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

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Silver Spurs
11.30 Sha Tin
2pts win

Sagacious Life
12.35 Sha Tin
2pts win

Gold Patch
1.10 Sha Tin
2pts win

Caspar Fownes has been careful not to spark any premature celebrations, but with two meetings left in the season he holds a buffer of six wins over Danny Shum in the trainers’ championship and should at least be chilling the champagne.

Fownes pulled off a masterstroke when he secured Joao Moreira on a short-term contract for the final months of the season. There is little doubt it has given him an edge in what has been an intense battle for the title.

There should be more wins for the combination at Sha Tin, with the Brazilian import Sagacious Life appearing the pick of the stable’s seven runners when contesting the Class 1 Hong Kong Owners Association Trophy (12.35) over a mile.

The five-year-old was a handy transfer from rival trainer Pierre Ng, who saddled him to win two races and finish a creditable fourth in the Classic Mile. However, the gelding then lost form and ran poorly in the Classic Cup and the Derby and was switched to Fownes.

In his new surroundings, Sagacious Life has shown a glimpse of his old sparkle and is reunited with Moreira, who won a small stakes race on him in Brazil two years ago. Drawn in stall two, he should be just behind the leaders upon settling down, and poised to unleash a strong finish in the straight.

His danger is the David Eustace-trained Silvery Breeze, who has done remarkably well in winning three races this season and progressing 22lb in the ratings. He has made a full recovery from a nasty race fall early last year and is now fulfilling his potential.

Fownes and Moreira also have an excellent chance with Silver Spurs in the Class 4 6f sprint handicap (11.30), although the Charm Spirit five-year-old will have to overcome an awkward draw in stall 10. With chief danger Oldtown next to him in 11, they are both likely to be ridden for speed right from the start.

Francis Lui continues to unearth several talented types each season and the three-year-old Gold Patch is typical of them.

The New Zealand gelding has won three of his five starts and can enhance that record by taking the Class 3 6f sprint handicap (1.10). He has the enigmatic Crossborderpegasus, with Hugh Bowman aboard, as his danger. The Brett Crawford-trained Pi Legend is next best in a tricky race.