Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath provides three bets for Sha Tin's Sunday card

Fantastic Way
5.00 Sha Tin
2pts win

Band Of Brothers
7.35 Sha Tin
2pts win

Glorious Dragon
8.05 Sha Tin
2pts win

There were signs that Exultant may be on the decline when he battled hard for second behind Mogul in the Hong Kong Vase last month and he faces a difficult task under handicap conditions in Sunday's Group 3 Centenary Vase (8.05) over 1m1f at Sha Tin.

The Tony Cruz-trained star may have won the last two runnings of the race, but looming large are several developing stayers, including Columbus County, who meets Exultant 13lb better off for finishing only half a length behind him over 1m4f last month.

That significant weight pull should be enough to reverse the form, but there is also another formidable rival, Glorious Dragon, who gets in at the bottom of the handicap with a featherweight 8st 1lb.

This six-year-old ran a cracker last time when making up enormous ground for a close second to Savvy Nine at Happy Valley on only his second start for Francis Lui, Golden Sixty’s trainer.

The capable Matthew Poon picks up the Glorious Dragon ride from Zac Purton, who will fully appreciate the challenge he faces on Exultant, trying to concede 20lb to such a progressive middle-distance horse.

Exultant, rated Hong Kong’s equal third best in the World Rankings published this week, has a well-tested program for the rest of the season – Gold Cup, QEII Cup, and Champions and Chater Cup – so Cruz will have left something to build on.

Trainer Paul O’Sullivan deserves credit for the way he has progressed Band Of Brothers through the ranks, winning six from 19, and he has a great chance of adding to that impressive record when contesting the Class 2 7f handicap (7.35).

Don’t worry about his wide draw in stall 12 as he likes room to gallop and prefers to come with a late run on the outside, while the trip is ideal for him. Joao Moreira’s mount Ms Ally is worth noting for multiples.

Moreira starts the day with a newcomer, who trial watchers have been waiting for in Fantastic Way, a New Zealand import and eyecatcher in three recent barrier jump-outs. He clearly has enough ability to win the opener, the Class 4 6f handicap (5.00).

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TOTE PLACEPOT

Race 5 (leg 1): 3 All For South, 6 Gunnar
Race 6 (leg 2): 1 Band Of Brothers, 11 Ms Ally
Race 7 (leg 3): 3 Columbus County, 10 Glorious Dragon
Race 8 (leg 4): 3 More Than Enough, 12 Stunning Impact
Race 9 (leg 5): 3 Perfect To Great, 5 Looking Great
Race 10 (leg 6): 2 Duke Wai, 7 Californiadeepshot

Sha Tin card

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