Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath with tips and the Placepot at Happy Valley

Kowloon Great
12.15 Happy Valley
2pts win

Flying On The Turf
12.45 Happy Valley
2pts win

Rattan Kingdom
1.15 Happy Valley
2pts win

New trainer Jamie Richards is set to build on his promising start to the season by sending out two strongly-fancied favourites bidding for repeat wins when they line up in respective divisions of the Class 4 6f handicap on an eight-race card at Happy Valley on Wednesday.

Flying On The Turf takes a step up in grade but will still be hard to beat in the first division (12.45), while the rapidly-improving Rattan Kingdom can complete a course-and-distance hat-trick in the second division (1.15). Both will be ridden by Zac Purton, which is an added vote of confidence.

Richards, 33, won four trainers’ titles in New Zealand before making the move to Hong Kong, which he acknowledges is very different. He waited until the eighth meeting of the season to saddle his first runner here, surely testing the patience of his owners.

But Richards now has his stable firing and seven-year-old Flying On The Turf should carry on the good work despite a ratings rise of 7lb for winning his first race in Hong Kong at the 23rd attempt.

The gelding, a Melbourne metro winner over a mile, was well-handicapped when switched to Richards from Jimmy Ting last year, so there is every reason to believe there is another win in store. Island Surprise, Silvestre de Sousa’s mount, looks next best.

Rattan Kingdom was another valuable acquisition for Richards after dropping 9lb in his introductory season for Richard Gibson, and this son of Per Incanto has a bright future. He has gone up 14lb in two starts and he can progress higher up the ladder.

In a similar race as his breakthrough win in November, Rattan Kingdom sat behind the leaders from a handy draw (4), before strengthening and then winning with a little in hand last month. This time, he is again nicely drawn (5) but asked to carry 9st 8lb, which will indicate whether he is ready for a step up in grade.

The value bet on this pre-Chinese New Year card is the Danny Shum-trained Kowloon Great in the Class 4 1m3f handicap (12.15). This ex-Jim Bolger graduate won a maiden at Naas prior to export, and now acclimatised, is ready break his Hong Kong duck.

Lyle Hewitson comes in for the ride on the son of Teofilo, who will relish the extra furlong following a promising second at Sha Tin last time. The Purton-ridden Management Folks is the main threat in an intriguing contest.

Happy Valley Placepot perm

12.15
5 Kowloon Great
11 Wonder Years

12.45
6 Island Surprise
11 Flying On The Turf

1.15
2 Rattan Kingdom
7 Righteous Arion

1.45
3 Viva Popcorn
4 Star Contact

2.15
3 Zone D
6 Happy Daily

2.50
2 California Deeply
3 Harmony N Blessed

2x2x2x2x2x2 = 64 lines

Bets can be placed into Hong Kong pools with the Tote. The first race at Happy Valley on Wednesday is at 11.15am.

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