Welcome to our preview and horse racing betting tips for the Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin on Sunday, December 9th.
This is the biggest race day on the Hong Kong calendar and one of the biggest anywhere in the world. We have four international Group 1s on the 10-race card, worth a combined HKD$93million!
Check out our betting tips for every race on the card below!
*Please note: there are no odds available at the time of writing, other than the four Group 1s.
SHA TIN RACING TIPS
Best Bet: Race 1 Charizard
Best Value Bet: Race 6 Dark Dream
RACE 1
It’s not often I’m this keen to bet into one of the early races but I’ll be getting stuck in here. There’s really only two horses I’m interested in but the clear standout is Charizard. I was bullish about his chances last start and he produced an enormous effort to win over the 1200m. He’s drawn wide in both career starts to date but has really hit the line hard in both races, the latest of which he clocked a final sectional of 21.81 seconds. That final 400m was the quickest of the entire meeting and he was the only horse to break 22 seconds. He goes up in weight to 60kg and it’s hard for horses to record successive wins but he looks well above average and I think he’s on his way to Class 3 after today. He draws much better in barrier 5 today so it will be interesting to see if they try to take a position closer to the speed or just let him find his feet and finish off like he has been. The only horse I see beating him is City Legend, who has six runner-up finishes to his name from 10 starts at this track and distance. He’s still a maiden but Purton goes back on and from the good draw he should run his usual honest race.
RACE 2
Near-on impossible race to assess with a significant number of horses in the field on debut in Hong Kong having previously raced overseas. It’s typically hard for horses to win on their Hong Kong debut so it might be worth sticking with the locals, but having said that, there is one horse who has trialled particularly well in preparation for his HK debut and that’s Loving A Boom. He’s had two trials – one on the Sha Tin dirt and one at Happy Valley – and both were very impressive. He travelled very strongly and went to the line under a strong hold on each occasion. Last time we saw him race he was a dominant winner over this distance in Ireland. Drawn wide but expect him to go forward and I think he’ll run well. We should get each way odds. Of the locals, I like the chances of Flying Bonus, who ran well for 3rd over the track and distance last start. Gets a jockey change today which is a positive and comes down in the weights as a result of Dylan Mo’s claim. Drawn well and can win. High Five is back to Class 3 after stepping up to Class 2 last start. He posted successive Class 3 wins before his last run so can feature again today with the 3kg claim.
RACE 3
Competitive race. Bigwood was fairly unlucky not to make it back-to-back wins last start when he went down a nose over this distance at Happy Valley. He had an interrupted run in the straight and was knocked around a bit so he did well to get as close as he did; in fact, he had his head in front before and after the line but missed the bob when it counted. Back to Sha Tin today, Purton sticks with him and despite the small rise in weight, he should prove hard to beat again from the good draw. Ho Ho Khan saluted over this track and distance at his last start. He was well beaten by Bigwood first up and rises in the weights pretty significantly on last start, but he should run well again from the good draw. Remarkable is the one I’m wary of. He will probably be decent odds (although not as big a price as he should be because of the Size/Moreira factor) but looks ready to win soon. He’s had a few runs back from a spell now and has improved with every run. He ran home in similar sectionals to the winner last start and it was at a similar stage last prep that he begun really hitting his straps. The concern is that all three of his victories have been on the dirt. Ho Ho Feel could be at cricket score odds but is a blowout chance.
RACE 4 – Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase
The first of the Group 1s is the Vase over 2400m and it looks a wide-open race this year with a particularly strong international presence. Waldgeist comes up favourite at $6.00. He strung four wins together earlier this year, all over this distance and all on different surfaces ranging from firm to soft. He was 1.8L off Enable in the Arc two starts ago before finishing 5th behind her in the US. The concern is the miles he’s travelled recently but if he brought that sort of form to this race he’d prove hard to beat. Exultant will be one of the leading local hopes. He is an out-and-out stayer and has a good record at this track and distance. He was very well-backed and hit the line powerfully when finishing 2nd to Eagle Way over 2000m last start. Both horses will appreciate the step up to 2400m and a good tempo would help. Mirage Dancer smoked Red Verdon two starts ago and Ryan Moore takes the ride for Sir Michael Stoute. He’s fresh into this and will appreciate the firm ground. Certainly a good hope. The Japanese have two hopes – Lys Gracieux and Crocosmia. They ran the quinela in a Japanese Group 1 last time out, 3L clear of the third horse. Moreira takes the ride on the former, who looks the better chance of the two, especially given Crocosmia has lost 12kg since arriving in Hong Kong. Latrobe is the Irish Derby winner who ran 2nd to Trap For Fools in the Mackinnon Stakes first up in Australia. There are some little concerns over his fitness leading into this as he’s been mildly lame this week. Waldgeist, Exultant and Mirage Dancer the ones I’m leaning to but there's any number of winning chances.
RACE 5 – Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint
Really only two or three I’m interested in here. Hot King Prawn is the obvious horse to beat. He’s won nine of his 10 career starts and has taken care of his local rivals in all three starts this preparation. If he can get across from barrier 11 without spending too much petrol, they’re really going to struggle to run him down. Mr Stunning looks the most likely of the rivals to do so. He ran him to within half-a-length last start and gets a 2kg weight swing in his favour today. Should be peaking for this third up and he did win this race last year. Little Giant is a relatively new kid on the block. He’s won five of his seven career starts and he slightly resembles Ivictory when he won the G1 Chairman’s Sprint earlier in the year, whereby he was untested in this company but still managed to come out on top. Purton elects to stick with him here in the hope he can make the step up. His final sectionals indicate he’s up to this sort of grade but whether the pressure of this race is a bit much for him at this stage is the little query. Fine Needle is the Japanese G1 winner who comes into this in terrific form, but the HK sprinters generally have the edge over the Japanese sprinters.
RACE 6
Intriguing race from an Aussie’s point of view. There’s three main horses I’m keen to focus on. Group 1 Queensland Derby winner Dark Dream makes his Hong Kong debut today for the Frankie Lor stable with Zac Purton booked to ride after steering him in two trials. He was only given a very easy time of things in those trials but his latest trial was very stylish. He finished 5th but went to the line under his own steam and travelled very nicely to the line. First up in Hong Kong is always a query, especially over a trip that’s likely short of his best, but he’s a horse with real quality and we should get an each way price. Helene Leadingstar (previously Leicester in Australia) was the G1 South Australian Derby winner and he also makes his Hong Kong debut today. He has also had two trials and he actually won the trial that Dark Dream ran in most recently. The improvement between Helene Leadingstar’s first trial and his second trial was significant and from the good draw I’d expect him to run well too. Of the locals, I’m interested in Mongolian King, who ran well for 4th first up and has a terrific second up record with two wins and a 2nd from three starts. Drawn well and should feature. We should get each way odds about all three of those horses. I’m keen to back Dark Dream but will definitely be having something on the other two.
RACE 7 – Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile
Could be the good thing of the day here, Beauty Generation. The reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year has returned in imperious form this preparation, winning all three starts, the latest of which was a track record. Despite drawing barrier 12, it’s no surprise he’s been backed from $1.80 into $1.50. The only slight concern to come out of last start was the fact he hung out badly in the straight and pulled up with some bruised heels. Feet issues going into any race is concerning, especially a race of this quality, but I’m sure John Moore will have him spot on for today and if he’s anywhere near his best, he’ll be winning this race for the second year running.
RACE 8 – Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup
Looks destined to head to Japan. Sungrazer is the $2.45 favourite after his runner-up finish in the G1 Tenno Sho last time out. Joao Moreira rode him on that occasion and sticks with him for today’s big one. I always prefer these races compared to the females, so he’s going on top from his Japanese counterpart Dierdre. The Group 1-winning mare has returned to her best form this prep, with two wins from as many starts over the 1800m. It will definitely be worth keeping an eye on Lys Gracieux in the Hong Kong Vase (Race 4) to see how she measures up because that could tell us plenty about the form. Dierdre beat Lys Gracieux last start and Lys Gracieux then came out and won a Group 1 at her next start. She’s drawn better than Sungrazer and looks up to her ears in this. Time Warp is the reigning HK Cup winner and he could definitely win this if they were to somehow leave him alone in the lead. We saw him get a soft lead in the race last year and he bolted in. Completely forget he went around last start when he was caught in a ridiculous speed battle. His form since last year has been very mixed but we all know his best form would see him win this. Glorious Forever is the younger brother of Time Warp and he actually broke Time Warp’s track record first up. He’s another one we need to forgive for last start as he and Time Warp were the two going a suicidal tempo up front courtesy of one of the more braindead rides you’ll ever see from Joao Moreira. Silvestre De Sousa takes over today and they absolutely won’t be leading from barrier 1, so he can bounce back.
RACE 9
Raging Storm reeled off a big finish to salute over this track and distance last start and despite a rise in the weights today, he could go on with things. Moreira retains the ride for John Size and although he’s drawn a touch sticky, he looks the one to beat. New Asia Sunrise has a great record at this track and distance and his second up run was a big improvement. From the good draw, he can run a bold race. Very interested to see how Gold Win measures up on debut here. He ran 3rd in a French Group 1 over the mile and his best distance is surely further than the 1200m of today’s race, but he’s trialled nicely leading into his Hong Kong debut. Keep an eye on him.
RACE 10
Noble Steed and Nicconi Express look the two horses to be on here. They ran the quinella over this track and distance last start, with Noble Steed finishing the better to score by 2.3L. I think Nicconi Express might be able to turn the tables today. Joao Moreira actually rode Noble Steed in that race but he jumps off today to ride Nicconi Express for John Size. Nicconi Express was only first up on that occasion (it was actually his HK debut), while Noble Steed was having his fourth run of the preparation. John Size runners always improve from their first up run to their second up runs, and with a 3.5kg weight swing on Noble Steed, I think he’ll be able to get his first HK win on the board.
