Spicy can help rookie handler Frankie lay down the Lor again

Spicy Sure
9.15 Sha Tin
2pts win

Take a bow if you stayed up past midnight for the Breeders' Cup.

Take another if you are up with the milkman for Tuesday's Melbourne Cup.

And if you fancy some Hong Kong action in between then fire up RUK or ATR this Sunday morning for a Sha Tin card featuring some of the best young prospects on the Hong Kong beat.

Hot King Prawn and Conte will be heavy favourites for champion trainer John Size in the 6.00 and 6.30 and the question of whether to wade in at short odds persists once the main events get under way.

There's no question Time Warp is a worthy favourite for the featured Sa Sa Ladies' Purse at 8.05 and I would be happy to back him at 2-1.

But the fact that Joao Moreira is aboard for the first time suggests an SP of something under 6-4 is more likely, in which case Eagle Way is worth considering.

John Moore's gelding finished behind Time Warp on his reappearance but the extra 400m here is a plus and this could be much closer than the betting suggests.

Size's former assistant Frankie Lor has made a superb start to his first season as a trainer and Spicy Sure caught the eye when leading at an overly strong pace on his reappearance.

That form alone gives Spicy Sure sound claims under Neil Callan in the 9.15 and a strong second to Time Warp in a recent morning trial adds to the view that he's worth backing at 2-1 or better.

Last but not least comes the issue of what the market will make of fast-improving Fifty Fifty in the finale at 9.50. This lightly-raced grey powered clear after being caught in a pocket here last month.

I suspect he's still ahead of the handicapper but he's likely to start on the skinny side of evens. And taking odds-on in a 14-runner handicap featuring smart prospects like Pingwu Spark and Sacred Elixir hardly looks a bargain.