Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing at Sha Tin on Sunday, January 19th.
It's a big day of Group 1 racing this evening, with The Stewards' Cup and Centenary Sprint Cup headlining a 10-race card at Sha Tin.
Find our preview and tips of some of the key races below!
Sha Tin Racing Tips: Sunday, January 19th
Race 2 (Market)
(4) Sparkling Star was an eye-catcher on debut when he came from the back of the field to rattle home into 3rd, but he was a touch disappointing last start when I was pretty keen on him. He gets a big jockey change today with Matthew Poon replaced by Zac Purton, so I have to butter up again. He's drawn a touch wide in barrier 10 but that's not the worst thing as he tends to get back anyway. If he can reproduce an effort similar to what he did on debut, he'll take some beating.
Race 3 (Market)
A couple of smart types going around here. I'm going to take on the favourite as his price is a bit too short for mine, so I'll go with the next two in the market in (1) Leap Of Faith and (8) Party Everyday. Leap Of Faith has run 2nd in his past two starts, beaten half-a-length on both occasions. He's drawn well again today to get absolutely every chance so he'll have no excuses. Party Everyday ran 3rd behind Leap Of Faith last start but his closing sectionals were much better. Leap Of Faith ran home in 23.84-23.48, while Party Everyday finished off in 23.56-22.81. He'll have to come from the back again but based on last start, he should be closing in hard again at $6.00.
Value: (8) Party Everyday $6.00
Race 4 (Market)
(4) Daily Beauty was an eye-catcher on debut, where he drew barrier 14, went back and closed off in the clear fastest final 400m of the race (22.76sec). Purton sticks with him today and he draws much better in barrier 2, so he should be afforded a closer run in transit and if he can still produce that turn of foot at the end, he'll be awfully hard to hold out. He's already been $5.00 into $3.20 since markets opened and it wouldn't shock me to see him start shorter.
Race 5 - The Stewards' Cup (Market)
The first Group 1 of the day is over the mile and we see a rematch between (1) Beauty Generation and (3) Waikuku from when they last met in the Hong Kong Mile. The pair finished behind the Japanese raider Admire Mars on that occasion, with Waikuku 1.3L ahead of Beauty Generation. Beauty Generation gets a few gear changes today with the blinkers coming off and the winkers going on for the first time in his career, and the stable seem to think he's very fresh. He'll kick through from barrier 1 and probably lead, while Waikuku will sit further toward the back of the field from barrier 7 of 7. It looks a two-horse race and unless the gear changes turn Beauty Generation's little slump around, Waikuku should break through to win his first major.
Race 7 - The Centenary Sprint Cup (Market)
The second Group 1 is for the sprinters and again, we see a rematch of quite a few of these from when they last met in the HK Sprint back in December. With a small field like this, it could all come down to tactics. There's no Aethero today, so the pace appears much slacker and it will be interesting to see who takes on the role of leader. I suspect that will be (2) Hot King Prawn from barrier 2. He was beaten fair and square by (1) Beat The Clock in the HK Sprint - Beat The Clock came off his back and ran home over the top - but with a slow tempo it could play into the hands of Hot King Prawn if he can find the lead at his own leisure. There wasn't much separating them last start so if Beat The Clock is giving him a few lengths at the top of the straight, he might struggle to peg him back. (4) Full Of Beauty might be the horse flying under the radar.
Race 10 (Market)
(2) Smart Patch comes up favourite here and will be hard to beat on his last start run, but there's two down the bottom of the weights that appear good odds. (13) Such A Happiness is a $15 chance and looks a good bit of value to my eye. He ran 4th last start, which was his first run for 10 weeks, and he closed off in the fastest final 400m of the race. I think he'll be even better next start but he was only beaten 2L and from a soft draw today, he can give this a real shake. (14) Bellagio is a horse I was very keen on last start but nothing went right for him. He flashed home first up and really caught the eye, but Moreira had him trapped three-wide the trip last start and he couldn't close off. He draws much better in barrier 5 today and Van Niekerk takes over from Moreira. Interestingly, he's had 11 weeks since his last run but he's had three trials to keep him ticking over, and he stays at the mile rather than resume over a shorter trip. I have to back him again here at the each way odds available.
Value: (13) Such A Happiness $15
race 10 - (13) such a happiness / (14) bellagio
