SATURDAY’s feature race on the Sha Tin card is the £300,000 Kowloon Tong Club Trophy (8.05am), a handicap over one mile.
This is a tough race to call with the majority of the nine contenders having good chances if running to their best.
Voyage Samurai is the likely leader but has been below-par in recent times – weakening in the closing stages – and jockey Derek Leung will need to get his early pace fractions right if he is to be there at the finish.
The likes of Nimble Nimbus, The Golden Scenery, Woodfire Bro, Awesome Fluke and Karma all need strongly run contests to be seen in their best light, which may not happen unless someone pesters Voyage Bubble for the lead.
This should set up nicely for Sunlight Power who won a similar contest in January and subsequently ran a close third to leading HK Derby hope Johannes Brahms over the course and distance last month.
He is likely to go off a short-priced favourite though and it may be worth giving another chance to KARMA who was ridden all wrong when close-up from the off in his latest race, and consequently never settled throughout the contest behind Johannes Brahms.
If ridden cold from the start he can prove that recent form all wrong and utilise his strong finishing burst to good effect in the closing stages.
Trainer Caspar Fownes, trainer of Karma, could also be on the mark when KAHOLO ANGEL lines up in the first division of the Como Handicap (9.10am) over seven furlongs.
His latest form can be forgotten when unable to overcome a wide draw and over-racing early on, but his previous performance when splitting smart performers Packing Angel and Bundle Ward over the track and trip in January is the best form on view.
The likes of the Size-trained Juneau Pride, Victory Sky and bottom-weight Master Of All are all obvious threats, but if pilot Luke Ferraris can make the most of his favourable draw with a rails-hugging journey, he is capable of scoring an overdue win.
POINTERS
Karma e/w 8.05am Sha Tin
Kaholo Angel 9.10am Sha Tin