Hong Kong tips: Jim McGrath with three bets for Sha Tin's Sunday card

Courier Wonder
7.00 Sha Tin
2pts win

Glorious Dragon
9.05 Sha Tin
2pts win

Dragon Fortune
10.15 Sha Tin
2pts win

Vincent Ho can continue to blaze the trail for local riding talent by landing his sixth Group 1 of the season when partnering Glorious Dragon in Sunday's Champions & Chater Cup (9.05) at Sha Tin.

Tony Cruz set the bar high in an earlier era, but Ho is the modern-day example of what can be achieved through ability and sheer hard work in the face of hot international competition.

Ho has registered four Group 1s aboard champion Golden Sixty as well as taking the QEII Cup on Japanese filly Loves Only You. If Glorious Dragon goes in, Ho will equal Joao Moreira with six at the top level – though Zac Purton holds the record with seven.

Trainer Francis Lui has earned praise for his faultless handling of absentee Golden Sixty, who could have picked up a huge bonus by winning this race. The decision was made to bypass this event, which must have been made easier knowing stablemate Glorious Dragon would step in.

Exultant was three-quarters of a length in front of Glorious Dragon when they finished fifth and sixth in the QEII Cup last time. The lack of a strong pace made it difficult for both, though they were positioned at opposite ends of the field.

Glorious Dragon has never run over 1m4f but the son of Teofilo gives every indication it is going to be his optimum trip. Exultant has not won since taking this race for the second time last year and is clearly not the force of old — yet he cannot be discounted.

Earlier on the card, the unbeaten Courier Wonder can continue his natural progression through the grades in the Group 3 Sha Tin Vase (7.00), a handicap in which he is attractively weighted with just 8st 6lb on his back. Even against much better opposition, he still looks the one to beat.

Purton returns with ten mounts after being forced to give up rides at Happy Valley on Wednesday due to back spasms. His best on the card appears to be Dragon Fortune in the 7f Oriental Express Handicap (10.15).

The three-year-old finished a solid second over this course and distance last time and a second win is within his grasp. Love Me More is best of the rest.

Bets can be placed into HK pools with the Tote, Coral and Ladbrokes, first race at Sha Tin is off at 5.30.

Sha Tin card

Bet through the tote

Tote Placepot

Race 6 (1st leg, 8.00): 8 Robot Warrior, 12 Copartner Era
Race 7 (2nd leg, 8.35): 1 Uncle Steve, 7 Golden Link
Race 8 (3rd leg, 9.05): 1 Exultant, 2 Glorious Dragon
Race 9 (4th leg, 9.40): 7 Horsesain Bolt, 9 Compassion Spirit
Race 10 (5th leg, 10.15): 2 Dragon Fortune, 4 Love Me More
Race 11 (6th leg, 10.50): 3 Tornado Twist, 4 Killer Bee

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