International Racing: Sha Tin – Sunday 12 April 2020 (Turf)

Racing returns to Sha Tin for an eleven-race programme on Sunday. It looks to be a competitive card, but there are some nice horses with a bit of value about them.

The best bet on the card is NABOO STAR in Race 8. He has good consistent form to his name, runs well for jockey Vincent Ho and looks tough to beat in that field. Not much has changed in the Jockey’s Championship title race with Joao Moreira still two winners ahead of Zac Purton. The jockey to follow in the Jockey Challenge today is Karis Teetan. He is riding in ten of the races and a good few of them look to have decent chances.

Best Bet: NABOO STAR (Race 8)
Value Bet: BELLA BABY (Race 2)

Race 1 
This is the first Griffin race of the year. The betting market will be the best guide with regards to the chances of the unraced horses. SMILING FACE is a son of Acclamation from the Douglas Whyte stable. He won one of his barrier trials coming into this race and gets the services of Joao Moreira. The second choice goes to LIKE THAT who is a son of Akeed Mofeed from the John Moore yard. He placed in his only barrier trial and Zac Purton takes the ride. SEA MONARCH produced four decent efforts in barrier trials. He is a son of Dandy Man and Karis Teetan will be in the saddle. NOBLE SOUL is a son of Dragon Pulse from the Richard Gibson yard with Neil Callan in the irons. He has improved with each barrier trial leading into this race.

Race 2
BELLA BABY is the value bet on today’s card. He has been taking on stronger opposition recently and takes a drop-in class today. He has been his own worst enemy in his last two starts as he did not settle. The run that catches the eye is when he finished third over this course and distance on 05 January. He was hampered at the 400m mark and crowded at the 350m mark. Despite that, he stayed on well at the finish. If repeating that effort, he should be the one to cause the upset. ROMAN ODYSSEY has found a solid connection with jockey Matthew Chadwick as he finished second in his penultimate run and won his latest start. If overcoming his wide barrier position, he should be the one to throw out the biggest challenge to the top choice. PRAWN YEAH YEAH and JIMSON THE DRAGON are both starting to find their best form recently. The pair must be included in all bets.

Race 3
AMAZING AGILITY’S last three starts have been good. He should have won last time as he was hampered at the 150m mark. Zac Purton rides the son of King’s Best for the first time and with a bit of luck in running, he should go one better today. VICTORIOUS SEEKER has not finished too far off the winner in recent outings. He ran on very well at the finish in his last start, but was crowded just before the finishing post. Joao Moreira retains the ride and he should pose a big threat to the top selection. MCMUNIGAL is in good form recently. He should have finished closer in his last start as he was bumped at the 150m mark and hampered in the final 50m. Apprentice Matthew Poon keeps the ride this afternoon and if things go his way in the race, he should be right there in the run down to the finishing post. FORTUNE PATROL is better than his last two starts suggest. His record over this distance is decent with a win and a second-place finish from three attempts. On best form shown, he has a good chance in this field.

Race 4
CASA DE FORCA has had a few hard luck stories in recent outings, but hasn’t finished too far behind the winner. He drops back to six furlongs after racing over 1650m in his last three starts. With a bit of luck in running, he should be right there in the fight to the finish. SHINING ON has fair recent form to his credit. He didn’t get off to the best of starts last time, but boxed on well at the business end of the race. Vincent Ho knows the son of O’Reilly well and if jumping on terms, the pair should challenge the top selection. GOOD VIEW CLARICO is lightly raced and won at the fourth time of asking. He steps back over the extra furlong today and with Zac Purton in the saddle once again, the pair merit healthy respect. NOBLE DESIRE didn’t get off to the best of beginnings last time, but he finished his race off well. Joao Moreira rides for the first time and he may be able to coax that little bit extra out of him where it matters most.

Race 5
IRON KING has not finished too far behind the winner in recent outings. He was his own worst enemy last time as he pulled from the 1000m. However, despite that he stayed on well up the straight. He has finished second once and third once from three starts under Matthew Chadwick and the pair may find themselves in the winner’s enclosure today. LEADING FORTUNE showed some signs of returning to form last time. He didn’t get off to the best start, but ran on well up the straight. If jumping on terms today, he should be right there in the run down to the finishing post. LORIZ is not the most consistent sort, but his last run over this course and distance was good. He does have a wide draw to overcome today, but he should use his early gate speed to get across without using up too much energy. He may be hard to peg back in the closing stages. CIRCUIT HASSLER should have finished closer last time, but he didn’t have much luck in running. Blake Shinn has placed aboard the son of Shocking in the past and the pair merit obvious inclusion.

Race 6
PRESIDENT’S CHOICE ran on well when winning his last start over this course and distance. He meets a similar type of field this afternoon and with Karis Teetan retaining the ride, he looks to have a good chance of following up with another victory. COLONEL kept on well in his last start when finishing runner-up over this course and distance. He has cracked a good draw and gets the services of Zac Purton. Should the top choice fluff his lines, he may be the one to pick up the pieces. HAPPILY FRIENDS produced a fair debut over this course and distance in this class. He would have gained from the experience and should make the natural improvement today. He is drawn in pole position and gets the services of in-form Chad Schofield. UNIVERSAL CROWN is an unraced son of Hallowed Crown from the Douglas Whyte stable. Joao Moreira does duty and if not too green, may be right there at the finish. The betting market will be the best guide with regards to his chances.

Race 7 
JADE PHOENIX is lightly raced and has produced four decent efforts thus far. He raced from a handy position last time and stayed on well at the business end of the race. The manner in which he finished off the race that day suggests that he is looking for the seven furlongs at this point in his career. Zac Purton rides for the first time and the pair should find themselves in the winner’s enclosure. DREAM WARRIORS’ last two efforts have been good. He raced handy in his last start and stayed on well over this course and distance. Vincent Ho knows him well and the pair merit healthy respect. WINSTON’S LAD has not finished too far off the winner in recent outings. He kept on well in his last start over this course and distance. If repeating that run this afternoon, he should be right there in the run down to the wire. GALACTIC produced a promising debut effort over six furlongs on this course. He would have come on with the run under his belt and with the natural progression that is expected, he should earn a cheque in this field.

Race 8
NABOO STAR is the best bet on today’s card. He was slow into stride last time, but he made eye-catching progress up the straight. He runs well for today’s jockey Vincent Ho with a record of two wins and two second place finishes from five outings. He jumps from a handy draw of five and if getting away on terms, he should be the one they all have to beat. CHAMPION SUPREME is in good form. He raced three wide last time, but made steady progress up the straight. Neil Callan knows the son of Denman well and the pair should be right there in the run down to the finishing post. SUPER ELEGANCE should have finished closer in his last start as he had to check at the 300m mark. He has finished second three times from five attempts over this distance. Karis Teetan does duty from a good draw and the pair merit healthy respect. BLASTOISE just won his last start over this distance at Happy Valley. Zac Purton has ridden him twice for a win and a third-place finish. The son of Ambidexter cannot be ignored.

Race 9
FLYING GENIUS raced on the all-weather surface in his last two starts. He is a much better horse on the grass as both of his career wins have come on this surface. He has a good record over this distance with two wins from four attempts. On best form shown, he should be the one to side with here. VALIANT DREAM showed good signs of a form return in his last start. He moved up very well that day and just missed by a nose. Blake Shinn knows him well and the pair should throw out a big challenge to the top selection. HEART CONQUERED’S last two starts have been decent. Joao Moreira rides for the first time and he may be able to coax that little bit extra out of the son of Akeed Mofeed in the closing stages. TRUST ME has won his last two starts well over this distance. He steps up in class today, but the manner in which he won he won last time suggests the hat-trick is very much on the cards.

Race 10
GIFT OF LIFELINE showed good signs of returning to best form in his last start over this course and distance. He should have won that day as he was blocked from the 400m – 300m mark and also received a bump at the 250m mark. Karis Teetan retains the ride today and with a bit of luck in running, he should be very tough to beat. FANTASTIC SHOW won his last two starts well over this course and distance. He steps up in class this afternoon, but it is encouraging that jockey Joao Moreira has decided to stick with the ride. The hat-trick is definitely a possibility. JOYFUL HEART has good form to his credit. He was bumped early in the race last time and also was blocked at the 400m mark. If overcoming his wide barrier position and with a bit of luck in running, he should be mowing down the frontrunners in the run down to the finishing post. TOP SCORE is the likely frontrunner in this contest from his good draw of three. If repeating his penultimate run, he should be hard to peg back in the closing stages.

Race 11
INVINCIBLE MISSILE’S last run is much better than it looks on paper. The manner in which he finished off the race that day was encouraging having made steady progress in the home straight. His record over this distance is decent with three seconds and a third-place finish from six outings. From his good draw of two, he may be the one to cause the upset. STAR SHINE has not finished too far off the winner in recent outings. He raced three wide last time, but rallied well up the straight. Vincent Ho knows him well and from a good barrier position, he should pose a big threat to the top choice. BALLISTIC KING has very good consistent form to his name. He tries the seven furlongs for the first time and if seeing out the extra distance on offer, he should be right there in the run down to the line. LOBO’S LEGEND never got into the race last time after a poor beginning. If jumping on terms today and on previous form shown, he should be involved in the fight out to the finishing post.