Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath with three fancies on Sunday's Sha Tin card
Quadruple Double
6.45 Sha Tin
2pts win
Gala Night
8.40 Sha Tin
2pts win
Lucky Express
10.50 Sha Tin
2pts win
Expensive import Lucky Express is confidently tipped to make a winning debut in Hong Kong in the Class 2 6f handicap sprint (10.50), the finale on an intriguing 11-race card at Sha Tin.
Nobody can ever accuse John Size of lacking patience. Lucky Express, a three-year-old son of Toronado, arrived in his stable in July last year, and just under 11 months and eight barrier trials later the trainer reckons he is now ready to run.
There can be no doubting the gelding's talent and potential. He was two from three in Australia, where he first caught the eye winning the 5f Gold Rush, a restricted two-year-old sprint at top country track Bendigo, and then following up with a 6f win in the city at Caulfield.
Size has given this raw talent plenty of time to acclimatise, and while the strike-rate of imports on debut in Class 2 is not good, Lucky Express, with Joao Moreira aboard, might well be an exception.
Lucky More, the mount of Zac Purton, is the danger in this highly competitive sprint that ends the meeting. Purton leads Moreira 126-123 in the title battle after riding a treble in the Brazilian's absence on Wednesday, but Moreira may have the better book of rides this time.
Apart from Lucky Express, Moreira also has winning chances aboard Beauty Legacy, in the Group 3 Lion Rock Trophy (9.40), and Fantastic Show in the Class 3 7f handicap (10.15).
Beauty Legacy, who arrived with a tall reputation after finishing runner-up in the Australian Guineas, bucked the trend by winning on his first Hong Kong run but has since been a tad disappointing.
This is a stronger race, and as they should be travelling a stride quicker it will suit his running style, especially against giant-killer Southern Legend, who comes here off the back of his triumph over Beauty Generation at levels in the Group 1 Champions Mile.
The fact that Southern Legend must concede 20lb to Beauty Legacy will be a telling factor in this Group 3 handicap.
Apprentice Jerry Chau has shown he needs to work on his pace judgement on front-runners, but even so he is still tremendous value for his 10lb claim and is presented with two great winning chances – Quadruple Double, in the Class 3 6f handicap sprint (6.45), and Gala Knight, in the Class 4 1m2f handicap (8.40).
Quadruple Double is a credit to his Melbourne Cup-winning trainer David Hall, who now attempts a fifth course-and-distance win with the gelding. More remarkably, he is aiming him at a third win in Class 3.
Chau's pace-setting tactics will be the key to stayer Gala Knight's prospects in an even race, in which he can make full use of his gate one draw.
Bets can be placed into HK pools with Ladbrokes, Coral and the Tote
TOTE PLACEPOT
Race 6 (leg 1): 2, 6
Race 7 (leg 2): 1, 5
Race 8 (leg 3): 6, 12
Race 9 (leg 4): 1, 8
Race 10 (leg 5): 5, 8
Race 11 (leg 6): 3, 7
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Published on 29 May 2020inHorse racing tips
Last updated 15:15, 29 May 2020
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