Hong Kong Wednesday: Picks, analysis, free 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: 7 Podium, 8 Fairy Horse, 5 Windicator Family, 12 Beau Gosse
Race 2: 4 Harmony Fire, 2 Candlelight Dinner, 1 Flying Ting Lok, 3 Happy United
Race 3: 8 Soaring Bronco, 5 Iconical, 1 Flagship Warrior, 7 Sight Supreme
Race 4: 7 Loveisintheair, 1 Know At Heart, 10 Rewarding Twinkle, 3 Gameplayer Elite
Race 5: 1 Glorious Journey, 8 Capital Legend, 4 Satirical Fan, 7 Stormi
Race 6: 4 Hong Lok Golf, 5 Soleil Fighter, 8 Steps Ahead, 9 Embraces
Race 7: 2 Fortune Whiskey, 1 Galaxy Witness, 9 Country Dancer, 3 Patch Of Time
Race 8: 8 Lucky Touch, 5 King Of Fighters, 2 Excellence Value, 7 Stellar Swift
Race 9: 9 Everstar, 6 Fatal Blow, 4 King Miles, 12 Sky Cap
Race 1, Tai Wo Ping Handicap
No. 7 Podium gains the services of Zac Purton for the first time following a fast-finishing third at this course. With a bit of luck from post 9 he will be hard to hold out. No. 8 Fairy Horse closed strongly for third over seven furlongs at Sha Tin and gets his chance to break through at attempt 19. He is drawn nicely in post 3 and ideally settles closer early. No. 5 Windicator Family is holding his form well since winning three back with two subsequent placings and remains hard to knock. No. 12 Beau Gosse remains a 28-start maiden but from post 2 he gets another chance to feature after finishing second at this course and distance last time.
Race 2, Sheung Wan Handicap
No. 4 Harmony Fire hasn't won for a long time but is more than capable off this mark. His first-up run was eye-catching from a wide draw and back leading here can boost his chances. No. 2 Candlelight Dinner put the writing on the wall with a narrow defeat into second after leading over six furlongs. He will be in the firing line again and looks ready to win in his third try in Class 4. No. 1 Flying Ting Lok drops into Class 4 after three runs in Class 3 where he didn't show much, however he was not beaten far last time and with Hugh Bowman engaged from post 1 he can show something. No. 3 Happy United put a wide trip behind him two back with a good run into second most recently and is worthy of consideration in a race like this.
Race 3, Tai Kok Tsui Handicap
No. 8 Soaring Bronco is consistent but does not win out of turn. He maps on pace and has a chance to notch his second career win following a promising run into second over this course and trip last start. No. 5 Iconical will roll forward and can lead should they choose. How much pressure unfolds is the question but Hugh Bowman remaining in the saddle adds confidence. No. 1 Flagship Warrior is on his second Class 4 attempt and is well placed in this field. Being winless in 900 days is the query but the combination of Caspar Fownes and Ellis Wong is strong. No. 7 Sight Supreme can improve second-up after a fair first-up fifth off a four-month break, and post 3 affords him a kind run.
Race 4, Tai Hang Tung Handicap
No. 7 Loveisintheair had no favors at Sha Tin last start and the race shape was against him from his rearward position. If he can make some early use of the inside draw, he has shown enough to be in the finish. No. 1 Know At Heart is improving since dropping into Class 4. His third to Bienvenue most recently reads well here and post 3 affords him every chance. No. 10 Rewarding Twinkle was strong late first-up for Frankie Lor after a slow start in a slowly run race. He is improving and can feature at odds. No. 3 Gameplayer Elite draws post 1 but whether he can use it early is the question. He is building toward a win having dropped in the ratings.
Race 5, Tai Kok Tsui Handicap
No. 1 Glorious Journey resumes with Zac Purton aboard for his second run back in Class 4 where his record is strong. His trial win was full of promise and he looks well placed to score. No. 8 Capital Legend is on the quick seven-day turnaround following a fast-finishing second to Wrote A New Page. This is a competitive race but when Caspar Fownes backs a horse up quickly it always catches the eye. No. 4 Satirical Fan will gain the right run from post 1 to suit his on-pace profile but his manners will need to improve after racing keenly and hanging out last time. No. 7 Stormi will get back from post 10, but his form has been improving since sliding down into Class 4. One to watch late.
Race 6, Cheung Sha Handicap
No. 4 Hong Lok Golf is five from six and comes to Happy Valley for the first time chasing four straight wins. The form around him holds up well, with Pray For Mir and Light Years Charm both franking it, and he is clearly the one to beat. No. 5 Soleil Fighter draws perfectly in post 1 and returns to his happy hunting ground after a game second on the all-weather. He maps well just off the pace and gets his chance in a deep race. No. 8 Steps Ahead gave a good sight before finishing third to Hong Lok Golf last start, so brings the right form. He will roll forward from post 3 and make his own luck. No. 9 Embraces steps into Class 2 after bouncing back with a big win last start which brings his course and trip record to 2-for3. He will get back and be one to look for late.
Race 7, Tai Hang Tung Handicap
No. 2 Fortune Whiskey moves into post 2 after stepping away from gate 12 last week where he settled back and ran on strongly into fifth. The engagement of in-form apprentice Ellis Wong catches the eye and so does the blinkers going back on. No. 1 Galaxy Witness is chasing his first win in three years but with a drop in class last time he showed he is up for another win as he charged late into second after some excuses in running. No. 9 Country Dancer faced a wall of horses over the concluding stages last start, so his eighth place finish carried a lot more merit than it reads. He certainly can improve on that effort with clean air. No. 3 Patch Of Time has moved from Cody Mo to Mark Newnham, and his trial was quiet but good. Post 1 will serve him well for a sweet run.
Race 8, Sheung Shui Handicap
No. 8 Lucky Touch was seen leading last start for the first time in his career but he went too quick, set it up for the backmarkers, fading to sixth. There is not much speed on here and a more measured ride can see him improve. No. 5 King Of Fighters warrants another chance off a last-start sixth on his first attempt at this course and trip where he began fairly and was crowded for room. He is building toward a win and Zac Purton remaining in the saddle is a good sign. No. 2 Excellence Value returns seven days later and reportedly did not enjoy the rain-affected track last week, though his finishing effort was still sound. No. 7 Stellar Swift was unable to be ridden out fully last start when a close fourth over six furlongs. The course and trip is an unknown, but he is unbeaten from one run at Happy Valley.
Race 9, Cheung Sheung Handicap
No. 9 Everstar broke through impressively atop Class 4 two back before returning to Class 3 where he endured a wide trip throughout. That should not be the case from post 3 here where he maps for the right run. No. 6 Fatal Blow dons the blinkers for the first time and can improve at his second attempt in Class 3 after being given a quiet ride from post 9 last week where he closed off well for fourth. No. 4 King Miles looks to put three straight second placings behind him. Post 10 is tricky but good speed looks engaged to suit him getting back and finishing strongly. No. 12 Sky Cap can lead and get a good trip from post 2. Overlook his last start where he raced wide throughout from post 10 which hindered his chances.
Luke Middlebrook is a Contributor at Idol Horse. After catching the Hong Kong racing bug, Luke spent several years blogging about the sport before relocating to Singapore in 2016. There, he spent eight years as the resident expert at iRace Media, overseeing all form-related and editorial content for horse racing in Hong Kong and Singapore.
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