Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath's three tips and Placepot at Sha Tin

Accelerando
7.30am Sha Tin, Sunday
2pts win

Turin Redsun
8.05am Sha Tin, Sunday
2pts win

Beauty Eternal
9.15am Sha Tin, Sunday
2pts win

Lyle Hewitson and Douglas Whyte, steadily becoming a potent duo in Hong Kong’s top races, can combine to land the featured Group 3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse (8.05) with Turin Redsun at Sha Tin on Sunday.

The unpredictable Beauty Joy, if in the right mood however, could stretch his rivals in this tricky race, even with 9st 9lb top weight.

Beauty Joy was unbeaten in four starts in West Australia before being exported for big money to join David Hayes, for whom he was unplaced twice at long odds early last year. Connections then switched stables to join Tony Cruz.

It is fair to say Cruz worked the oracle, winning five races with him last season, progressing from Class 3 to Group company, rising 39lb in the ratings – no mean feat in Hong Kong – but the significant factor was the jockey.

Zac Purton remains the only rider to win on him in ten starts locally, and even he admits that when he is legged aboard the six-year-old, he doesn’t know what to expect. Cruz has said publicly that Purton is the only jockey who can ride him.

He can't afford to put a foot wrong with his big weight, which brings into the reckoning the talented and well-drawn (4) Turin Redsun, who was 2-6 and sixth in the Britannia for the Gosdens.

Turin Redsun was second in the Classic Cup, beaten a length by California Spangle at level weights over course and distance in February, which is a measure of his potential. So, with a nice introductory run under his belt, this will suit, especially receiving 16lb from Beauty Joy.

John Size is not often on the leaderboard at this stage of the season but the multiple champion is poised to let loose some of his well-nurtured talent, and he could soon be near top of the trainers’ standings.

Accelerando will be hard to beat in the Class 4 1m handicap (7.30) after his tidy win last month, while stablemate Beauty Eternal would have only to repeat his debut-winning performance from a wide draw to cope with a rise in grade in the Class 3 6f handicap (9.15).

Sha Tin Tote Placepot perm

7.00am
8 Decrypt
10 A Pal

7.30am
4 Let’s Do It
6 Accelerando

8.05am
1 Beauty Joy
8 Turin Redsun

8.40am
6 Erimo
7 Amazing Victory

9.15am
2 Super Fortune
9 Beauty Eternal

9.50am
2 Keefy
10 Sight Spirit

2x2x2x2x2x2 = 64 lines

Bets can be placed into Hong Kong 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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