Hong Kong Wednesday morning: Picks, analysis, PPs

Hong Kong racing from Happy Valley happens Wednesday morning starting 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: 2 Winning Heart, 7 So Awesome, 1 Triumphant Warrior, 12 Multidarling

Race 2: 5 My Day My Way, 4 Monarch County, 7 New Power, 6 Fortune Warrior

Race 3: 1 Fun Elite, 7 Victor The Rapid, 4 Thunder Prince, 10 Vulcanus

Race 4: 1 Galaxy Witness, 4 Good Luck Win, 3 Chain Of Gold, 5 Amazing Award

Race 5: 2 Seasons Wit, 4 Eternal Fortune, 9 Parents’ Love, 1 Youthful Spirits

Race 6: 2 Never Too Soon, 3 Lahore, 6 Bits Superstar, 8 Savvy Twinkle

Race 7: 3 Wrote A New Page, 7 California Moxie, 2 Capital Legend, 5 Setanta

Race 8: 8 Stellar Swift, 1 Sky Trust, 3 Aestheticism, 5 Hameron

Race 9: 1 Storm Rider, 3 Power Koepp, 7 Dragon Four Seas, 4 Charming Legend

Race 1, Chester Handicap

No. 2 Winning Heart draws post 4 after two runs from gate 12 and that gives his chances a clear boost. He’s well placed to pick up another win. No. 7 So Awesome maps well again from a soft draw and won’t have many excuses. He was only beaten a neck last start and stays in the mix. No. 1 Triumphant Warrior is still looking for his first win at start 20 but drops in class and gets Zac Purton back on, which brings him right into it. No. 12 Multidarling is a lightweight chance. His recent runs have been encouraging and although hard to trust on a win line, he could fill a hole.

Race 2, Hereford Handicap

No. 5 My Day My Way has had no luck with posts, so gate 8 is a small win. He’s gone down a head in back-to-back runs and looks ready to go one better. No. 4 Monarch County might be looking for further but brings solid Sha Tin form and tries the Valley for the first time. He maps well and can be competitive. No. 7 New Power is holding form and will roll forward to take a position on speed. He gives himself every chance. No. 6 Fortune Warrior is tricky to catch but maps to lead from post 3 and gets the set-up to give a sight.

Race 3, Hereford Handicap, div 2

No. 1 Fun Elite drops back into class 4 and that alone makes him hard to ignore. He has the speed to push forward and from there can make his own luck. No. 7 Victor The Rapid showed sharp improvement first-up for the Pierre Ng stable, charging home into second behind Autumn Delight. He’s ready to go one better. No. 4 Thunder Prince had no luck last start, badly held up in the straight before diving through late to miss by a head. No. 10 Vulcanus is a 16-start maiden in the grade but has been consistent, placing in five of those, including back-to-back seconds here. Drawn well in post 3 and must be kept safe.

Race 4, Lancashire Handicap

No. 1 Galaxy Witness is three years between wins but has found form again since dropping back to class 4. He’s hit the line well in two runs over six furlongs and the rise in trip looks key to breaking through. No. 4 Good Luck Win is better suited back in class 4. Class 3 was a stretch and wide draws haven’t helped, but he stuck on and this shapes much better. No. 3 Chain Of Gold also drops in grade and gets Zac Purton from post 2, which puts him right in the picture. No. 5 Amazing Award draws ideally in gate 1 and has been consistent all season for David Eustace. If he uses the draw, he stays in the mix.

Race 5, The St George's Challenge Cup

No. 2 Seasons Wit got all the favors from post 1 last start and put them to good use, winning with authority. He’s trialed well since and from the same draw again, he gets every chance to repeat. No. 4 Eternal Fortune is a much better chance back to five furlongs. Two runs ago he was runner-up to Seasons Wit, and last start he was caught deep from post 12 over six furlongs and faded after doing plenty of early work. This suits much better. No. 9 Parents’ Love returns to his pet track and trip and will be up on the speed, though he may face pressure in a race with a few going forward. No. 1 Youthful Spirits resumes off a break and hasn’t won in over a year, but he’s capable of giving a sight first-up.

Race 6, Hereford Handicap, div 3

No. 2 Never Too Soon draws a big upgrade into gate 1 after jumping from 12 last time. He’s well rated in class 4 and comes right into the mix. No. 3 Lahore is building towards a win after three runs over 5 furlongs at Sha Tin. His third placing last start held good merit after blundering early and he looks ready to strike. No. 6 Bits Superstar broke through last start after a close-up third and remains a strong chance to go on with it. No. 8 Savvy Twinkle maps to get the run of the race from an inside draw. He was backed last start before pulling up with blood in the trachea and is worth another chance.

Race 7, Lancashire Handicap, div 2

No. 3 Wrote A New Page is a 3-year-old on the rise. He put it all together last start to shed his maiden tag, doing it well at his first look over this course and trip. No. 7 California Moxie took time to find his feet across a few distances, but now that he has, he’s gone back-to-back in strong style. A hat-trick looks within reach. No. 2 Capital Legend is hard to fault. He was second to Wrote A New Page two back and then came out a week later and won comfortably. No. 5 Setanta tends to get back in his races but ran on well for sixth behind Wrote A New Page last time. That form reads well again.

Race 8, Renfrew Handicap

No. 8 Stellar Swift tried this course and distance for the first time last start, went back from a wide gate and found the line well. Drawn better now, he should settle closer in the run and looks the one to beat. No. 1 Sky Trust draws wide but with little speed engaged, he can roll forward and land in a good spot. He was a promising third over this course and trip last time, and both wins this season have come when settling handy. He gets his chance. No. 3 Aestheticism had excuses late last time when checked in the straight, so there was merit in his third placing. He’s always a chance in races like this and will be closing from midfield. No. 5 Hameron couldn’t find clear air in the run home last start but wasn’t beaten far, as usual.

Race 9, Selkirk Handicap

No. 1 Storm Rider returned to winning form last start with blinkers on for the first time, surging clear by over three lengths from post 2. He draws gate 1 this time and lands in a similar race set-up. He can go on with it. No. 3 Power Koepp has been in top form since joining Mark Newnham, posting two wins and two seconds from four starts. He settled further back than usual last time but closed strongly and just missed. He maps to get every chance from post 4. No. 7 Dragon Four Seas has already won four races this season, including over Power Koepp last time. He’s holding form and doesn’t look done in the ratings. No. 4 Charming Legend resumes and goes well fresh with two wins from three first-up runs. His trial was sound and while six furlongs is a query, he’s one to keep in mind at odds.

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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