Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath with three Happy Valley tips on Wednesday

Durham Star
2.15 Happy Valley
2pts win

E Legend
2.45 Happy Valley
2pts win

Packing Award
3.50 Happy Valley
2pts win

Lightly weighted E Legend can come to the aid of Joao Moreira, who badly needs a couple of winners in his quest to win a fifth jockeys’ championship as the Hong Kong season enters its final week.

With two meetings and 20 races remaining, Moreira trails Zac Purton by two wins (132-130) and E Legend, who steps up a grade and trip in the 1m1f handicap (2.45) at Happy Valley, might well provide the turning point in the title battle.

Purton rode the Manfred Man-trained gelding for a win and a second at his last two starts but a class promotion means the four-year-old carries only 8st 5lb, which is outside Purton’s weight range. This has allowed Moreira to step in.

E Legend, a son of classy miler Dissident, has a racing style that suggests he will handle the increase in distance, and from stall six he should have every chance of getting a position behind the pace before being unleashed at the top of the straight.

Purton is likely to make use of topweight Looking Great’s early speed to get across from a wide draw (12), but his mount is a true stayer and he can set solid fractions up front to expose any stamina limitations in his chief rival.

John Size, who has a big task to peg back Frankie Lor in the trainers’ championship (he trails 84-90), sends out well-fancied Escape Route, another on trial over the trip. The gelding finished third in Newmarket’s 6f July Stakes for Richard Fahey two years ago.

The respective title battles are not the only highlights on a nine-race card that is wide open if early betting is any guide. The successful pairing of South African champions Lyle Hewitson and Douglas Whyte is tipped to continue with Durham Star in the 6f sprint handicap (2.15), which looks ready made for the five-year-old, who has been drawn well in three.

Moreira has snapped up the ride on untapped Timestorm (0-3), who has displayed plenty of potential and one who should be prominent most of the way from the inside stall one in a tricky race.

Peter Ho is propping up the trainers’ table with just 12 winners for the season, but the talented Packing Award can come to his rescue again by taking the 1m½f handicap (3.50), which is the most competitive heat on the card. The gelding attempts to make it four wins for 2021-22.

Happy Valley Placepot perm

1.15
3 August Moon
8 Sugar Sugar

1.45
2 Marado
4 Blissful Star

2.15
5 Timestorm
6 Durham Star

2.45
1 Looking Great
11 E Legend

3.15
4 Yo Beauty
6 Excellent Peers

3.50
8 Packing Award
10 Sight Spirit

2x2x2x2x2x2 = 64 lines

Bets can be placed into Happy Valley pools with the Tote, Coral and Ladbrokes. The first race at Happy Valley on Wednesday is at 11.45am.

Happy Valley Wednesday card

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