Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath with three selections at Sha Tin on Saturday

Golden Bull
9.05 Sha Tin
2pts win

Victor The Winner
10.10 Sha Tin
2pts win

Pegasus Hero
10.45 Sha Tin
2pts win

Punters will follow Zac Purton over a cliff, such is the faith they place in the five-time champion jockey, and it seems trainer Danny Shum is of like mind as he aims the progressive Victor The Winner at the Class 2 6f handicap (10.10) at Sha Tin on Saturday. 

Shum had been all set to send the four-year-old for a break after he romped home over course and distance last month, but Purton, who partnered the gelding for the first time that day, managed to change his mind.

As a result, Victor The Winner will line up again with Purton aboard and attempt to register his fifth win of the season when he faces 11 rivals in a strong heat, in which there are several with untapped potential. 

Victor The Winner has gone up 41lb in the ratings since making his racecourse debut in September and he was hit with a 10lb rise for his outstanding last-start victory, where his winning margin was a tidy two and a half lengths. 

John Size has done a great job in nurturing Howdeepisyourlove, who has won his last two starts and progressed 32lb in the handicap since he kicked off his career in November. 

His rise through the ranks has not been as spectacular as Victor The Winner's but he's more than useful and there are more wins in store. 

Pegasus Hero can follow up an encouraging last-start second by taking the finale, the Class 3 mile handicap (10.45), in the hands of Lyle Hewitson, who will be aboard the five-year-old Brazilian import for the first time. 

The gelding was a Group 1 winner in his native country but showed nothing in his first five starts in Hong Kong. Consequently, he was a 183-1 shot when he finished a close second in a similar race last month, but now that he has come into form, he is worth following again. 

Hugh Bowman managed to get a tune out of Sinba when the gelding made up significant ground for third in his most recent start. From a much better draw this time (four), he could be the danger to Pegasus Hero. 

Purton has his usual hatful of major chances on the ten-race card and, apart from Victor The Winner, the one who makes most appeal is Golden Bull, another trained by Shum, in the Class 4 7f handicap (9.05).

Sha Tin Placepot perm

8.05
1 Country Boy
3 Lucky Gold

8.35
3 Dragon Delight
8 Palace Pal

9.05
3 Golden Bull
5 Wide Blue Yonder

9.35
1 Majestic Colour
9 Hyper Dragon Ball

10.10
5 Victor The Winner
11 Howdeepisyourlove

10.45
1 Sinba
11 Pegasus Hero   

2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 64 lines

Bets can be placed into Hong Kong pools with the Tote. The first race at Sha Tin on Saturday is at 6.00am.

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