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

Ensued
8.15 Sha Tin
2pts win

Invincible Sage
8.55 Sha Tin
2pts win

Patch Of Theta
10.05 Sha Tin
2pts win

John Size is set to saddle a 1-2 in the 1m2f Hong Kong Derby (8.15) when sending out classy four-year-olds Ensued and Helios Express on an excellent ten-race card at Sha Tin on Sunday. 

Ensued, an ex-James Fanshawe recruit, is already twice a winner over the distance and comes to the most coveted local race off the back of a solid third to Helios Express and Chancheng Glory in the Classic Cup, over 1m1f, from a wide draw. 

He faces the challenge of the same awkward gate (12) but is again partnered by Ryan Moore, whose overriding wish will be a decent pace, which would play to his mount’s strengths. 

His chief rival is Helios Express, winner of the first two legs of the Four-Year-Old Triple Crown, who will be ridden by Hugh Bowman. The gelding had the advantage of attractive inside draws in those wins but this time starts from 13 which makes it difficult with such a short run to the first turn. 

Blake Shinn flies in to partner the Pierre Ng-trained Galaxy Patch, a crack sprinter in the making, whose owner insisted on a supplementary Derby entry only three weeks and two runs after the gelding ran over 5f. Drawn the extreme outside (14), Shinn will face a task in settling his mount to get the trip. 

Shinn, one of four jockeys in the Derby field also booked to ride in the Golden Slipper in Sydney 24 hours earlier — the others are Moore, Bowman and James McDonald — has several good mounts, including the David Hall-trained Invincible Sage in the Class 1 6f sprint handicap (8.55). 

Invincible Sage failed to get a clear run in the second half of his most recent outing and he is tipped to appreciate the step back up in trip. From an inside stall (4), he should enjoy the run of the race, with the Size-trained Howdeepisyourlove an obvious threat, despite having crept up in the weights due to his consistency. 

The Derby card can end with a well-fancied, progressive type in Patch Of Theta getting the money in the Class 3 7f handicap (10.05). The gelding went up 8lb in the ratings for his easy win last time and he can go in again. Zac Purton has remained loyal to Green N White, who is improving and possibly still ahead of the handicapper. He looks the main danger.

Sha Tin Placepot

7.10
2 Ka Ying Rising
8 My Flying Angel

7.40
1 Loyal Bo Bo
10 Sky Trust

8.15
2 Helios Express
5 Ensued

8.55
2 Howdeepisyourlove
8 Invincible Sage

9.30
2 CP Brave
4 Sweet Encounter

10.05
2 Green N White
8 Patch Of Theta

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 Sunday is at 4.45am.  

Sha Tin card

Sign up to the Tote here. New customers online only. £/€10 minimum stake (if each-way then minimum £/€10 Win + £/€10 Place). Receive £/€30 Tote Credit within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. Seven-day expiry. Qualifying bet is the first racing pool bet added to the betslip. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. begambleaware.org. Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links. Offers are handpicked and come from operators that our experts have first-hand experience of. Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post, which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing.