Placepot advice for Wednesday's card at Happy Valley

Delightful Laos may have been 60-1 when he won at his first Hong Kong start late last month, but the manner of his win was good enough to suggest that he is a horse that can continue his rise through the ranks when he steps out in a Class 3 1m½f handicap (3.50) at Happy Valley on Wednesday.

Formerly known as Now The King when he raced in Ireland for Michael O’Callaghan, Delightful Laos won a two-year-old maiden on the Dundalk Polytrack from three starts.

Sporting the Cheng Keung Fai silks most famously worn by one-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year Designs On Rome, Delightful Laos was quite simply overlooked fresh. Clearly, the market had no respect for him, but he sprinted so powerfully that it looked a good pointer for what was to come, both this afternoon and beyond.

He now heads to the top of Class 3, which is one of the toughest places in Hong Kong from which to win. Throw in that he is still an early three-year-old and it does look a difficult task.

However, in a field of horses where few look to have much upside, he stands out as a worthwhile Placepot inclusion.

Maybe include another last-start winner, Happy Warrior, who should enjoy the run of the race around the tight turns of Happy Valley.

The Placepot otherwise looks a fairly tricky sequence with a number of trappy races. Aside from the third leg (2.15), where Star Luck should go forward and be able to stick on into the placings, perhaps go two wide in each and hope to make it through.

TOTE PLACEPOT

Race 4 (1st leg): 5, 6
Race 5 (2nd leg: 6, 9
Race 6 (3rd leg): 11
Race 7 (4th leg): 1, 4
Race 8 (5th leg): 8, 10
Race 9 (6th leg): 2, 9

Happy Valley card

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