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

Light Years Charm
11.00 Sha Tin
2pts win

Majestic Express
12.05 Sha Tin
2pts win

Francis Meynell
1.15 Sha Tin
2pts win

David Eustace is finishing off his first season in Hong Kong with a flourish and the trainer can continue the good work with hat-trick-seeker Light Years Charm in the feature Reunification Cup (11.00) on the ten-race card at Sha Tin.

Eustace sent out six winners in June to bring his overall tally to 35 winners, with five racedays remaining. His runners have picked up the equivalent of around £4.6 million in prize-money. 

Light Years Charm can be considered the perfect purchase for Hong Kong. Connections paid a modest amount to secure him after he won a 7f maiden handicap at Lismore, a ‘bush’ track in New South Wales, and consequently he started on a low handicap mark. 

That he has gone up 29lb in the ratings after three wins and three placings from eight starts points to this being a case of one who has sailed gloriously under the radar, and there should be further improvement to come. However, much will depend on whether he can shake off his habit being slow at the start.

While he could get away with missing the break in a lower grade, when he had lengths in hand, it gets harder as the opposition gets stronger. From stall ten of 12, Zac Purton will be eager to get his mount away cleanly from the gate without bustling him. If he can settle into a nice rhythm, he has the finish to see off his rivals, which include Soleil Fighter (in first-time blinkers) and Brilliant Express (drawn widest in 12).

Eustace sends out an interesting new recruit to his stable, Francis Meynell, who is a value bet in the 6f handicap (1.15). The four-year-old won twice in Ireland for Michael O’Callaghan previously and has left Cody Mo after six starts. 

The run that pinpointed the son of Blue Point as one to follow was his second at odds of 104-1 to The Boom Box over course and distance from a wide draw in January. He has recently barrier trialled well under Eustace’s eye and is ready for this. Infinite Resolve is next best.

Brenton Avdulla worked the oracle to win on Majestic Express last time from an awkward draw and the pair face a similar challenge here from stall three in the 5f handicap (12.05). They are equal to it, and can beat Whizz Kid and La Forza.

Sha Tin Placepot perm

11.00
4 Light Years Charm
5 Soleil Fighter

11.35
2 Solid Win
9 Ka Ying Radiance

12.05
1 Whizz Kid
6 Majestic Express

12.40
11 Happy Universe
14 Pearl Of Pang’s

1.15
2 Infinite Resolve
9 Francis Meynell

1.50
4 Flying Luck
10 Glorious Success

2x2x2x2x2x2 = 64 lines

Bets can be placed into Hong Kong pools with the Tote. The first race at Sha Tin on Tuesday is at 9am

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