Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath with his fancies for Sha Tin on Sunday

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Forza Toro
9.10 Sha Tin
2pts win

Endeared
10.45 Sha Tin
2pts win

Aerovolanic
11.20 Sha Tin
2pts win

Two horses who didn’t get the rub of the green on their last starts should be followed, albeit with trepidation, on a challenging 11-race card at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Joao Moreira knows to expect the unexpected in Hong Kong, but when he partnered well-fancied Irish import Forza Toro in a Class 4 handicap last month he must have thought he was having a bad dream when the gelding stood flat-footed as the stalls opened.

The four-year-old completely blew the start, missing the break by eight lengths and spending the first half of the race trying to make up ground. The fact he was beaten just a head by Alabama Song was astounding.

On learning that Forza Toro needed to pass a barrier trial before being permitted to run again, trainer Caspar Fownes immediately packed the gelding off to Conghua. Alas, he was slow away there too and consequently failed his test.

It was only after being brought to Happy Valley just over a week ago that he passed and got the green light to contest the Class 4 7f handicap (9.10), in which he will be hard to beat, provided he gets away cleanly with the rest of the field.

The Frankie Lor-trained Run Run Smart, with Nichola Yuen again claiming a valuable 10lb, should be included in multiples, along with the David Hall-trained Solid Car, who is running into form.

Fownes (51 wins) is counting every winner as he battles it out with Danny Shum (54) and Mark Newnham (52) for the trainers’ championship with 17 meetings remaining. Experienced observers know not to discount John Size (45), who can pick up ground by saddling Endeared to win the Class 3 7f handicap (10.45).

The six-year-old’s sweet spot is 7f, and Andrea Atzeni is almost guaranteed to have him as close to the pace as possible from stall eight. Jerry Chau’s mount Chill Easy is racing well and looks next best.

The other horse who didn’t get a decent crack at them last time is Aerovolanic, who can bounce back in the Class 3 7f handicap (11.20), with Zac Purton on board. The gelding was slow to muster early speed on his last start, and was then hampered and crowded in the home straight. Here, he is drawn wide in stall 14, but he can be bang there if starting well.