Hong Kong racing: Jim McGrath provides three tips for Sha Tin on Sunday

Sky Field
8.00 Sha Tin
2pts win

Cordyceps
9.05 Sha Tin
2pts win

Transcendent
9.40 Sha Tin
2pts win

Only two meetings are left in the Hong Kong season and Francis Lui is throwing the kitchen sink at his attempt to lift the trainers’ title, so Cordyceps (9.05) could prove a valuable winner for him in the Class 3 mile handicap at Sha Tin.

Cordyceps, already four from 25, has been a useful horse but has found the progression to a higher grade beyond him. In eight starts in Class 2, he registered just one third placing.

Dropped back to Class 3, the five-year-old will be far more comfortable, and with apprentice Jerry Chau’s 10lb claim reducing his weight to 8st 11lb, he has solid claims.

Lui trails Ricky Yiu 64-63 in the trainers’ championship and this race could prove crucial. Yiu is represented by Precise Express and Emerald Spur, who arrive in form, while in the finale, the Class 3 6f sprint (10.50), he has excellent prospects with Good Luck Friend.

Tony Cruz, who is on 61 winners, is just off the pace and with ten runners at the meeting, he too is going all out for the title. His best chance may be Transcendent in the HKROA Trophy, a Class 2 7f handicap (9.40).

There are few as interesting as this four-year-old, who proved very able on all-weather tracks in France, but was also Group 3-placed on turf at Chantilly. He won in Class 3 on his Hong Kong debut in March — no mean feat for any import — and he caught the eye when winning a barrier trial two weeks ago.

Cruz reckons he needs three winners at the meeting to remain in title contention, and Transcendent, with Matthew Chadwick aboard, might well be one of them. Tornado Twist, now with Frankie Lor, is the danger.

Joao Moreira trails Zac Purton 143-135 and has already conceded the jockeys’ title to his rival, but he can still grab some of the limelight aboard the Caspar Fownes-trained Sky Field, who looks the one to beat in the Class 4 6f handicap (8.00).

A son of the popular Australian sire Deep Field, Sky Field has shown enormous potential in his two starts and this looks ideal for him to open his account.

Bets can be placed into HK pools with Ladbrokes, Coral and the Tote

Tote placepot

Race 6 (leg 1): 2 Golden Link, 3 Sky Field
Race 7 (leg 2): 1 So We Joy, 2 Armor Star
Race 8 (leg 3): 1 Cordyceps, 7 Entrusted
Race 9 (leg 4): 7 Tornado Twist, 9 Transcendent
Race 10 (leg 5): 6 Awe, 9 Flying Victory
Race 11 (leg 6): 2 Good Luck Friend, 9 Winning Brew

Sha Tin card

Bet through the Tote

Place bets on international races with the Racing Post app. Log in to your bookmaker accounts in the Accounts tab in the bottom right and then click cards to view the racecards