Hong Kong racing tips: three expert picks on Wednesday's card

Savvy Nine
12.15 Happy Valley
2pts win

Maldives
1.45 Happy Valley
2pts win

Beauty Angel
2.50 Happy Valley
2pts win

Christophe Soumillon is supplying his talents in generous fashion now he is back in demand in Hong Kong, but after missing ten winners because of his brush with coronavirus this is not a visit he will easily forget.

Perhaps victory at Happy Valley in the Group 3 January Cup (12.15) aboard Savvy Nine can sweeten the pot a little as there is every chance the Belgian star will suit this five-year-old, who remains a maiden in Hong Kong after 16 starts.

That isolated statistic is not an accurate portrayal of Savvy Nine as the gelding, who won a Deauville maiden for Carlos Laffon-Parias before joining William Haggas, finished fourth in last year’s Hong Kong Derby when trained by John Moore.

It is the last trainer in the line who may reap the most benefits though, as Douglas Whyte now has Savvy Nine in peak form as indicated when he ran home strongly for Ryan Moore when third in a leg of the International Jockeys’ Challenge over course-and-distance last month.

He will certainly relish the trip and if he gets his preferred solid pace — which he should do with the trailblazing Time Warp in the field — he can enjoy the run of the race from stall two and prove hard to beat. Harmony Victory, who has similar tactical requirements, appears to be the next best in the feature.

Soumillon, who has a solid book of eight rides, is due to miss four of the next ten racedays because of riding bans, so he will be keen to fire in the winners and Beauty Angel in the concluding 1m1f handicap (2.50) is another excellent chance.

Joao Moreira’s mount Enrichment is the class horse in the line-up but has a wide draw to contend with, which even with a long run to the first turn is a disadvantage. The progressive Murray’s Partners has an attractive inside gate and is another that is likely to be competitive.

Beauty Angel – who has a staying pedigree – is climbing the ranks and will have conditions tailor-made to return to winning ways.

One more chance is given to Maldives, who is reunited with Zac Purton in division two of the 1m½f handicap (1.45). This six-race maiden ran a cracker for Pierre-Charles Boudot on his latest start and is now ready to gain his first career victory.

Happy Valley Wednesday card

Bet through the Tote

Bets can be placed into Hong Kong pools with the Tote, Coral and Ladbrokes. The first race at Happy Valley on Wednesday is at 10.45am

TOTE PLACEPOT

RACE 4 (1st leg): 3 Harmony Victory, 5 Savvy Nine
RACE 5 (2nd leg): 4 A Smile Like Yours, 5 Ever Force
RACE 6 (3rd leg): 1 Saul’s Special, 10 Kurpany
RACE 7 (4th leg): 1 Regency Master, 6 Maldives
RACE 8 (5th leg): 2 Ka Ying Master, 7 Shouson
RACE 9 (6th leg): 2 Enrichment, 8 Beauty Angel

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