FOLLOWING all the excitement from last Sunday’s racing at Sha Tin, it’s back to Happy Valley for their regular midweek programme today with a nine-race card that features the St Andrew’s Challenge Quaich (12.40pm), a nine-furlong handicap.
Reflecting on Sha Tin over the weekend, which acted as a dress rehearsal for the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races on December 14th, the local gallopers enhanced their prospects of picking up at least two of the four Group One prizes which will be on offer.
The LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint looks a formality for the world’s best sprinter Ka Ying Rising, after another demolition job on Sunday, and it will be worth the admission price alone just to watch him perform.
Romantic Warrior defied a 232-day absence to blow away his opposition, including champion Voyage Bubble, and the 10-time Group One winner should now have the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup at his mercy.
Although the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile and Vase look open affairs at present, make a note of the John Size-trained Bundle Award who will hopefully line-up in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase over 12 furlongs.
The five-year-old was a course-and-distance winner last season and looks to be peaking at the right time following his eye-catching performance behind Romantic Warrior over 10 furlongs on Sunday, when recording a closing 400m sectional time faster than the winner.
Returning to the upcoming action at the Valley, it looks to be all-systems-go for the Me Tsui-trained EVERSTAR, who bounced back to form with an encouraging close fourth from an unfavourable wide gate over the trip a fortnight ago.
Jimmy Orman’s mount lines up in the Brig O’ Doon Handicap (12.10pm) over six furlongs and finds himself only a couple of pounds higher in the handicap than for his course and distance win in April.
With a draw in four in his favour, he should get a perfect journey throughout and be hard to beat.
The main event at 12.40pm is a tight and highly competitive contest, where luck could play an important part in determining the winner.
The fact Zac Purton stays loyal to recent winner Supreme Agility having previously ridden Hakka Radiance and Northern Beast, points to his chance.
Supporters of Can’t Go Wong must have screamed with anguish when the seven-year-old, backed from 14-1 down to 7-2, was touched off a stride before the post recently, and they will surely be looking for compensation now.
With progressive and well-handicapped China Win in the line-up, but a nightmare outside gate against him, the advice is to take a watching brief.
The Glen Ogle Viaduct Handicap (2.15pm) over the extended mile finally offers A AMERIC TE SPECSO a great opportunity to score an overdue victory over his optimum trip, having gone close on a number of occasions.
After being dealt a series of awkward or wide draws recently he is better placed now in gate six, and regular rider Andrea Atzeni should be able to use his mount’s trademark finishing kick to good effect in the closing stages.
POINTERS
Everstar 12.10pm Happy Valley
A Americ Te Specso 2.15pm Happy Valley