Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath has three selections at Sha Tin on Sunday

Romantic Warrior
8.05 Sha Tin
2pts win

Natural Storm
8.40 Sha Tin
2pts win

Tuchel
9.15 Sha Tin
2pts win

The second clash of Hong Kong champions Golden Sixty and Romantic Warrior is the feature of a fantastic ten-race card at Sha Tin on Sunday, and there is a suspicion tactics may come into play in the 1m2f Hong Kong Gold Cup (8.05).

Golden Sixty came out on top when the pair met in the Stewards’ Cup last month over the seven-year-old’s preferred mile trip, but the younger Romantic Warrior will relish the extra two furlongs on offer here.

There are only seven runners, with likely trailblazers Money Catcher (one) and Ka Ying Star (seven) drawn on opposite sides, making the jostle for positions in the short run to the first turn all the more important.

Vincent Ho should be aiming Golden Sixty (four) towards the box seat just behind the leader, which should make it easier for Karis Teetan to drift across on Romantic Warrior (six), but the key question concerns where James McDonald decides to go on Ka Ying Star.

As McDonald has twice ridden Romantic Warrior to victory over course and distance, he knows the Derby winner's strengths. The gelding’s only vulnerability would be if they slow the pace in front and then sprint from the home turn.

Romantic Warrior took some time to build momentum in the straight in the Stewards’ Cup but he was gaining rapidly on Golden Sixty in the last few strides.

With a decent pace throughout, the Danny Shum-trained five-year-old should gain his revenge. On ratings, the two big names are lengths ahead of their rivals.

Logic says the 1m1f Hong Kong Classic Cup (9.15), second leg of the four-year-old series, should be the best guide to next month’s Derby, and the selection Tuchel looks a worthy contender.

However, the early Derby favourite Beauty Eternal runs in the Class 2 mile handicap (6.00), which he should win at short odds.

In the Classic Cup, it is significant Blake Shinn is flying in to partner the Caspar Fownes-trained Galaxy Witness, who was disadvantaged when Voyage Bubble set soft fractions up front in the Classic Mile.

It was no surprise that he flew home late for fifth and he should be in the shake-up.

Jamie Kah, McDonald and Shinn all fly in for the meeting, and Kah has some decent chances at attractive odds. Expect improvement from her mount Natural Storm in the Class 3 1m1f handicap (8.40), with Escape Route worth including in multiples.

Sha Tin Placepot

7.00
2 Run Run Cool
4 Lucky Eight

7.35
2 Unpresuming
7 Thunderboltaurus

8.05
1 Golden Sixty
2 Romantic Warrior

8.40
6 Escape Route
11 Natural Storm

9.15
4 Tuchel
7 Galaxy Witness

9.50
5 Beauty Missile
6 Stunning Impact

2x2x2x2x2x2 = 64 lines

Bets can be placed into HK pools with the Tote. The first race at Sha Tin on Sunday is at 5.00am.

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