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

My Wish
9.35 Sha Tin
2pts win

Dancing Code
10.10 Sha Tin
2pts win

Flying Fortress
10.45 Sha Tin
2pts win

Racing resumes in Hong Kong after an unwelcome interruption when Super Typhoon Ragasa hit this week and punters will be eager to make up for lost opportunity with a top-quality, 11-race card served up at Sha Tin.

It’s a minor miracle racing can take place so soon after the typhoon. Rainfall of more than 30cm (1ft) was measured from Tuesday onwards but the track has reportedly coped well. Drainage is so effective, officials predict that good-to-yielding ground is a possibility.

The featured Group 3 7f Celebration Cup (9.35) has attracted a cracking field, headed by the Mark Newnham-trained My Wish, who was one of the budding stars uncovered last season, with his rating soaring 54lb in nine starts.

He took a leading role in the Four-Year-Old Triple Crown, winning the Classic Mile before finishing runner-up in both the Classic Cup and the Derby. He then capped a remarkable year with fourth in the FWD Champions Mile.

Newnham will take aim at the International Races meeting in December, the Hong Kong Mile being a logical target for the Australian import, and this 7f will be a good starting point. But he can expect hot opposition, particularly from Andrea Atzeni’s mount Johannes Brahms, now fully acclimatised.

His most interesting rival, however, is the David Eustace-trained Light Years Charm, another who has leap-frogged his way up the grades. He’s won his last three and this is his biggest test but Zac Purton was aboard in a recent trial and has stuck by him.

Caspar Fownes can continue his great start to the season with recent improver Dancing Code, who looks the one to beat in the Class 2 6f handicap sprint (10.10), which was saved from last week’s card when the last two races were ditched because of deteriorating track conditions.

It’s much the same line-up, with one important change being Vincent Ho switching to Dancing Code, who won his most recent start over course and distance in July for apprentice Ellis Wong. He has gone up 5lb but is well up to his new mark.

Cody Mo is another trainer who has been quick out of the traps early and his New Zealand import Flying Fortress can build on a promising first season by landing the Class 3 7f handicap (10.45) from the Purton-ridden South Star.