fresh and should map for a good run from post 3. Eligible for Class 4, he remains in Class 3 on a light weight, and at this track and distance this season he has been threatening a win.

Race 9, West Kowloon Handicap, div 2

No. 1 Flying Wrote is thriving, with three wins and a further four seconds from 11 starts this season. Post 4 should give him every chance to get the run of the race, and he can win again despite carrying top weight. No. 6 Storming Dragon draws post 1, but still needs to make full use of it early. He has been a model of consistency recently, with a win and a third from his last four starts. No. 4 Motor comes off a win at his second Class 3 start, which is encouraging, and the form has stood up with runner-up Son Pak Fu coming out and winning his next race. Post 10 is trickier, but he remains in the mix. No. 2 Lifeline Express comes to Happy Valley for the first time and brings strong Sha Tin form to the table. 

Luke Middlebrook is a contributor at Idol Horse. After blogging about the sport for years, he spent eight years in Singapore as the resident expert at iRace Media, overseeing form and editorial content for racing in Hong Kong and Singapore. Coverage of the entire Hong Kong Thoroughbred season at Horse Racing Nation is made possible through a sponsorship by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.