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: 1 Elegant Life, 7 Robot Knight, 3 Island Breezes, 9 Macanese Master
Race 2: 2 The Heir, 9 Viva Firecracker, 8 Lucky McQueen, 1 Joker Orbit
Race 3: 5 Amazing Award, 3 Harmony Galaxy, 4 Fortune Star, 11 Golden Brilliant
Race 4: 4 Absolute Awakened, 10 Run Run Timing, 7 Vivacious Win, 2 Win Ease
Race 5: 3 Bienvenue, 2 Jumbo Treasure, 4 Sight Hermoso, 1 King Miles
Race 6: 7 California Deeply, 1 Victor The Rapid, 8 Happy Park, 3 Fun Elite
Race 7: 3 Golden Empire, 7 Winning Money, 8 Cheerful Wongchoy, 12 Iconical
Race 8: 7 Spirit Of Peace, 3 Outgate, 1 Love Together, 5 Metro Power
Race 9: 11 China Win, 7 Another World, 1 Jumbo Legend, 9 Enthusium
Race 1, Conduit Handicap
No. 1 Elegant Life drops into Class 5 for the first time and the setup looks in his favor. This is his fifth run for the Caspar Fownes stable, and after showing enough in stronger company since the switch, the easier conditions give him a chance to figure. No. 7 Robot Knight is also at run five for the Manfred Man yard, and his rating has come down to a mark where he can make his presence felt. An impressive Conghua trial in quick time is a clear pointer. No. 3 Island Breezes gets a map swing into post 3 after drawing 11 last time and giving a head start. No. 9 Macanese Master is thriving, unbeaten two from two at the track and trip, and he has trialled impressively again between runs. Post 11 is the query for where he lands early, but his form is hard to fault.
Race 2, Breezy Handicap
No. 2 The Heir lands in a very winnable contest and post 1 sets him up for the right run. Everything points to a genuine chance to add another win, and the Orman–Fownes combination, though not heavily used, is worth noting as they look to improve on their one win from seven pairings this season. No. 9 Viva Firecracker comes off his best effort yet, flashing home into fourth in a stronger Sha Tin Class 4 than this, and that has him primed to take another step forward today. No. 8 Lucky McQueen has to overcome post 10, but his recent form gives him a chance after finishing close-up behind horses such as Turin Champions and Cool Boy. No. 1 Joker Orbit drops into Class 4 after four below-par runs in Class 3. The booking of Hugh Bowman is the key change that can spark improvement.
Race 3, Hatton Handicap
No. 5 Amazing Award went down narrowly to the in-form Stormi last time and looks set to go one better, with the map pointing to the right run in transit. He should land on the pace without needing to spend much early, and there does not look a stack of pressure on paper. No. 3 Harmony Galaxy draws post 1 and shapes to get the soft run in transit, and he reunites with Hugh Bowman who knows him well after riding him twice for a win. No. 4 Fortune Star has the form to win this, but post 12 is the query and he will likely need luck working into it from back in the field. No. 11 Golden Brilliant has taken a step forward since the blinkers went on two starts ago, running close-up in fourth on both occasions. He returns fresh, may be overlooked in the market, and is not out of it.
Race 4, Hatton Handicap, div 2
No. 4 Absolute Awakened gets a significant map upgrade, moving into post 4 after drawing 9 last time when the race never worked for him and his 10th was largely a product of the trip and race shape. Purton hops back aboard, which is a positive change. No. 10 Run Run Timing draws to use his speed from post 1 and can attempt to repeat his last-start all-the-way win. He did that in Class 5, but he goes back up to Class 4 with weight relief. No. 7 Vivacious Win comes here off back-to-back seconds behind Stormi and looks ready to win, but post 12 asks him to do it the hard way. No. 2 Win Ease gets Bowman on, and his partnership with Francis Lui has been striking at around 25% this season, which adds interest.
Race 5, The Craigengower Cricket Club Challenge Cup
No. 3 Bienvenue gets a clear set-up upgrade after two runs back off a bleed, both from awkward gates in 10 and 11 that left him with too much to do. He has still been finishing off strongly from the back, but post 1 should put him into a far handier and winning position in the run. No. 2 Jumbo Treasure looks the natural leader in a race that appears light on speed. He can give a sight. No. 4 Sight Hermoso switches to Happy Valley for the first time after an encouraging sixth behind Galactic Voyage at Sha Tin, and that is a strong form reference for this grade. No. 1 King Miles has had little go right in recent runs and he is worth forgiving on that basis, and an encouraging trial between starts suggests he is ready to improve with a cleaner run throughout.
Race 6, Breezy Handicap, div 2
No. 7 California Deeply resumes off a good trial and the set-up looks far kinder than it did last time, when post 12 left him with too much to do from the back. A midfield draw gives him the chance to settle closer, and the reunion with Avdulla adds to the appeal. No. 1 Victor The Rapid maps well from post 4 with Jerry Chau staying aboard after a win two starts ago, followed by a solid third, and he should be in the right spot again. No. 8 Happy Park made a good start for the Brett Crawford stable when third behind Papaya Brose at Sha Tin from post 9. Post 3 should allow a cleaner run in transit as he builds on that effort. No. 3 Fun Elite can be a bit mixed, but post 2 gives him the chance to land handier and get every chance to run another sound race.
Race 7, Breezy Handicap, div 3
No. 3 Golden Empire did too much work when sent forward last time back in Class 4 over seven furlongs at Sha Tin, vulnerable late after that early burn. Post 2 gives him the chance to map kinder, and that alone can see him run a better race. No. 7 Winning Money chases back-to-back wins after overcoming post 12 to score gamely last time, and Purton sticking is a plus even though post 10 asks him to do it again from a wide gate. No. 8 Cheerful Wongchoy did not disgrace himself on debut, rolling along in front and only peaking late inside the final 1/16-mile to finish sixth, beaten 2 3/4 lengths. No. 12 Iconical was strong in first-time blinkers when third behind Legend Star despite racing wide throughout from post 9. Post 4 is a clear map upgrade that gives him every chance to be in the finish again.
Race 8, Bonham Handicap
No. 7 Spirit Of Peace is ready to win his first race of the season after three placings from 10. He gets the right set-up from post 2 against key rivals who have drawn less favorably, and his last-start second carried merit after an early squeeze. No. 3 Outgate was well supported last time and delivered in style over Bienvenue, who is going to be hard to beat today. He remains a chance with the Tony Cruz stable in fine form. No. 1 Love Together faces a challenge as a 3-year-old under top weight and drawn in 11, but there was merit last time when stepping up to six furlongs after a tough trip. No. 5 Metro Power backs up quickly after a solid second to Amazing Kid. That was an encouraging effort rising to six furlongs, the map looks kind from post 6, and Hayes’ runners are known to run well on the back-up.
Race 9, Lyttelton Handicap
No. 11 China Win chases a hat-trick and post 3 looks ideal for the way he maps. He is a horse on the up, and while he was withdrawn from his last intended start due to an irregular heart rhythm, his lead-in trial shows he remains in good form. No. 7 Another World draws post 1 and his map looks much cleaner than it did last time. He is not as exposed at Happy Valley, but his all-weather form this season has been strong and gives him the right platform to run well here. No. 1 Jumbo Legend was a solid fourth last time in a small field. Bowman returning to the saddle is a plus and he is one who will be working into the race late. No. 9 Enthusium faces an awkward task from post 12, but he can take improvement second-up after a debut seventh where he did not get the cleanest of runs in the straight. His trial between runs was a step forward.
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.