International Racing: Happy Valley (Turf) – Wednesday 27th November 2019

It’s the final meeting of November 2019, this Wednesday the 27th, before we return to Sha Tin this Sunday 1 December 2019. Hoping to finish off the month with a nice pay-day, punters will be looking for some confidence and a bit of value. 

The best bet appears to be LITTLE THUNDER, who lines up in the 5th race on the card. He turns up for his 5th appearance here and from a much-improved draw, he should get the job done this time. PERFECT TO PLAY is worth following in the preceding race on the card. The top-weight is a class dropper and he has found a good draw, after having to overcome wide berths in his last two starts and that could be the catalyst for a big run here.

Best Bet: LITTLE THUNDER (Race 5)
Value Bet: PERFECT TO PLAY (Race 4)

Race 1 – 12:45 – Class 5 – 1000m 
Selections: 4 – 7 – 3 – 11 – 1 
A tricky opener greets punters, made competitive by the fact that every participant has been dropping significantly in the ratings. LA BOMBA looks the stand out on that latest run when having his second start this year over this course and distance. That was just his 7th career outing and his second one since dropping into this class. From another useful draw, he will be fitted with the blinkers this time and off his current mark of 39, he has his peak run and should be hard to beat. ROYAL CHOCOLATE also showed good improvement last time, when dropping into this class on his return to racing this season. He finished right behind the top selection in that run and from an improved draw, he will strip a fitter horse this time. Sylvestre De Sousa takes the mount and looks a big contender here. WINWIN THIRTYTHREE was another improver last time out when dropping into this class. That was over the 1400m and there will be some question marks over the likelihood of him shaping over this trip. He has a tricky draw to overcome, but he too has slipped in the ratings and will be relying on a fast run race to have any sort of chance. If things go in his favour, he should be right there. SHOW MISSION is another contender to stem from the AFTER ME form line. He has been finishing just off them in this class for some time now and he lands a plum draw for his 4th start back this season, having dropped in the ratings of late. He lines up 3-pounds better off at the weights with the top selection on their latest encounter and on his course and distance record, he merits plenty of respect and must go in.


Race 2 – 13:15 – Class 4 – 1200m
Selections: 12 – 1 – 10 – 5 – 8 
FOCUS still has plenty of scope after just the 6-career starts so far. He has been dropping in the ratings in recent times and the improvement is coming. He has certainly returned a better horse in his last two starts, after a short absence towards the end of last season. Both of his comeback runs have come over this course and distance and from a much-improved draw this time, he looks very hard to oppose. TOP SCORE is much better off in this class and he is certainly no trier over this course and distance, having built up a solid record here. He has shown up well since returning this season and on his current trajectory, his winning turn is just around the corner, if not here. Moreira makes for an attractive jockey booking and must be included. SIMPLY FLUKE is still getting going in his career and he slipped another point in the ratings after a solid effort last time. He clearly still has a lot to learn, but with the experienced De Sousa up this time he could prevail if overcoming the draw. With a bit of luck in running, he should be right there. IRON BOY pulled up lame last time out, so he can be forgiven for that modest performance. He finds an improved draw here and on his penultimate start over this course and distance, his followers know that he is capable of going one better. Rispoli jumps back aboard and if all goes to plan, they should be involved at the business end.

Race 3 – 13:45 – Class 5 – 1800m
Selections: 3 – 12 – 7 – 1 – 2 
ROMANTICE JOURNEY has gone close in his last two starts, since reverting back to this course. He has gone close over this course and distance twice from three attempts and the long-time maiden looks set to get it right this time. He gets the service of Moreira for the first time and that could be the difference. GOLDEN KID finished right behind the top selection in his last two starts. He has slipped to a competitive rating, since dropping into this class. The recess seems to have freshened him nicely as well and he has returned with three good efforts this term. He went close over this course and distance in his penultimate run and his record at this track and trip give one the sense that he will love dropping back to this trip here. Sanna retains the ride and he’s a big threat. LUCKY SHINY DAY has improved since dropping in the ratings and the cheekpieces seem to have accentuated that. He is still a maiden after 21 starts, but he looks a big threat off his current mark of 32. He lands an improved draw here and with this being his peak run back this season, he must go in. LE PANACHE has been knocking on the door since returning this season. The drop into this class seems to have helped and he should win soon off his current rating. Sylvestre de Sousa makes for an attractive jockey booking and from a plum draw, he rates a major threat and must be included over this trip.

Race 4 – 14:15 – Class 4 – 2200m
Selections: 1 – 10 – 6 – 8 – 5 
PERFECT TO PLAY is a class dropper and he lands a much-improved draw for this step up in trip. He has a useful record at this course and he will be looking to recapture that form he showed just before those two recent tries on the All-Weather. The stable is in useful form and if he sees out the trip, he will be running on strongly late and should just about win this. DIONYSUS COLLIN had every chance to claim his maiden victory last time out when stepping up to the 1800m. He should relish the extra here and after just the 12 career starts, he should still have some scope for improvement. Drawn well, he is 3-pounds better off with BULLISH GLORY and he must be included. ABOVE has been very impressive lately, taking the rise into this class in his stride. He has a tough draw to overcome this time, but he will be looking for some cover just off the early speed. With de Sousa up, he’ll relish the extra furlong and he has a great shot at landing the double. CHEERFUL STAR has dropped in the ratings and he lines up 5-pounds better off at the weights, on that latest effort to BULLISH GLORY. He finds a much-improved draw this time and the French-bred son of Excelebration is going to thrive over this 11-furlong trip. Hewitson will be desperate for a win and with a bit of luck in running, he has a great shout here.


Race 5 – 14:45 – Class 4 – 1200m 
Selections: 8 – 1 – 10 – 4 – 2 
LITTLE THUNDER has only had the 4-career starts so far and he has improved with each run. Forced to race wide from gate 12 last time, he did well to box on for 3rd place and the improved draw should set him up nicely here. He has plenty of scope to improve on his good latest over this course and distance and with de Sousa up, he looks the right one. FARSHAD is a class dropper on the back of a solid effort in Class 3 company last time out. That was over the 1650m and his running style should suit the drop to the 6-furlongs. He was relegated from 3rd to 4th in his only ever attempt over this course and distance and a repeat of that effort in this class should be good enough to give a good impression. MEHBOOB has been dropping in the ratings and he has shown good improvement of late. He has his peak run here and Chadwick retains. With this being his 7th career outing, he has scope for improvement and must be included. KING’S TROOPER was poor last time and he clearly wasn’t himself, when finding favouritism amongst punters and he is back to redeem himself here. He lands another useful draw and his followers will have some confidence in the fact that Moreira has opted to stick with him. His only career win came over this course and distance and he deserves another chance. His stable is in form and he must go in.

Race 6 – 15:15 – Class 3 – 1000m
Selections: 10 – 5 – 6 – 1 – 12 
JUMBO PRIZE has his 9th career outing here and he is starting to show ominous signs of picking up that 2nd career victory. He enjoyed dropping to this trip last time out, despite being drawn on the wrong side of the course. He lands a plum draw this time, on his return to his favoured course and Bayliss retains the ride for this in-form outfit. He is a speedy sort and the likely winner here. BALTIC WHISPER finished behind the top weight (GENTLE BREEZE) last time when having his third start since dropping back into this class. He has continued to drop in the ratings and lines up 13-pounds better off with the former for that 3,5-length defeat. From an improved draw, Shinn retains the ride and he must be included. SPECIAL STARS had a tough draw to overcome last time, when finishing behind the second selection. He has been in good recent form and has the benefit of jumping from pole this time. Moreira sticks with the ride and if repeating his penultimate run which also came over this course and distance, he will go very close to winning. GENTLE BREEZE has a been a revelation in recent times, having won three out of his last four starts. He was given a 12-point penalty for his latest victory and has been given the arduous task of overcoming gate 10 this time. With that said, he has an excellent record over this course and distance and if given a chance, he’ll be right there.

Race 7 – 15:45 – Class 4 – 1200m
Selections: 7 – 4 – 12 – 10 – 3
SUPER WINNER stayed on nicely in the closing stages last time out when having the tongue tie fitted for the first time. He had a particularly tough draw to overcome in that run and having been gifted a plum draw this time, he looks set to land his first career win. He lines up 6-pounds better off at the weights with the victor of his last start and with obvious scope to improve, he looks the one to beat. GUNNAR has been finishing just off them in recent times and he has slipped 4-points in the ratings in his last two starts. He wasn’t disgraced in his recent effort, when having a wide barrier to contend with and being forced to rally wide in the closing stages. From gate 2 this time, he gets the tongue tie fitted and rates a major contender. HOLEE MONEY is knocking on the door having shown good improvement with the decrease in rating. He enjoyed the step up to this trip last time when having just his second start at this course and with de Sousa up this time, he has his second run back this term. He will strip a fitter horse and if all goes to plan, he will be right there at the business end. NICE KICK has returned with good intent this term, since dropping to the 6-furlongs on both comeback runs. He looks competitive off his current mark of 48, but gate 1- may present a few problems for the son of Anacheeva. Moreira knows him well, having ridden him on 15 previous occasions and from just off the speed he should be mounting a big challenge in the closing stages.

Race 8 – 16:15 – Class 3 – 1800m
Selections: 1 – 6 – 4 – 3 – 2 
The South African bred, COT CAMPBELL, has landed on a competitive rating and he has been knocking on the door in his last three starts, since dropping into this class. The blinkers may also be having the desired effect and his chances will be boosted by the engagement of Moreira to do duty in the irons this time. He does have a wide draw to negate, but he will be looking to find cover just off the early speed and he’ll have no issues with the slight step up in trip. If building on his recent form, he looks tough to oppose. PARTY TOGETHER has dropped in the ratings and he has shown good improvement since reverting to this course in his last two starts. The draw certainly helped last time and he finds another good one here. With the 3-pound claimer up, he lines up a full 9-pounds better off with the winner of his last start and if building on that run, he’ll go close. CLEMENT LEGEND has shown some promising form in his last few starts and he could’ve gone a lot closer last time, had it not been for major traffic issues at the start of his run. He was never really in the race thereafter but did well to rally late for a 4,25-length defeat.  That was on the Sha Tin Turf and he will relish returning to his favourite course here, where he has picked up a record of 4 wins from 10 outings. From a good draw, he must be included on current form. TASHIDELEK finished just in front of the former last time out and he seems to be finding some useful form. From a slightly better draw this time, he will be looking to put his best foot forward and should be right there in the finish.

Race 9 – 16:50 – Class 3 – 1200m
Selections: 5 – 1 – 10 – 6 – 3
HIGHLY PROACTIVE gave a very good account of himself on his local debut when finding outside support. That was at Sha Tin and he turns to Happy Valley, where he has landed a useful draw for his second start here. He should handle the extra furlong this time and the tongue-tie should help his cause. He was unbeaten in two starts before he arrived here, so he clearly has some ability. With the expected improvement to come, he should be tough to beat. KASI FARASI drops into a class where he is a two-time winner from five attempts. He drops in trip for his peak run back this season and lands a plum draw for good measure. He should enjoy the reduced trip, as he shows plenty of early speed and against this opposition, he should be right there. MERIDIAN GENIUS finished in front of the top selection last time out but probably doesn’t have as much scope to improve as the latter. With that said, it was a smart first effort against this class of opposition and with just the 3-pound penalty received, he should enjoy the extra furlong and looks a big danger. THE RUNNER showed good improvement in his follow up attempt here when stepping up to this course and distance. He is already a two-time winner from seven starts and has plenty of scope for further improvement. Sylvestre de Sousa has a tricky draw to overcome, but with a bit of luck in running, he should be involved in the finish.