International Racing: Sha Tin (Turf / All Weather) – Sunday 1st December 2019

The opening meeting of December provides ten competitive events for punters to get involved in, with the Class 2 Mody Handicap headlining the card. 

That comes in the eighth race, but before then, punters can have a go on RUN MOOCHI in the fourth. He seems to be taking a liking to the All-Weather surface and he has continued to slip in the ratings and looks the likely winner in a modest contest. FOLLOW ME will be followed in the last and despite the fact that he is no 33/1 shot, he looks the likeliest winner in that race. That is in race 10 and he should be worth following for a small amount of value, to close the meeting. See more below.

Best Bet: RUN MOOCHI (Race 4)
Value Bet: FOLLOW ME (Race 10)

Race 1 – 06:15 – Class 4 – 1400m (Turf)
Selections: 1 – 8 – 10 – 5 – 4 
KA YING EXCELLENT showed a solid turn of foot on debut when overcoming gate 10 to rally home late. Teetan rode him on that occasion and he retains the ride from another tricky draw. He will be looking for a smooth path out the stalls this time and he’ll love the extra furlong, on pedigree. If all goes to plan, he should have the necessary improvement to fight this out. LEAP OF FAITH has his debut, for an inform Trainer / Jockey outfit and it may be worth keeping an eye on the betting boards to assess his chances. He’s a nicely bred son of Sebring who should enjoy this trip first-up. SKY DARCI gave a good account of himself on debut when staying on well over 6-furlongs. He steps up in trip and gets the tongue tie fitted for his second start. Rispoli retains from a tricky draw and with the expected improvement to come, he’ll love the extra and must go in. INVALUABLE finished right behind the top selection on debut when showing late headway. He also gets the tongue tie fitted for his follow up effort and from a much-improved draw, he should improve to feature.

Race 2 – 06:45 – Class 5 – 1650m (All-Weather)
Selections: 11 – 1 – 12 – 7 – 6 
MASTER BERNINI has found no luck with draws in recent times and that run continues here, having landed in gate 13. With that said, he does have a useful finish and that has been on display in both of his last two starts over this course and distance, under the guidance of Moreira. He retains the ride here and off his current mark of 23, he looks the one to beat at the weights. MR MAGELLAN finished in front of the top selection in his penultimate start and he followed that up with a useful effort on the Turf last time, when fitted with blinkers. Both of those last two starts have come since dropping into this class and despite the draw, he looks a major threat. WINNING CIRCLE also finished in front of the top selection in his penultimate run. He returns to the same surface here and gets the blinkers replaced with pacifiers. He is in fair form of late and from gate 2, he must be included. CHATER THUNDER has been in good form since returning to his preferred All-Weather surface in his last two starts. With three wins from thirteen starts on the All-Weather, he is certainly at home here and he lands another useful draw. Having won over the course and distance last time out, when beating the top three, he deserves plenty of respect and cannot be discounted.

Race 3 – 07:15 – Class 4 – 1200m (Turf)
Selections: 1 – 12 – 7 – 3 – 5 
QUADRUPLE DOUBLE has a handy record over this course and distance and he has certainly enjoyed dropping back to sprints in his last three starts. From another plum draw, Poon retains the ride and he’ll know the son of Zoustar well, having won on him in his penultimate start. If building on his recent form, he looks the one to beat. ON EXCEL STAR boxed on well in his debut run, over this course and distance and the son of Niagara should have plenty more scope to improve. Drawn well again, he retains the services of Badel and if finding a smoother passage in comparison to his last start, he should be right there. DESTINE JEWELLERY is a nicely bred son of I Am Invincible having his debut here. He gets the blinkers fitted first time out and Joao Moreira jumps aboard. If finding support in the betting, the signs could be there that he has a bit of ability and he is worth another look. MAJESTC CONQUEROR has had just three starts so far and he has overcome tough draws in his last two starts, without being disgraced. He was reported to be making an abnormal respiratory noise after his last start and his connections will be hoping he has overcome that issue now. From a slightly improved draw, he still has plenty of scope and if building on that penultimate run, he should go close.

Race 4 – 07:45 – Class 5 – 1200m (All-Weather)
Selections: 12 – 6 – 5 – 1 – 7 
RUN MOOCHI has improved on this surface, since being fitted with the visor. He has continued to fall in the ratings and he lands another useful draw, with de Sousa up. Everything looks to be in his favour here and he’s the best bet on the card. EXPONENTS finished just behind the top selection last time when returning to the All-Weather, with Moreira taking the ride for the first time. He stayed on nicely in the closing stages, confirming the useful run of form he had prior to that run. He is consistently close to the top of the boards and his followers can expect much of the same here. On current form over this course and distance and in this class, he’ll be right there again. CORRE RAPIDO is a consistent performer on this surface. He has certainly benefitted from the recent drop into this class and he looks a threat here, off his current mark. He also finished right behind the top selection last time and from another useful draw, he will be right there again. ISLAND WINNER drops into Class 5 company after falling in the ratings of late. He has started to show signs of improvement and with this being his first outing on this surface, he could make a big impression and deserves respect.

Race 5 – 08:15 – Class 4 – 1800m (All-Weather)
Selections: 4 – 1 – 14 – 6 – 8 
KING’S MAN was a smart winner last time out when overcoming a tough draw over this trip. That was on the Turf and he turns to the All-Weather now, where he has a record of 4-0-3-1. If overcoming the tricky barrier, he’ll be boxing on well in the finish and should be a major contender. The top-weighted RULETHEROOST drops into Class 4 company here, after finishing just off them in recent times against stronger. He has a tough draw to overcome, but he has won over this trip and the surface is not an issue. Sanna knows him well and against this lesser class, he looks a threat. SUPER RED DRAGON is just getting going, with this being his 7th career start. He enjoyed trying this surface last time when stepping up in trip and overcoming a rather tough draw. From gate 8 this time, Moreira looks an attractive jockey booking and he will have plenty of scope to improve. CALIFORNIA LEGEND finished in front of the former last time when trying the All-Weather for the first time. He has been lumbered with a very tough draw here, but Karis Teetan jumps back aboard the son of Camelot and if building on that latest run, he’ll be involved in the finish.

Race 6 – 08:50 – Class 4 – 1200m (All-Weather)
Selections: 1 – 5 – 6 – 8 – 2 
STRATHCLYDE has enjoyed the drop into this class, since returning this season. That was two starts back, with both runs coming over this course and distance. He finds a much-improved draw for his peak run here and he lines up 7-pounds better off with FORTUNE HAPPINESS, for that 1,75-lengths defeat last time. Sylvestre de Sousa takes the ride and on his consistent record over this course and distance, he should be tough to beat. The latter, having beat the top selection last time, arrives here on the back of a double and the blinkers appear to have done the trick. No surprises to see Moreira retain the ride for this in-form stable and the hat-trick of wins is not unlikely. SUPREME CONTOL has been in improving as he has continued to fall in the ratings. He lands a good draw after finding a wide barrier in both of his last two starts and the South African son of Var has a nice chance to make a big impression here. BREEZE OF SPRING has only had the four starts so far and he has improved with every run. He made a solid claim for the winners’ box last time when finding little luck in running and with a smooth passage this time, he’s a real threat. This is his first attempt on this surface and if taking to it, he’ll be right there.

Race 7 – 09:20 – Class 3 – Turf (1000m)
Selections: 7 – 9 – 13 – 4 – 11 
MASSIVE POCKET has certainly enjoyed reverting back to the Turf course, having shown good improvement in his last two starts over this course and distance. He finished right behind SUPER JUNIOR last time out, when finding traffic and will now meet the latter 3-pounds better off at the weights. From a midfield barrier, he has a very good chance of finding the winners box here. CALIFORNIA GUNGHO also finished right behind the top latter last time out, when exiting the starting stalls in a rather pedestrian manner and making up ground late. Moreira retains the ride and he’ll line up 2-pounds better off with the top selection on that latest effort and must go in. COMFORT LIFE has been finishing just off them in recent times and he is starting to show signs of a big run, having dropped 8-pounds in the ratings, in his last 4 starts. Poon retains the ride for this slight decrease in trip and they must be included. SUPER JUNIOR, as mentioned above, won his last start, when taking a bump at the start, before overcoming adversity to hit the front 130m out to win impressively. He has clearly taken well to the rise into this class and must be included once again.

Race 8 – 09:50 – Class 2 – 1200m (All-Weather)
Selections: 2 – 3 – 8 – 7 – 11 
BIG TIME BABY has some solid form lines to his name in his last two starts, getting to within 2,5-lengths of the top class AETHERO in his penultimate start and following that up with another good run over this trip last time. Both starts were on the Turf and the switch to the All-Weather should be of no concern, with all three of his wins in Hong Kong coming on this surface. Drawn well, he is the one to beat. FORTUNE BOOTH has won and finished third in three starts on this surface and he finds a much-improved draw this time, after a solid effort from a wide gate over this course and distance last time. From a handy draw this time, he makes his return to racing after a 5-month recess and if not too in need of it, he’ll be right there. SUPER TURBO has slipped in the ratings and he is starting to show positive signs of a win soon. From a plum draw, he has his third attempt on this surface and despite the fact that he is yet to feature here, he deserves respect on his current form. WINNER SUPREME, on the other hand, is an ultra-consistent performer on this surface with three wins from 6-attempts and he steps up in class after showing some solid recent form. Teetan retains the ride after a smart win over this course and distance last time out and with the weight off his back here, he deserves respect.

Race 9 – 10:25 – Class 3 – 1650m (All-Weather)
Selections: 6 – 11 – 4 – 2 – 1 
HOLY HEART has only had the three starts in Hong Kong, having arrived with a useful overseas record. He gave a solid account of himself last time when fitted with the tongue tie and returning to this surface from a tough draw. He steps up to the 1650m this time and the son of Holy Roman Emperor is going to relish the extra. From a slightly improved draw, he should be the one to beat. DEAL MAKER has taken the recent step up to this class in his stride. He finds a wide barrier this time, but the son of Darci Brahma has some useful gate speed and he should be able to find a handy position before the first bend. On his course and distance record, he should go close and deserves inclusion. VOLPINO is in good form since returning this term, with all three comeback runs showing promising signs over this course and distance. He finished right behind the second selection last time and with another solid draw, in contrast to the latter, he rates a major threat. ENDEARING appears to be off a competitive mark of late and on form alone, one gets the sense that his 5th career win is just around the corner, if not here. The blinkers make way for the pacifiers and with Callan retaining the ride, he must go in.

Race 10 – 11:00 – Class 3 – 1400m (Turf)
Selections: 1 – 8 – 7 – 12 – 11
FOLLOW ME is a consistent type over this course and distance and he could’ve capitalized on his good well-being last time out, had it not been for the lack of luck in running. Nonetheless, he did well to rally late and he lands a plum draw this time, with Moreira retaining. Off his current mark of 75, he will win soon and that looks very possible here. EVERYONE’S JOY has only had the five starts, picking up two wins along the way. It could’ve been three last time when finding no room to extend himself in the closing stages and he will be back with strong intent this time. From a plum draw again, he looks a massive runner. MONEY BACK has finished just off them in both starts here so far and the blinkers go on this time, for the son of Street Boss. He will be dropped out once again, more so this time due to the draw and if finding a smooth path in the closing stages, he should be making late headway. With this being his 8th career effort, he will have scope for improvement and should be worth including. EZRA didn’t quite turn up last time out when rising into this class of opposition. He was forced to rally wide and seemed to throw in the towel a lot sooner than expected. The post-race vet exam provided a reasonable explanation for that disappointing effort, with the endoscopic exam showing a substantial amount of mucus present. From a much-improved draw, the son of Oratorio will give a solid account of himself if back to his best and he must be included.