The Hong Kong International Races are upon us on what is one of the biggest and best race days in the world.
The four Group 1's on the card - the Vase, Sprint, Mile and Cup - carry a combined HK$83 million in prizemoney, with some of the world's best horses engaged. The undercard to the Group 1's is also set to be a cracker with some particularly exciting young horses that may be set to run in the big races this time next year.
We have betting tips for all 10 races on the card below with the action kicking off at 3:25pm AEDST.
Hong Kong International Races Betting Tips - December 11th
Race 1
JING JING WIN is the first of the young horses I referred to that should be running in the Group 1's next year. This horse cost HK$8.5 million at the sales and has coasted to victory at both starts so far, winning them by a combined 6.8 lengths. He'll be long odds on and will have this lot covered quite easily.
Tip: Jing Jing Win
Race 2
A few chances here and it may be worth sticking with WILLIE WAY who rises in class here after consecutive wins over track and distance to start the prep. Those were both in Class 4 here so this is another test, but Zac Purton riding at the weight (he will have to ride a few pounds over the 53.5kg) suggests he is a good chance of keeping his unbeaten record over track and distance in tact. Hugh Bowman's mount LOTUS STRIKES BACK ran well to finish 3rd over track and distance last start and gets back to a winnable mark. Four starts ago he ran 2nd by a nose over this track and distance off this weight and from the barrier he should get his chance. Keep ISHVARA safe with the 4.5kg weight claim and the drop in class bringing him right into contention. The 4.5kg claimer riding from barrier 10 is the concern with him.
Tip: Willie Way
Race 3
Moreira looks hard to beat here with the John Size-trained BEAT THE CLOCK. This horse won easily on debut by 3 lengths before stepping up to class 3 last start and finishing 2nd. He drew wide that day and had to cover ground but still ran well behind a fairly smart horse in People's Knight. He draws wide again here but Moreira won't want to be caught wide again and he looks a very good chance to win again. He will be under the odds because of the Size/Moreira factor though. Winner's Way, Super Man and Super Talent are all chances.
Tip: Beat The Clock
Race 4 - The Longines Hong Kong Vase 2400m - Group 1
The first of the Group 1's and it looks at the mercy of HIGHLAND REEL, who won this race last year. Since then he has won two more Group 1 races in the UK and America, as well as finishing 2nd in a further two Group 1's, one of which was the Arc. This is his pet distance and from barrier 10 we should see him roll forward. He looks incredibly hard to beat here and the $2 fixed is a good price.
The biggest threat looks to come from BIG ORANGE and French horse SILVERWAVE. Reports suggest they are going to try and make it a real staying test with Big Orange and set a good tempo to try and run the others into the ground. Silverwave, on the other hand, is coming off a disappointing run in the Arc, but his form previous to that was very strong, with a Group 1 and Group 2 victories over this distance in France. They face a tough task beating Highland Reel, though.
Tip: Highland Reel
Race 5 - The Longines Hong Kong Sprint 1200m - Group 1
This does look a race between LUCKY BUBBLES and BIG ARTHUR. Lucky Bubbles looks the best of the locals and he has never finished outside the top 2 from 10 runs at the track and distance. Last start he ran 2nd to Not Listenin'tome but he simply got too far back and I'm sure Prebble won't make the same mistake from barrier 5 here.
BIG ARTHUR should be well suited by the Sha Tin track given the tracks they run on in Japan are like cement. He was a Group 1 winner in Japan only three starts ago in red hot time, running 1:06.70 for the 1200m (but the track was rated Firm). He started this prep with a comfortable Group 2 win before failing last start. He is Japan's best sprinter and their best sprinters have won this race before with the likes of Lord Kanaloa who they rate him just as high as, so he should go well here. Barrier 13 is a bit sticky for him, but he does get the notable booking of Ryan Moore.
AEROVELOCITY will be thereabouts. They have said all prep that he wouldn't show his best until today and that his fitness has been building to have him right for this, so if he were to produce his best form he would probably win this. Barrier 2 will give him the run of the race, but the question is whether his best days are behind him given he's now 8 years old.
Tip: Lucky Bubbles
Race 6
This is a fantastic race. RACING SUPERNOVA stepped up to 1400m for the first time last start and won quite emphatically. He gets in with the same weight here given the quality of race this is and his rating, and from barrier 1 he should get a nice run. Interestingly, Moreira rode him to victory last start but jumps off him today, which is always important to note. He has Mr Bogart and Blizzard covered last start and it would be no surprise to see him win again.
Moreira instead chooses to ride BLIZZARD here, which finished 3rd behind Racing Supernova last start. He carried 60kg on that occasion and drops 3.5kg to 56.5kg here and prior to that he finished 2 lengths behind Lucky Bubbles, which is great form for this. I think this horse is flying and the choice of Moreira could be a big hint.
MR BOGART is racing well and gets both a 2kg weight swing on Racing Supernova and the strong booking of Zac Purton, while SIMPLY INVINCIBLE is a horse on the up after beating home Pakistan Star last start. The value in the race could be RAPPER DRAGON at the top of the weights, who resumes from a spell and was meant to be running in one of the Group 1s before he had a setback.
Tip: Blizzard
Race 7 - The Longines Hong Kong Mile 1600m - Group 1
The third of the Group 1 races sees Hong Kong superstar ABLE FRIEND attempt to avenge his loss in this race last year. He pulled up injured out of that race and spent close to a year on the sidelines before returning first up two weeks ago over 1200m. He ran given how long he was out for and the distance was short of his best, and from all reports he is showing signs of being back to his best. If that were to be the case and the real Able Friend turned up, he would win this comfortably.
His biggest danger could be Ryan Moore's mount NEOREALISM for Japan. This horse finished 3rd by a length in a Group 1 over 1600m first up in Japan, and his 2nd up record suggests he should go very close here. He draws slightly sticky but his best is good enough to win this. BEAUTY ONLY must rate a chance after a solid win in the Group 2 Jockey Club Mile last start, which is the traditional lead up race for this. He, too, draws wide but he will settle back in the field anyway. HELENE PARAGON is the other horse worth mentioning. He should have finished much closer in that race won by Beauty Only but was blocked at a critical stage in the straight.
Tip: Able Friend
Race 8 - The Longines Hong Kong Cup 2000m - Group 1
This is the best bet of the day with MAURICE. This horse is a genuine superstar. Last year he came to Hong Kong and won the Hong Kong Mile, defeating the likes of Able Friend, before returning first up in May and winning the Champions Mile in devastating fashion. Last start he put to bed any fears that he couldn't run a strong 2000m with a convincing win in the Group 1 Tenno Sho. All things being equal, this horse should be winning here and it's very likely that he retires after this race.
The biggest danger should be his Japanese companion A SHIN HIKARI who won this race last year in one of the more remarkable performances I've ever seen. I say "should" because as he proved last start in Japan, he can be a real handful and simply give up if he doesn't feel like it on the day. His parade antics last start cost him the race before it was even run, so with the freshness taken out of him he should be able to bounce back here. We saw him run his rivals into the ground last year and they will be trying to do the same thing once again here.
The Japanese certainly have the locals covered in this race.
Tip: Maurice (best bet)
Race 9
MR STUNNING is a Group 1 horse and anyone who backed him (or even watched) first up will still be feeling sick. He really should have won but he missed the start and then ran into backsides before flashing home to run 2nd behind Line Seeker. From barrier 11 Joao will just look to keep him out of trouble today and with all things being equal, he should just win.
Tip: Mr Stunning
Race 10
Punters won't want to jump in at the $1.75 about PAKISTAN STAR here but if he edges out towards the $2.00 mark I'd be more than happy to have a large bet on him. He draws barrier 14 here and that means he will do exactly what he's always done, which is go back and try to run them all down. At least from barrier 14 he won't get strung up in traffic and can be unleashed down the wide outside. Let's just hope Chadwick doesn't set him an impossible task.
The biggest danger is obviously WESTERN EXPRESS who is undefeated and has the services of Joao Moreira. His win last start was impressive and despite once again rising in class he should be hitting the line hard. He also has a wide barrier to overcome but did so quite comfortably last start when he started from gate 11.
The interesting horse in the race is APOLLO'S CHOICE for Zac Purton. This horse comes into this 3rd up from a spell, and last start finished behind Racing Supernova, Mr Bogart and Blizzard who are three very good horses running in the Class 1 in Race 6. That's good form for a race like this.
If Pakistan Star gets to the right price, he's worth backing.
Tip: Pakistan Star
Take note: Any of the tips in this article are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always gamble responsibly. Also be sure to check out the Before You Bet Twitter Page for all our thoughts in the lead up to bets! Happy punting!
