RACEGOERS in Hong Kong are in for a treat at Sha Tin on Sunday, when a galaxy of equine stars line-up for the feature event on the 10-race programme, the £535,000 Group Two Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (9.10am) run over a mile.
Last season’s Group One Stewards’ Cup winner, Voyage Bubble heads the weights, conceding between four to 20 pounds to his nine rivals.
Once touted as the heir apparent to Golden Sixty in the local mile division after a fruitful summer campaign, subsequent overseas raids in Dubai and Japan didn’t go according to plan .
Although his trainer Ricky Yiu, blamed racing on anticlockwise tracks as an excuse, it did put a dampener on his profile and he will be looking to redeem his reputation despite his welter burden.
Records do show carrying top-weight is not insurmountable, with seven previous winners coming from the top of the handicap and another half-dozen that were just shy of the allotted top-weight mark obliging in the last 30 years.
A couple of trials at Conghua in China suggests the son of Deep Field is not far away from his best, but lurking at the bottom of the weights is the Francis Lui-trained CHANCHENG GLORY, ridden by Lyle Hewitson.
This highly progressive galloper won six times and placed twice from 13 runs last season, all over the course and distance.
The four-year-old improved 48 pounds according to the official ratings and, judged by his recent encouraging trial behind California Spangle, there looks even more to come.
This isn’t a two-horse race however and dangers are aplenty including the hugely talented Galaxy Patch, closely matched with Chancheng Glory on last season’s form, and exciting but unpredictable Beauty Eternal in the line-up.
With Hewitson confident of making the allotted weight – his minimum is normally 117 pounds – the omens are looking good, and he rates the value play in a ‘must-see’ contest.
POINTERS
Chancheng Glory 9.10am Sha Tin