Happy Valley: Best Bets and Tips – 20 January

Racing this Wednesday sees a competitive nine-race programme at Happy Valley Racecourse with a host of top quality racing on offer, the top bet and value bet, which should be followed closely. 

VALUE BET – FAST PACE

BEST BET – LEWIS

Please turn your phone to landscape orientation to view the table below on mobile.

RACE 1

SKY GEM showed
signs of a form return last time. He is drawn best of all and has found one
better on two occasions so far this season. If putting his best foot forward
then he should give a good account of himself in the opening contest. SOCKET ELITE was one-paced last time
but his prior form is quite attractive. It is encouraging that Teetan has kept
faith in the ride and he can find a swift return to form. PRETTY BAUHINIA brings mainly moderate form. He doesn’t take on the strongest field this evening and has claims if repeating his penultimate
effort. 

RACE 2

This is a competitive race where some caution is advised.
The narrow first selection is SMART
CHARADE. He brings the most decent form into this race having placed in his
last two starts on this course. He looks fairly handicapped in this contest and
the seven-year-old can go one better. WOOD
ON FIRE likes to his best work late
and he is much better than his flat latest suggests. He won his penultimate run
in fine fashion and a repeat of that effort could find himself in the winner’s
enclosure. CHAMP PATROL is the class
in the race. He won his penultimate start under Moreira and the pair are
quickly reunited.

RACE 3

PRAWN YEAH YEAH
finished well last time under this apprentice. He is coming along the right way
and his form suggests he is approaching a competitive handicap. Apprentice Chau
retains the ride and he is a leading contender. ARDENODE is much better than his last outing. His prior form is
fairly attractive and with Belgian ace Soumillon in the saddle, he is capable
of finishing in the money. OVERSUBSCRIBED’S
last win was over this c&d and he was making up good ground in his fair
latest. FLYING MONKEY had excuses
last time with blood in trachea but his prior form is consistent and he must be
respected.  

RACE 4

A SMILE LIKE YOURS
is still relatively unexposed. He produced a promising debut effort and wasn’t
disgraced in his two starts after that. He definitely has the ability to win in
Class 4 and with the expected natural improvement on offer, he should take a
power of beating. AMBITIOUS HEART
will be without Moreira this time as he rides the top selection but his form
merits healthy respect and he also drops in class. WINSTON’S LAD has gone off the boil since reeling off a hat-trick
of wins. He will have to shoulder top weight but is the class in the race and
can get back to his best. 

RACE 5

FAST PACE was
finishing positively last time under Callan. He hasn’t been far off the winner
since his triumph in November and the manner in which he has been finishing off
his races suggests another win may be around the corner. He definitely
represents decent each-way value for Hong Kong racing pundits. MORE THAN A ENOUGH made a welcome form
return last time. Callan has opted to ride the top selection this time but he
is not out of it. GLORIOUS LOVER has
been thereabouts in his last three starts. He gets Moreira in the saddle who
may be able to coax a little bit extra out of him where it matters most.

RACE 6

COLONEL is
inconsistent and will have to shoulder top weight but the manner in which he
won his last start caught the eye. He hit the front at the 150m marker and it
was race-over. It is encouraging that Purton has kept faith in the ride and can
make it back-to-back triumphs. ORIENTAL
AMIGO has no luck in running last time. He has claims on his penultimate
run and with a clear passage in the race, he could make his presence felt. STOCK LEGEND returns from just over a
three-month break. He faces stronger this evening but gets the current leader of
the Hong Kong Jockeys Championship aboard. 

RACE 7

LEWIS is the best
bet on the card. He is relatively unexposed and was only narrowly beaten last
time under an apprentice. He makes his course debut and if suited to the track then
he should take an absolute power of beating. WEALTHY DELIGHT produced a career-best performance last time. If
repeating that type of effort then he should be able to pose a threat to the
top selection. SUNNY STAR finished well in his latest from
off the pace. He may prefer racing at Sha Tin but definitely has the ability to
run into the money. 

RACE 8

SPARKLING DRAGON
produced a good last effort over this c&d. He remains in Class 3 and gets
Teetan aboard, who will give all the necessary assistance from the saddle. SCORES OF FUN is arguably unlucky to
have not yet earned another win. He has finished second on five occasions since
his last win in September and looks the obvious threat on paper. HARMONY N HOME hasn’t finished far off
the winner in his last two starts. His last win came under Purton and it is
intriguing to see the pair reunited once again.

RACE 9

KINDA COOL is in
search of a hat-trick of victories. All three of his wins this season have come
at Happy Valley and he looks very difficult to oppose in the lucky last. WIND AND GRASS will benefit from a
lucky decent pace. He finishes strongly from off the pace and is much better
than his moderate last outing suggests. SMOOTHIES
is a capable pacesetter on his day. He is not in form at the moment but should
get across from his draw without using up too much energy and he must be
considered.