Graham Cunningham: HK title talk ramps up with just 20 races to go this season

Just 20 races remain in the Hong Kong racing season and the 11 at Sha Tin this Sunday mean different things to different players.

Joao Moreira will want to go out with a bang after an up-and-down campaign; Zac Purton is on a victory lap having all but sealed a fourth jockeys' championship; and Ricky Yiu, Francis Liu and Tony Cruz have a different title in mind as they strive to be top trainer. Sky Sports Racing covers all the action for a card with more than £1.6 million in prize-money on offer.

Cruz on the hunt with two meetings left

Anyone who thinks you can call the outcome of a HK trainers' title race before the last meeting of the season should have a word with Tony Cruz.

Cruz went head to head with Dennis Yip only to be denied in the last race of the season on a raucous night at Happy Valley seven years ago and is now part of a three-way scrap with Ricky Yiu and Francis Lui, three and two winners ahead of him.

Cruz feels Sunday is "the deciding factor as to whether I've got a chance or not" and feels he needs "at least three winners" to put himself firmly in the reckoning for a third title. But one or two would be enough to keep the pressure on the top two – especially given that Cruz would outscore them both on second places in the event of a tie.

Whyte's Delight worth early alarm

Sunday's feature Sha Tin Mile Trophy has produced a small field – hence the early off time of 7.00 – and half of the eight runners hail from Britain and Ireland. Fast Most Furious has collected four HK wins and almost £900,000 in prize money since winning a Leopardstown maiden for Jim Bolger four years ago and will be popular with Purton booked.

But whether he can master General's Delight and Karis Teetan is another matter. Douglas Whyte's gelding has progressed well in his first season, winning a Class 2 over course and distance then showing further improvement to finish a close fourth in Group 3 company from way out of the handicap. General's Delight was only half a length behind Fast Most Furious that day but has a 12lb pull here. In short, he's a well handicapped horse and Whyte is ending the season strongly after a double at the Valley on Wednesday.

Sky is the limit as Moreira signs off

Moreira still has a chance of pipping Purton in the jockeys' title, but knows the game is up with suspension looming for Wednesday's Season Finale at Happy Valley.

However, the Brazilian has a powerful book of rides to sign off with and Sky Field looks the pick of the bunch when he bids to confirm his trainer's opinion of him in the Mr Award Handicap (8.00). Fownes is never slow to boost horses when he feel they can collect and said, "I'd be disappointed if he doesn't make a mess of them" before Sky Field lined up over course and distance three weeks ago.

Sky Field didn't quite live up to his pre-race billing, finding one too good after enduring a rough trip, but the clock tells the tale. The chestnut clocked a strong 22.50s for his middle 400m and came home in an impressive 21.54s against a bang-in-form winner. Moreira takes over from the suspended Vincent Ho and all the signs suggest Sky Field could be well ahead of the handicapper off a mark of 57.

Better luck the key to Beauty parade

John Size's bid for a 12th trainers' title never got off the ground this season, largely due to a lack of progressive young horses and more seconds (70) than any other trainer in town.

The bout of seconditis has had a knock-on effect on Moreira's title bid but one of HK's most potent combinations could sign off on a high when Beauty Applause lines up for a competitive HK Racehorse Owners Association Trophy (9.40).

Water Diviner, Young Legend and Mongolian King all finished ahead of this flashy chestnut over course and distance last month but that doesn't tell the full story. Little went right for Beauty Applause after an awkward start and he did well to finish fifth given how little room he found. A little more luck will make him a leading player here.

Sha Tin Sunday card

Read more:

Graham Cunningham: all to play for at Sha Tin as title races heat up

Graham Cunningham: Moreira facing uphill struggle as title race nears conclusion

Graham Cunningham: the statistics prove Purton is a worthy champ

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