Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath's three tips and Placepot at Happy Valley

Birdsville
1.15 Happy Valley
2pts win

Comet Splendido
1.45 Happy Valley
2pts win

Heroic Master
2.15 Happy Valley
2pts win

The promising Heroic Master, who was unbeaten in two starts in Australia, looks set to chalk up his first win locally in the Class 3 5f handicap (2.15) on a punter-friendly eight-race card at Happy Valley.

The lightly raced gelding won both his starts on country tracks in New South Wales when trained by Richard and Michael Freedman, before making a sparkling debut in Hong Kong for Frankie Lor with a solid third over course and distance last month.

The fact that Zac Purton has stepped forward to take over from Derek Leung is confirmation that a win is imminent and while the odds will be short, he looks one of the day’s best bets. The consistent Sergeant Pepper, although creeping up in the weights, is the danger.

Purton is having a field day in the absence of Joao Moreira and Karis Teetan. He is on 32 wins, more than double his nearest rival, and he should be good for at least another three wins this time. Apart from Heroic Master, he can also win on Comet Splendido in the Class 3 1m½f handicap (1.45).

Comet Splendido fought on well to win a similar race here for Purton three weeks ago and should be capable of coping with a 5lb hike in the handicap. The four-year-old won three on the trot for Grant Tuer in Britain, including a York handicap.

The Douglas Whyte-trained Nothing New is consistent in this grade and from an inside draw in three, he should be well-positioned just behind the pace, while Dr Winning is one to include in multiples.

David Hayes, with ten wins, remains in the top five on the trainers’ list and Birdsville is poised to add to that tally in the Class 4 American Club Challenge Cup (1.15), a competitive 6f handicap in which the draw will be crucial.

Birdsville, from gate seven, is a 14-start maiden locally though he won and was Listed-placed for Black Caviar’s trainer Peter Moody in Victoria, which makes his winner drought hard to understand.

He is now at the bottom of Class 4 and has dropped 23lb in the handicap since his arrival. Keith Yeung knows him well and was aboard for the gelding’s meritorious second last start. The breakthrough is coming.