Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath with three Sha Tin fancies on Wednesday

Kings Shield
11.45 Sha Tin
2pts win

London Luckystar
12.45 Sha Tin
2pts win

Chancheng Prince
2.15 Sha Tin
2pts win

Track specialist Kings Shield can make the most of a generous programming alteration by taking the Class 1 Fo Tan Handicap (11.45) for leading trainer Frankie Lor on this eight-race all-dirt card.

Rated in the top bracket on a mark of 106, opportunities to run on Hong Kong's unique all-weather surface are rare, yet such is Kings Shield's prowess on dirt, connections have even spoken of a possible trip to Dubai for the six-year-old.

All four of his wins locally have come over a mile on dirt, which should not come as a total surprise because he won at Newcastle and Kempton on the all-weather – and finished fifth in the St James's Palace Stakes – for John Gosden prior to export.

This race was originally framed for Class 2 but changing it to Class 1 has allowed Kings Shield to enter, albeit with top weight of 9st 7lb, and despite being asked to give 13lb to The Rock, an ex-Clive Cox discovery, he will be hard to run down.

He made all for capable Derek Leung two starts ago and is tipped for a repeat performance. Last-start winner Silver Express is tried on dirt for the first time by in-form John Size, who has sent out 13 winners this month and sits second in the trainers' championship.

London Luckystar is selected to follow the trend in the 1m½f Class 5 handicap (12.45), as he, too, was formerly a winner on the Newcastle all-weather for Gosden earlier in his career. He is 0-24 in Hong Kong but is now handicapped to break his duck locally.

Significantly, Joao Moreira has stuck with the gelding despite his last-start ninth in a similar race when a wide draw probably contributed to his failure. Drawn five this time, he should enjoy a far better run. He has the consistent Crown Avenue, who also loves the dirt, as his danger.

Chancheng Prince is developing into a good all-rounder, capable of running to his mark on turf and dirt, and he gets his chance to regain the winning thread in the Class 3 handicap (2.15).

The grey was beaten by the shorter trip and tougher grade last time and is certain to appreciate the return to Class 3 company over 1m½f, despite having more weight in the saddle. Ultra Express, another dirt specialist, is the main threat.

Sha Tin Placepot perm

12.15
5 Amazing Teens
7 Toycoon

12.45
2 Crown Avenue
3 London Luckystar

1.15
1 Solar Power
4 All Joyful

1.45
3 Everyone’s Victory
12 Fortune Happiness

2.15
1 Chancheng Prince
3 Ultra Express

2.50
1 Czarson
9 Elon

2x2x2x2x2x2 = 64 lines

Bets can be placed into Sha Tin pools with the Tote, Coral and Ladbrokes. The first race at Sha Tin on Wednesday is at 11.15am.

Sha Tin Wednesday card

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