Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath with three fancies at Happy Valley on Wednesday

Majestic Victory
2.45 Happy Valley
2pts win

Seasons Wit
3.15 Happy Valley
2pts win

Reward S​mile
3.50 Happy Valley
2pts win

Trainer Jamie Richards can continue his cracking first season in Hong Kong by sending out talented Seasons Wit for back-to-back wins in the Class 3 5f sprint handicap (3.15) at Happy Valley. 

The New Zealand-born Richards has worked out the local system very quickly, underlined by his impressive statistics of 33 wins from 286 runners for an 11.5 per cent strike rate, which places him 12th in the trainers’ championship. 

He has done an excellent job with Seasons Wit, an Australian three-year-old, who has consistently run well but took four starts to break his maiden for the yard. It came over course and distance two weeks ago, for which he went up 5lb in the handicap for the short-head win. 

This time, he has been drawn on the inside rail in stall one and Zac Purton’s main task will be to get the gelding to hold his position behind the speed in the scramble to the first turn. If he enjoys a trouble-free run, he can put another win on the board. 

The first-time booking of Hugh Bowman for Atomic Force is significant as his running pattern will suit the Australian’s style – he usually drops back early and finishes on – and he is now starting to live up to his reputation on arrival. 

Before export, Atomic Force was 3-4 for Kevin Ryan, including victory in the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly, so he is nicely placed at the top of Class 3 now and he is finding his feet. 

The Tony Cruz-trained Atomic Energy also has a chance off a light weight. Another first-time jockey booking worth noting is Purton for Majestic Victory in the Class 3 1m1f handicap (2.45), an intriguing race in which S J Tourbillon and Hit The Shot also have solid claims. 

Majestic Victory has placed four times this season and is competitive off his present mark of 66, while his earlier form in New Zealand suggested he can be effective at this distance or even beyond. If the pace is generous, he will be well suited, as too will his two chief rivals. 

Bowman will be legged aboard Reward Smile for the first time in the Class 3 6f sprint handicap (3.50), which is an ideal target for the Havana Grey three-year-old, who makes his Happy Valley debut. The gelding won a Windsor handicap for Hugo Palmer last October before changing hands.

Happy Valley Placepot perm

1.15
2 Snowalot
9 Cheer For South

1.45
3 Lean Hero
5 Nice Birdie

2.15
3 King Invincible
9 Golden Luck

2.45
3 Majestic Victory
8 S J Tourbillon

3.15
1 Atomic Force
6 Seasons Wit

3.50
4 Reward Smile
6 E Universe

2x2x2x2x2x2 = 64 lines

Bets can be placed into Hong Kong pools with the Tote. The first race at Happy Valley on Wednesday is at 11.45am.

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