Placepot and Swinger advice for Sunday's cracking card at Sha Tin

Hong Kong is known the world over for its mammoth betting pools, which have become available to more people abroad in recent years through commingling. These days, a Tote bet online in Sheffield enters the Hong Kong pools and is streamlined with wagers coming in from Sydney, Singapore and San Francisco, with the global bettor accessing pool sizes once considered unthinkable.

Take the Swinger, which is known in Hong Kong as the "Quinella Place". The QP, as its known, is among the most popular bet types in the city. At this meeting last year, there was over £25 million in the Swinger pools across the ten races combined.

Placepot advice

The Richard Gibson-prepared Wellington, unbeaten after three starts, tackles a Class 3 handicap over 7f (8.25).

It is commonly said the toughest ceiling to conquer in Hong Kong is the top of Class 3, which is where Wellington finds himself now. It is even more tough as a three-year-old on his fourth start.

However, from gate three, champion rider Zac Purton should be able to position Wellington in a perfect spot just off the speed.

Even if he is defeated here, he looks a horse headed for higher grades and it’s hard to see him missing a place.

The same goes for Beauty Generation, Hong Kong’s two-time Horse of the Year who is aiming to win his third Group 1 Champions Mile (9.00).

The seven-year-old hasn’t missed a placing in more than two years and has a remarkably consistent record overall, only finding himself out of the money on six of his 37 starts in both Australia and Hong Kong.

This race drops off significantly in class beyond the top two, Beauty Generation and Waikuku, and Beauty Generation looks a good banker.

The Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (7.50) over 6f, sees enigmatic three-year-old Aethero attempt to restore his reputation after a horror show last time out in the Group 2 Sprint Cup over course and distance. He missed the start, raced fiercely, was checked and dropped out to finish a long last.

If the real Aethero turns up, he should score a first top-level win. However, to be safe, it is worth including the consistent Hot King Prawn as well.

The third of the Group 1 events is the QEII Cup over 1m 2f, (9.40). Exultant has a clear class edge on his rivals but it might be worth including his stablemate, Time Warp, who is always dangerous with a soft lead.

The last two races, are more tricky and it may be wise to keep hold of the aces to close out the card.

The first of the two is a Class 2 handicap over 6f (10.15). Computer Patch has drawn well for John Moore and Joao Moreira and should be afforded every chance. It may also be wise to include Glorious Spectrum, a former Italian galloper who has only raced once - poorly - since July. He has worked well since though and he clearly possesses talent.

A mile Class 2 handicap (10.50) is where it is best to go cover your bases by including four horses.

Cordyceps may get a soft lead under Vagner Borges and goes in purely on the map, while Hezthewonforus is racing well enough and should enjoy a good passage under the in-form Chad Schofield.

General’s Delight has drawn wide under apprentice Alfred Chan but he only needs a little luck to figure. The other worthwhile inclusion is the former Brazilian galloper Butterfield, who has been racing well and looks bound for bigger races next season.

TOTE PLACEPOT

Race 5 (1st leg): 1,11
Race 6 (2nd leg): 1
Race 7 (3rd leg): 1
Race 8 (4th leg): 1, 2
Race 9 (5th leg): 4, 11
Race 10 (6th leg): 3, 4, 9, 12

Swinger advice

As for the Swinger, it may be worth hoping that Glorious Spectrum returns to form in the 10.15, taking him with Computer Patch and Transcendent and hoping one of them pays off.

Earlier in the card, the Class 3 handicap over a mile (7.15) looks a potentially prosperous race from a Swinger perspective. Duckett’s Grove, formerly with Ed Walker, was abysmal at his first Hong Kong start when he ended up at the rear throughout. He has been brought along steadily since and he might be able to pinch a lead here. At a price, it’s worth taking him with last-start winner Lakeshore Eagle and the consistent Such A Happiness.

Sha Tin card

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