Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath with three Sha Tin selections on Sunday

Sight Success
9.10 Sha Tin
2pts win

Dragon Pride
9.40 Sha Tin
2pts win

Atullibigeal
10.50 Sha Tin
2pts win

Vagner Borges will build on his successful link with John Size when the jockey and trainer combine with progressive Sight Success in the Group 2 Sprint Cup (9.10) over 6f, one of two feature races on a good card at Sha Tin.

Borges, a four-time champion in Brazil, lacks the international profile of his compatriot Joao Moreira but that hasn’t stopped Size from seeking his services. In fact, more than 60 per cent of the jockey’s 18 winners this season have been for the Australian.

Sight Success comes into this Pattern race as a last-start winner of a Class 1 handicap, and so is at a disadvantage at the weights with some of his higher-rated rivals. However, despite being a five-year-old he is still improving, which his record of four from nine this season shows.

Borges rode three of those four wins. Karis Teetan had the mount last time out when Sight Success had to overcome an awkward draw (8) but still came up trumps. From the inside (3) this time, he should enjoy an easier run and continue on his winning way.

Wellington is a classy sprinter and it was pleasing to see a return to best form last time. Again, the draw is important and he will be made to work hard from gate 7 in such a competitive field.

The other feature race, the Group 2 Chairman’s Trophy (10.15), over 1m, should signal a return to the winner’s stall for Golden Sixty, whose winning sequence came to an unfortunate end when he was left with too much ground to make up by Vincent Ho in the Stewards’ Cup in January.

He was subsequently beaten again, in the Hong Kong Gold Cup over 1m2f, when he lost many lengths when making a wide run around the home turn. From the inside stall (1), Ho must surely take the box seat and angle for a run at the top of the straight. If so, and with reasonable luck in running, he should be winning again.

Zac Purton rides a lightly raced New Zealand import with ability, Atullibigeal, for David Hall in the Class 3 6f sprint handicap (10.50), in which he can live up to the promise he displayed when flashing home late over course and distance last time. He should race a lot closer to the speed from a good draw.

Purton could not make the weight on Dragon Pride in the Class 4 1m handicap (9.40), but this in-form galloper should go in again, this time for Matthew Chadwick, who has picked up the mount. Purton’s Free Foal is the danger.

SHA TIN TOTE PLACEPOT PERM

8.10
3 Happy Forever
7 Sakewin

8.40
3 Happy Day
6 Aurora Hero

9.10
1 Wellington
7 Sight Success

9.40
2 Free Foal
13 Dragon Pride

10.15
1 Golden Sixty
6 Tourbillon Diamond

10.50
2 Rock Ya Heart
4 Atullibigeal

2x2x2x2x2x2 = 64 bets

Bets can be placed into Sha Tin pools with the Tote, Coral and Ladbrokes. The first race at Sha Tin on Sunday is at 5.45am.

Sha Tin Sunday card

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