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

Kurpany
9.35 Sha Tin
2pts win

California Cible
10.10 Sha Tin
2pts win

Master Delight
10.45 Sha Tin
2pts win

Reigning champion Joao Moreira is set to make the most of suspended Zac Purton’s absence with several winning chances among his ten rides on Sha Tin’s mixed card tomorrow.

His most interesting ride is the John Size-trained Master Delight in the Class 3 handicap, over 7f (10.45), which is a chance for the four-year-old to show his eye-catching local debut last month was no fluke.

The son of speed influence Rubick was Group 2-placed for the Maher-Eustace partnership in Australia, and he immediately showed his class in Hong Kong when a strong-finishing third at 41-1 to Packing Victory and Five Elements over 6f.

With Moreira taking over from Alexis Badel, and Size’s stable now racing into form – the 11-time champion now has three wins on the board – Master Delight is ready to oblige, with the only negative being his awkward stall 12 draw. Star Performance is his main danger.

Kurpany, selected to win the Class 2 6f sprint handicap on dirt (9.35), is a regular ride for Moreira, who was aboard for both the Irish import’s failed attempts on the all-weather surface last season.

Caspar Fownes is rightly pressing ahead on the dirt as there were excuses for the defeats. In one, the gelding was forced to work hard from a wide draw and was just touched off, while a wet surface impeded him in the other.

A wide draw will be to his liking as he has a big stride and he should be right there in the finish.

Dirt specialist Hongkong Great could find the 6f trip too sharp, with the Size-trained Red Desert looking a feasible alternative for multiples.

Mention of impressive debut runs brings us to California Cible in the Class 3 6f sprint handicap (10.10), as the Cruz-trained gelding made every yard until collared on the line over course and distance last month. A repeat would see him in the winner’s enclosure.

Sha Tin Placepot perm

8.00
2 Hang’s Decision
9 Fairy Floss

8.35
9 Street Scream
11 Breeze Of Spring

9.05
2 Righteous Doctrine
3 Ultra Express

9.35
2 Red Desert
3 Kurpany

10.10
2 First Responder
13 California Cible

10.45
2 Master Delight
5 Star Performance

2x2x2x2x2x2 = 64 lines

Sha Tin Sunday card

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