Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath with three fancies on Sunday's Sha Tin card

Tornado Twist
8.05 Sha Tin
2pts win

Super Football
9.10 Sha Tin
2pts win

Excellent Proposal
9.45 Sha Tin
2pts win

Fortunes have been paid by ambitious owners for imports they hope will measure up in Hong Kong's Classic Series and Sunday's Sha Tin fixture will tell many where they currently stand.

The Class 2 7f handicap (9.45) has brought together a diverse collection of interesting four-year-olds, several of whom will be aimed at the Hong Kong Derby on March 21.

The ex-Ballydoyle blueblood Russian Emperor, winner of the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot, makes his local debut for Douglas Whyte; Me Tsui takes the wraps off Tsar, a Kingman-sired Ascot handicap winner (off 94) for John Gosden and Juddmonte, while David Hayes unleashes Beauty Joy, an unbeaten (four from four) West Australian prospect.

A fascinating group, who will know they have been in a battle after taking on the John Size-trained Excellent Proposal, who has improved with every run, his most recent being a 1m1f handicap victory, which dispelled doubts about his stamina.

That Size has dropped the gelding back two furlongs in distance signals he wants him sharp and in the zone for the Classic Mile later this month, which is a realistic target. While any of the fresh newcomers could figure in the placings, a more likely danger is the Caspar Fownes-trained Enrich Delight, an ex-Godolphin from Australia, who looked smart when making a winning debut at Sha Tin. Promising Lucky Patch is also in the mix.

While Joao Moreira will count on Excellent Proposal as key among his nine mounts, rival Zac Purton, who trails him by 19 wins in the championship, can confidently expect Super Football to oblige in the Class 3 mile handicap (9.10).

This is a typical slow-maturing New Zealand-bred looking for a longer trip – he finished fifth in the Auckland Guineas – and although still a maiden after nine starts (in two countries), he is ready for this. The improving Savaquin is the main threat.

Earlier on the card, Frankie Lor sends out the well-handicapped Tornado Twist to contest the Class 3 6f sprint handicap, in which Christophe Soumillon will ride the gelding for the first time. He can get the better of recently promoted winner Sight Success.

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): 4 United We Stand, 8 Stormtrouper
Race 6 (2nd leg): 3 Leading Fortune, 4 Cheerful Days
Race 7 (3rd leg): 3 Tornado Twist, 11 Sight Success
Race 8 (4th leg): 6 Super Alliances, 8 Blotting Paper
Race 9 (5th leg): 5 Super Football, 7 Savaquin
Race 10 (6th leg): 2 Excellent Proposal, 5 Enrich Delight

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