Hong Kong racing tips: pool betting expertise on the Sha Tin action

The Champions & Chater Cup, the final Group 1 of the Hong Kong season that stretches from September to July, headlines Sunday’s meeting at Sha Tin.

One of only three races held over Hong Kong’s maximum distance of 2400 metres (1m4f) each year – along with December’s Group 1 Hong Kong Vase and the Queen Mother Memorial Cup, a handicap held earlier this month – it is a rare test of “stamina” in a jurisdiction where speed is king.

The race dates back to 1870 and is one of the oldest contests on the Hong Kong calendar.

However, with so few opportunities for horses at this distance, it is no surprise that a small field of seven will line up here.

Hong Kong legend Tony Cruz, who has won the race nine times – on three occasions as a jockey and a further six as a trainer – will aim to make it a perfect ten by sending out three of the seven runners.

Put simply, he controls the race – he has the likely leader in Time Warp, he has the class runner in last year’s winner Exultant, and he has the most likely winner should Exultant not turn up in Furore.

It is hard to look past Exultant and he looks the clear one-out selection in a Placepot sequence that otherwise looks fairly open, with the best recommendation being to go wide in other legs to try and snare the dividend.

TOTE PLACEPOT

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

Sha Tin card

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