UMBRELLAS will once again come to the fore for racegoers, when racing gets underway with a 10-race programme at Sha Tin in Hong Kong on Sunday.
Following a brief respite, with pleasant conditions at Happy Valley in midweek, the forecast of heavy rain and probable thunderstorms, points to surface conditions being soft or yielding once again.
The Frankie Lor stable are in a rich vein of form at present, saddling winners at six of the last seven race meetings.
The former champion trainer is represented in eight of the 10 races and will surely be disappointed if he doesn’t further add to his 37 victories this season.
While the likes of Healthy Happy in the feature race, the Class One Racing Heritage Handicap (6.45am) over seven furlongs, and Run Run Cool in the Sha Tin Clubhouse Handicap (8.40am), again over seven furlongs, catch the eye, he looks to have even better chances of success later on the card.
The Chris So-trained Sunny Da Best will be all the rage with bettors in the Beas River Country Club Handicap (9.40am) over seven furlongs, following an impressive front-running success over the course and distance last month.
He does, however, have a hefty nine-pound penalty for that win, and could be vulnerable to fast-improving Lor-trained SUPER UNICORN, who has a sizeable weight advantage with Sunny Da Best on last month’s performance.
With a track-bias favouring gallopers up with the early pace from the start, it is hard to overlook the credentials of LOYAL BO BO in the Beijing Clubhouse Handicap (10.50am) over seven furlongs.
With an unblemished record of two from two over the course and distance, and a favourable low draw setting him up for his preferred front-running role, he should be hard to catch in the closing stages.
POINTERS
Super Unicorn 9.40am Sha Tin
Loyal Bo Bo 10.50am Sha Tin