Track specialist Ting the man to follow at Happy Valley

Hardly Swears
1.45 Happy Valley
2pts win

Amazing Star
2.15 Happy Valley
2pts win

Reliable Team
2.50 Happy Valley
2pts win

Jimmy Ting is the trainer to follow at Happy Valley today as Hong Kong racing continues despite a partial lockout at the track and the closure of betting shops while health precautions are taken amid the coronavirus outbreak.

It's worrying times for China in general, and Hong Kong racing in particular, with Jockey Club officials reporting a 16 per cent drop in betting turnover on Monday and the gloomy prospect of current crowd restrictions being maintained for six to eight weeks.

Ting can justifiably be dubbed a Happy Valley specialist — 15 of his 20 wins this season have been at the city track — and Hardly Swears can endorse that claim by notching his fourth win on the trot there in the Class 3 6f handicap (1.45).

The five-year-old clearly took time to acclimatise as he had only one unplaced run to his name last term. But this season he has won three races, including his last two over course and distance. From the inside gate he is going to be hard to run down despite a 7lb hike in the handicap.

Jockey Keith M L Leung has endured a relatively lean spell this season, with Hardly Swears, a son of Black Caviar’s half-brother All Too Hard, providing three of his five winners. He will be anxious for another.

The nine-race Happy Valley card in full

Ting also saddles rapid improver Amazing Star in the Class 2 6f handicap sprint (2.15), in which the five-year-old attempts to maintain his progression through the ranks. Impressive wins by wide margins have seen him jump two classes in as many starts.

Zac Purton has stuck with him, although he will not have welcomed the wide draw in stall 12. Mr Croissant, having his first run at Happy Valley, could be the danger from an inside gate with Blake Shinn aboard.

The meeting concludes with a competitive Class 2 handicap over the extended 1m (2.50), in which Joao Moreira will partner the Frankie Lor-trained Reliable Team for the first time.

This capable gelding is four from seven and is in great form. He drops back in trip, looks perfectly suited by the conditions and should be given the run of the race by Moreira. High Rev is the chief danger.

Members can read the latest exclusive tipping content such as Pricewise and Paul Kealy from 6pm daily on racingpost.com