Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath with three fancies on a Group 1 Sha Tin card

Golden Sixty
8.05 Sha Tin
2pts win

Sky Darci
8.40 Sha Tin
2pts win

Reliable Team
9.15 Sha Tin
2pts win

Forget the short odds, celebrate the occasion as local champion Golden Sixty prepares for his 12th win on the trot on one of Hong Kong’s showcase racedays at Sha Tin on Sunday.

This Australian-bred son of Medaglia D’Oro has a dazzling turn-of-foot, which he might be forced to call on when facing seven rivals in the Group 1 Stewards’ Cup (8.05) over a mile if the race becomes tactical.

Jockey Vincent Ho has compared Golden Sixty to a Ducati, on occasions riding him like a motor bike, with the five-year-old accelerating out of trouble when necessary. Drawn six, with chief danger Waikuku (8) on his outside, he should have options.

Zac Purton’s control of the pace on Ka Ying Star is key, but whatever his plan, the outcome should still be a 15th career win for Golden Sixty, a supremely talented successor to Beauty Generation.

The other Group 1 race, the 6f Centenary Sprint Cup (7.00), is being billed as Hot King Prawn’s big chance to chalk up his first win at the highest level, but despite the grey’s consistency, Christophe Soumillon’s mount Wishful Thinker is selected to upset the party.

Soumillon is the ideal partner for this noted swooper, whose late, storming runs are his trademark, and his effort in the Hong Kong Sprint at the International meeting last month was proof that he has never raced better.

Joao Moreira gave punters the lead they needed when declaring the Caspar Fownes-trained Sky Darci his preference in the fascinating Hong Kong Classic Mile (8.40), first leg of the four-year-old series. Fownes then booked Soumillon for stablemate Enrich Delight.

Sky Darci is clear on ratings in this set-weights race and he has proved he sees out the trip. The gelding runs here after an unlucky second in a Group 3 7f race, in which he met interference on the turn.

Russian Emperor (Royal Ascot winner), The Summit (2nd in Prix du Jockey-Club) and Shadow Hero (Randwick Guineas winner) must all improve significantly on what they have done in Hong Kong, so the danger is likely to be Tourbillon Diamond (Australian Derby 3rd) who won last start.

Sha Tin Sunday card

Bet through the Tote

Bets can be placed into Hong Kong pools with the Tote, Coral and Ladbrokes. The first race at Sha Tin on Sunday is at 5am

TOTE PLACEPOT

Race 5 (1st leg): 1 Hot King Prawn, 4 Wishful Thinker
Race 6 (2nd leg): 1 Splendour And Gold, 11 Entrusted
Race 7 (3rd leg): 1 Golden Sixty, 3 Waikuku
Race 8 (4th leg): 1 Sky Darci, 6 Tourbillon Diamond
Race 9 (5th leg): 4 Reliable Team, 10 Charity Go
Race 10 (6th leg): 3 Master Montaro, 7 Sight Success

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