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

Invincible Ibis
8.35 Sha Tin
2pts win

Hong Lok Golf
9.40 Sha Tin
2pts win

Top Dragon
10.50 Sha Tin
2pts win  

Beauty Waves has an excellent chance of landing back-to-back runnings of the feature Group 3 National Day Cup (9.05) but the show-stopper at Sha Tin is likely to be a rising star several grades lower.

His name is Hong Lok Golf, a five year-old import by the Australian Guineas winner Grunt out an unraced half-sister to the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Maraahel, who won two Hardwickes at Royal Ascot in Hamdan Al Maktoum’s colours. 

Trained by Chris So, the gelding has won six of his seven starts — he was an unlucky second when beaten — and he stands out in the 7f handicap (9.40). He is the best horse Harry Bentley has ridden in Hong Kong and should take his 7lb hike in the ratings in his stride. 

One of Hong Lok Golf’s key attributes is his knack of overcoming difficulty in his races. On his last start in June, he looked in an unpromising position rounding the home turn in a mile handicap at Happy Valley yet somehow found his way through to get up on the line by a short head. The rival he defeated, Steps Ahead, will be his danger again here. 

Taj Dragon and Chiu Chow Spirit are others to consider in an interesting contest that may well be looked back on as the launching pad for a stellar talent. 

Zac Purton has another exceptional book of rides, headed by the Tony Cruz-trained Beauty Waves in the National Day Cup. 

The five-year-old is a 5f straight-track specialist, and although drawn awkwardly in stall two on the far side, he can track over. Wunderbar and Invincible Sage are his main opposition.

Invincible Ibis was strongly fancied to win on the opening day but struggled in the rain-affected ground (riding worse than the official Good reading) and he is worth another chance in the Class 4 7f handicap (8.35).

The negative is his stall 14 draw, but usually in such circumstances, Purton kicks on and uses his mount’s speed to cross over into the leading group. If Invincible Ibis has the necessary early acceleration, he has the class to measure up. Gale Saga, at the bottom of the weights, should be taken for the forecast.

Purton is also riding the one to beat in the concluding Class 3 7f handicap (10.50), the So-trained Top Dragon, who shaped in his two wins last season as another horse with a big future. The consistent Lucky My Way is next best.

Sha Tin Placepot perm

8.00
3 Packing Hurricane
12 Romantic Fantasy

8.35
3 Invincible Ibis
14 Gale Saga

9.05
1 Beauty Waves
4 Wunderbar

9.40
1 Hong Lok Golf
5 Steps Ahead

10.15
3 Holmes A Court
9 Akashvani

10.50
4 Top Dragon
6 Lucky My Way

2x2x2x2x2x2=64 lines

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

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