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

Stellar Express
11.30 Sha Tin
2pts win

Galaxy Patch
12.35 Sha Tin
2pts win

Invincible Sage
1.10 Sha Tin
2pts win

Hugh Bowman, back in sparkling form in recent weeks, can continue his run of success aboard budding star sprinter Invincible Sage in the Group 3 Sha Tin Vase (1.10) on a mammoth 11-race card at the New Territories track.

Bowman has missed a large chunk of the season through injury and suspension, but a double during the week signalled a return, and with nine rides here he can build on his 58 wins, which places him third in the championship.

Invincible Sage clearly loves rain-affected going, which he underlined when taking the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize five weeks ago, and while he will be at a disadvantage with some of the lightweights here under handicap conditions, his rate of improvement should counter that.

Trainer David Hall has done an excellent job in developing the four-year-old, who he has taken from Class 3 to Group 1 in six months. Four wins and a 45 points ratings rise is exceptional.

Victor The Winner’s chances were destroyed when he took on California Spangle early in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize, and this time drawn wide (stall nine), he is probably going to be under pressure again, if as expected, he tries to get across to lead.

A more potent threat to Invincible Sage could be three-year-old Ka Ying Rising, another potential star, who has four wins from six runs and with plenty more to come. However, he is 8lb out of the handicap and trainer David Hayes is clearly hoping he can take a big step up.

Galaxy Patch, another of the discoveries of the season, attempts his first win since January when contesting the Group 3 Lion Rock Trophy (12.35), over a mile. He has not won any of his last five starts, but was runner-up in both the Group 1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup and the Hong Kong Derby.

He boiled over in the paddock before his last-start fifth in the Group 1 Champions Mile and was also inconvenienced when the pace slackened mid-race and he found himself in rear. From stall one, he should be close all the way and has Taj Dragon as his danger.

Stellar Express has no wins from five runs in Hong Kong but can open his account in the Class 3 6f handicap (11.30) for Bowman, who was aboard when the import found it difficult to get a clear run in the closing stages and took fourth last time. He won three times in France for Francis Graffard.

Sha Tin Placepot perm

11.30
2 James Tak
4 Stellar Express

12.05  
5 Steps Ahead
6 Brilliant Express

12.35  
3 Taj Dragon
4 Galaxy Patch

1.10
2 Invincible Sage
9 Ka Ying Rising

1.45
3 Top Scorer
7 Smiling Collector

2.20
7 Jolly Ruler
13 City Thunder

2x2x2x2x2x2=64 lines

Bets can be placed into Hong Kong pools with the Tote. The first race at Sha Tin on Sunday is at 9.00am

Sha Tin card

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