Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath with three selections at Sha Tin on Saturday

Talents Ambition
9.05 Sha Tin
2pts win

Ahren
10.10 Sha Tin
2pts win

Wunderbar
10.45 Sha Tin
2pts win

Talents Ambition, a rare racing anomaly in Hong Kong, can mark his return to the dirt by shouldering top weight to victory in the Class 3 handicap (9.05) over an extended mile, on a fascinating ten-race card at Sha Tin on Saturday.

Not only is the four-year-old an Australian-bred with a pure American pedigree, he is also a son of the celebrated Into Mischief, who last weekend became the record-equalling sire of a third Kentucky Derby winner, Sovereignty.

At one time, Mark Newnham had Hong Kong Derby aspirations for Talents Ambition, but he ran out of time and opportunity. However, in the process, he has uncovered a promising young horse who is running true to his bloodlines by showing his worth on dirt.

Despite two turf wins as a juvenile in New South Wales, he has rarely run a bad race on the all-weather and gets his chance to return to winning ways. His two local wins have been over course and distance.

With Hugh Bowman back in the saddle, and drawn in stall five, he will be hard to run down. He has the hat-trick seeker Chill Kaka, who steps up a grade, as his main danger, with Never Peter Out next best.

Ricky Yiu has an impressive knack of picking up useful horses at the sales in Australia, and appears to have done it again with his latest discovery, Ahren, who can make it back-to-back wins when contesting the Class 3 6f handicap (10.10).

Yiu paid A$220,000 (£106,000/€125,000) for the son of Hellbent at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and, judging by his effortless win last time, it was money well spent. He hacked up by two and three-quarter lengths and unsurprisingly was hit with a 10lb hike, which takes him to a higher grade.

Trainer John Size, who is cruising to a 13th trainers’ title, hopes to bring Wunderbar back to the winner’s enclosure after a four-month break in the finale, the Class 2 6f handicap (10.45), a strong heat in which Invincible Shield and Fast Network are the dangers.

Wunderbar twice defeated the world’s best sprinter, Ka Ying Rising, 15 months ago but then lost his way after two wins early in the season. Size packed him off to Conghua, where he contested four barrier trials and will come into this fresh and ready.

Sha Tin Placepot perm

8.00
1 Patch Of Stars
3 Lucky Fionn

8.30
2 Little Paradise
11 Sea Sapphire

9.05
1 Talents Ambition
9 Chill Kaka

9.35
2 Light Years Charm
4 Another World

10.10
3 Aeris Nova
9 Ahren

10.45
3 Wunderbar
5 Invincible Shield

2x2x2x2x2x2 = 64 lines

Bets can be placed into Hong Kong pools with the Tote. The first race at Sha Tin on Saturday is at 6am

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