The Winning Form Team bring you all of their best bets and tips for Sha Tin’s racing on Sunday 8 September 2019.
A shared meeting on the Turf and All-Weather tracks today, bring an interesting mix of handicaps. The headline event on the card appears to be the 8th Race, a Class 2 event over the 1200m where 12 starters will line up. But we will have to wait for the 7th Race on the card, to find our best bet. That comes in the form of the So trained, INVINCIBLE MISSILE.
Best Bet: INVINCIBLE MISSILE
Value Bet: DIAMOND LEGEND
Race 1
Selections: 6 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 7
A modest opener on the card and we have landed on EXPONENTS to kick us off on a winning note. The son of Foxwedge lands an improved draw today after showing a fast finish, when coming from off the pace last time out. He has won and placed third in his two starts over the course and distance and with that in mind, looks a big runner and should be worth following. CORRE RAPIDO looks the obvious early speed in the race. He resented the extra ground last time and will be much happier with this race being back on his preferred surface, over the 1200m. He reverts back into Class 5 opposition and with Purton up today, he looks a big challenger. FORTUNE HAPPINESS has been dropping in the ratings of late and he showed good improvement last time out, when landing a draw and showing guts to rally late on. That was after dropping into this class of opposition and from another useful draw with the blinkers fitted today, he must have a firm chance. SUPREME WITNESS looks set for big improvement with the drop-in trip today. He has been contesting over 7-8 furlongs of late and doesn’t seem to be seeing it out. With his preferred ‘handy’ running style, he should be right there at the finish.
Race 2
Selections: 9 – 7 – 2 – 1 – 5
CALIFORNIA LEGEND looks set to take up the early running once again and getting there should be a ‘cake walk’, considering that he jumps from gate 4 today. He showed good improvement when stepping up in trip last time out and gets the blinkers removed for this run. With Karis Teetan up, he looks competitive here with his diminishing rating and we make him the one to beat. INDIGENOUS STAR was exceptionally well ridden by Zac Purton last time out. He showed good initiative to re-educate this son of Exceed And Excel, by taking him forward in the early running. That effort came just before the summer recess and resulted in a win. As such, one can expect a repeat of those tactics and they may pay dividends once again, if he is not a touch in need of this. SUCH A HAPPINESS has enjoyed the step up in trip in his last two starts, kicking off with a win in his penultimate start under Jo Moreira (who regains the ride today). He had a wide draw to overcome last time out and found traffic through the 900m mark, yet still managed to box on for 4th. From gate 6 today, it is hard to imagine him not fighting out the finish and he must be included. NEW ELEGANCE drops into Class 4 company today and that is accompanied by a further drop in ratings, for this son of High Chaparral. He has had excuses in his last two starts and may have finished closer as a result. With Purton up from a slightly improved draw, he could be right there at the finish.
Race 3
Selection: 5 – 2 – 6 – 3 – 7
JOY MASTER showed good improvement when stepping up to this trip last time out and that was after taking a nasty bump at the start. He has been dropping in the ratings for some time now and also takes on ‘lesser’ Class 5 company for his 17th career attempt today. Off his current rating with Moreira up from pole, he looks the main danger to them all. FLYING NOBLE drops back into this Class 5 company after three modest performances against stronger. That said he may have finished a lot closer in all three efforts, had it not been for three separate position costing incidents during the course of those runs. He managed to rally late in his last two starts and if overcoming another tricky draw today, he should add to that reasonable course and distance record he currently has to his name. NATURAL FLAIR hasn’t quite shaped in his last three starts at this course. He has lost a few points in the ratings as a result and takes on lesser opposition today, with this being a Class 5 handicap. From another fair draw, he should enjoy the slight drop in trip and looks a worthy inclusion. ENORMOUS HONOUR has been just off them in his last five efforts and had it not been for the traffic that forced him to ease in his last start, he may have finished a lot closer. A concern would be his poor record at this course, but he gets the visor fitted for today’s run and off his reduced rating he could improve to feature prominently.
Race 4
Selections: 6 – 2 – 5 – 11 – 10
AURORA PEGASUS has had just the two starts under his belt and he steps up to the 6 furlongs today, for his Sha Tin debut. He finished just off them in both starts, despite taking a hold in the early stages. Interestingly, he’ll be fitted with a tongue tie for this appearance and Zac Purton reclaims the mount having ridden him on debut. He should have plenty of scope and appears to be the one to beat. SHOUSON has his second start in Class 4 company and lands a much-improved draw after having little luck in that department, in his last three starts. The son of Star Witness had to check in his last start and with a bit more luck in running, he should make the necessary improvement to feature. SUPREME PLUS has been finishing just off them in his last few starts and he is beginning to look threating. He found severe traffic in his last start, at a crucial time and may have finished a lot closer had he found a smooth passage through. He is fitted with the blinkers today and having feature prominently in all three attempts over this course and distance, he looks an obvious inclusion. SPEEDY OPTIMIST has also been right there in all three of his efforts over the course and distance. He was only beaten by 2.5 lengths in his last start, despite having to check through the 950m mark and that would’ve cost him valuable momentum. Apprentice So retains the ride and he should be right there again.
Race 5
Selections: 9 – 1 – 3 – 8 – 5
A competitive Class 4 event to take us through the half-way mark of this meeting, with plenty of early speed on. GRAND HARBOUR has a clear affinity for this surface and his last three efforts are clear enough signs that he is better off on the All-Weather track. The 9-year-old son of Savabeel may have lost a touch of his early sharpness, but having finished a close up second in his last two starts from wide draws, he doesn’t seem phased by his age. He jumps from pole today and that should provide a very useful launching pad to mount a challenge in the dying stages. TOUCH OF LUCK is another contender to land a much-improved draw today and on his current form, it is no surprise to see Zac Purton retain the ride. He drops in trip today, but generally is a happy horse near the front of the field and that point is complimented by the fact that he has gone fairly close in both his attempts over this trip. He has the cheek pieces removed and the pacifiers fitted for today’s outing and must be included. SKY TREASURE may have been tipped for first or second had it not been for that wide draw that he will have to overcome. With that said he does have plenty of gate / early speed, but from barrier 12 he may find it tough to get over when one considers that there is no shortage of early speed expected. He has notched up 3 out of his 4 career victories over this trip so regardless of the draw, he must be considered strongly. DOLLAR REWARD is still a maiden after 29 starts, but he has found himself finishing just off them in his last few starts. He has dropped in the ratings and has found an improved draw here. With Moreira up, he could go close.
Race 6
Selections: 10 – 14 – 9 – 8 – 1
DIAMOND LEGEND makes his autumn return today and he kicks off his campaign over a trip where he has featured in the past. He was caught deep in his last start over slightly further and the slight drop in trip on his return to Sha Tin, should suit him. He does like to sit just off the early pace and from a good draw with Moreira up, he should get there quite easily. He looks the one to beat. SAVVY SEVEN is another contender who will relish this drop in trip. He didn’t quite shape in his last two starts over the 9 furlongs and the fact that he pulled in his last start should confirm his dislike for that sedate gallop. Back in a 1400m today where he has gone fairly close before, he could just catch them all flat footed and land the gamble. Chadwick takes the mount this time, from another good draw. DESTIN returns after that solid effort before the mandatory recess over the summer and he will be hoping to avoid a repeat of the issues he faced in his last start, albeit a good one. He was in good form over this course and distance before the break and if resuming where he left off, he should be right there with Teetan up today. CHAPARRAL STAR has landed two of his three career wins over this course and distance and all signs point to him enjoying this drop in trip today. The fact that he faded over the final furlong in his last start, is confirmation of said point. If not in need of the run after three months off, he looks a threat.
Race 7
Selections: 8 – 5 – 6 – 11 – 2
INVINCIBLE MISSILE appears to be a strong contender on form. The four-year-old son of Smart Missile has reacted well to being fitted with the blinkers, in both of his last two starts. He ran on like a train in his latest effort, when dropping to this trip and it’s no surprise to see Purton retain the ride. We make him the top selection and he looks to be one of the better bets on the card. SOLAR WAI WAI is a well-bred son of Snitzel who has shown his worth in just about all seven of his starts so far. With that in mind, he did have excuses in both of his last two starts – more so in his penultimate start. He found himself boxed in as he travelled through the 850m mark, before taking a hold 650m from home. That disappointing effort was soon forgotten about, when going down a neck last time out. He is well suited to the drop in trip and looks like a strong exacta inclusion. VICTORIAM steps up to this class after two good wins over the course and distance. Both of those wins have been recorded with young South African star Aldo Domeyer up and he unsurprisingly retains the ride. He will be looking to add to those two winners he rode at the season opener last weekend and if he continues to pick up rides like this one, his win tally should gain swift momentum. FANTASTIC FABIO has landed all five of his career wins over this trip, although he is yet to win at Sha Tin in eight attempts. He is in good form and from gate 5, he looks a lively contender with Moreira up.
Race 8
Selections: 3 – 2 – 5 – 8 – 11
The feature on this evenings card is a strong Class 2 event over 1200m, where 12 runners will line up at the start. Judging by the nature of the field, there is plenty of speed amongst these entrants. BIG TIME BABY and SUNNY BOY should both bounce out and share the early lead, but may have to relinquish the lead to the likes of YEE CHEONG BABY. He has sufficient speed to lead quicker horses over 1000m, but the penalty he received for his latest win may just cost him in the latter stages and we have thus cautiously tipped him to run 2nd. For first prize we have sided with ELUSIVE STATE. He appears to be taking the step up to Class 2 company in his stride and he’ll enjoy reverting back to the All-Weather surface, after an excellent effort on Turf last time out at long odds. He has run 2nd over this trip and if finding a prominent early position, he could go on and win this. SPEEDY KING has also performed well since stepping up to this class. He loves this trip and has won over the course and distance. If repeating his penultimate start, he looks a threat to the top two. PICK NUMBER ONE has impeccable form over this course and distance, having won five from nine attempts. He didn’t enjoy the rain affected conditions in his last start and experienced lameness in both starts prior to that. If finding his earlier form, he must be included.
Race 9
Selections: 4 – 2 – 8 – 6 – 11
WINNER SUPREME is the selection for first prize in the penultimate event on the card. He finished just behind our second selection COBY OPPA last time out, who lines up again here. The top selection has the benefit of a much-improved draw as well as a favourable 6-pound turnaround at the weights. He has won twice in four attempts over the course and distance and looks the one they all have to beat here. The second selection, as mentioned above, won last time out when returning to his favoured surface. He was fitted with the cheek pieces for that run as he will be here and with Teetan retaining the ride, he looks the main danger. SILVER FIG ran on strongly to finish second in his only outing on this surface. He found the 1400m a touch too far last time out and will relish the drop back to six furlongs today. He very rarely misses the first three places and that looks likely to be the case today. MEGA HEART has shown up well in his last two starts over the course and distance. In fact, he is yet to be unplaced in all three attempts over the C&D. If overcoming his tricky draw, he looks an obvious Jackpot inclusion.
Race 10
Selections: 12 – 3 – 2 – 8 – 14
The well-bred I DO is the pick to land the bulk of the prize money, in the last race on the card. He is best positioned to find the run of the race from a mid-field draw, with the likely pace-setters being MAGNIFICENT and COMFORT LIFE. MAGNIFICENT likes to race handy and from gate 11, he will have no choice but to commit. COMFORT LIFE on the other hand, should get there relatively easily and that leaves I DO to land in the box seat where he will have an ideal launching pad to make his challenge. He has been knocking on the door in his last two starts and drops in trip today. With the blinkers being fitted for the first time, that should sharpen him up enough to suit the trip. COBY BOY has improved since dropping into Class 3 opposition and he can consider himself a touch unlucky in his last start, when he was baulked for a clear run at the 300m mark. His quick finish was halted badly, but he still managed to finish just 2.25 lengths off the winner. FOLLOW ME has a solid course and distance record, but must overcome a tricky draw today. That may not be the end of the world for him, considering his turn of foot on display in his last start and as such he may enjoy mounting a challenge from further off the pace. He has been fancied in both of his last two starts and will be fitted with a tongue tie today. He beat CORDYCEPS four starts back and punters will recall his impressive win last weekend at the season opener, so the form is franked. With a bit of luck, he should be right there. COOL TEAM has shown good improvement in his last two starts and he may have finished a lot closer, had his momentum not been hindered at the 600m. If Purton can overcome the draw, he must have a shout in this open handicap.
