Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath's three selections at Sha Tin on Sunday

Rise Brethren
9.05 Sha Tin
2pts win

Wellington
9.35 Sha Tin
2pts win

Victor The Winner
10.10 Sha Tin
2pts win

Wellington’s super star status should carry him to victory under top weight in the feature, the Group 2 Premier Bowl (9.35) over 6f tomorrow, but a few rising stars are snapping at his heels.

Hong Kong’s champion sprinter is making his seasonal debut and trainer Richard Gibson has made no secret the gelding’s first major target is the Hong Kong Sprint on December 11, although with two barrier trials in recent weeks, he should be fit enough for this.

Wellington will attempt to give away 13lb to stablemate Cordyceps Six and 11lb to the promising Lucky Sweynesse, who is six from eight and has a Class 1 win already this term.

Considering the respective talents of both younger horses, Wellington, with 9st 9lb to carry, will need all the breaks of the race to go his way, but there can be no doubting his class, which should win the day.

Cordyceps Six is 6-13 and remains an untapped talent. Drawn in six, on the inside of Wellington (7), and with Lyle Hewitson booked for the first time, he is set to run a big race and is the obvious danger.

Silvestre De Sousa has every right to feel disappointed in losing the ride on Lucky Sweynesse, whom he partnered to a decisive win in the HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup, at the same time picking up a careless riding suspension for tightening a couple of rivals in running.

This time, De Sousa will ride Lucky Patch who has drawn awkwardly (10), while Zac Purton steps in for the mount on Lucky Sweynesse, who starts from an even wider stall (11).

Wellington is the highlight of the day for Alexis Badel, but the French jockey also has excellent prospects on the capable Rise Brethren in the Class 2 handicap (9.05), over 1m1f. The trip and the more spacious Sha Tin track are both factors in his favour.

Danny Shum will saddle one who has already attracted plenty of attention in Victor The Winner, an effortless winner on the opening day of the season and now placed to win again in the Class 3 6f sprint handicap (10.10). He is still ahead of the handicapper.

Sha Tin Tote Placepot

8.00
3 Flying Season
4 Ping Hai Bravo

8.35
3 Never Too Soon
11 Wide Blue Yonder

9.05
8 Rise Brethren
9 Looking Great

9.35
1 Wellington
9 Cordyceps Six

10.10
8 Beauty Tycoon
11 Victor The Winner

10.45
11 Oriental Smoke
13 Galaxy Witness

2x2x2x2x2x2 = 64 lines

Bets can be placed into Sha Tin pools with the Tote, Coral and Ladbrokes. The first race at Sha Tin on Sunday is 6am.

Sha Tin Sunday card

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