International Racing: Sha Tin Turf/All Weather – Saturday 11 January 2020

Racing heads to Sha Tin this weekend and sees events take place on both the Turf and All-Weather tracks. There is a 10-race programme installed and racing looks to be very competitive.

The best bet of the day comes in Race 5. FARHH ABOVE is a lightly raced sort who won at just the second time of asking. He makes his stable debut for Douglas Whyte and gets jockey Vincent Ho in the saddle. He is expected to make a winning return to racing. The value bet is in Race 2, LITTLE GENERAL. He takes a drop in class today and gets the services of in-form Grant van Niekerk. He is likely to race from a forward position once again and can find himself in the number 1 box. Trainer Douglas Whyte looks like he could have a fantastic day at the office.

Best Bet: FARHH ABOVE (Race 5)
Value Bet: LITTLE GENERAL (Race 2)

Race 1 – 06:15 – Class 4 – 1200m (Turf)
Selections: 9 – 6 – 12 – 10 – 4 
Of the raced runners there is not much form to talk about and one of the first-timers could come to the fore. WAYFOONG STAR is an unraced son of All American from the Douglas Whyte stable and Karis Teetan is in the saddle. He jumps from a midfield barrier position and doesn’t have to be a superstar to win in this type of field. JUNEAU PARK also has his first run today. The son of Ocean Park hails from the John Size stable and current leader on the jockey’s championship Joao Moreira takes the ride. The betting market will be the best guide with regards to their chances. Of the raced runners BRILLIANT looks to have the best form. He was slow into stride last time, but rallied well to finish third, just over three lengths behind the winner. He has a wide barrier today, but his claiming apprentice will opt to drop him out and let him do his best work up the straight. EIGHT TRIGRAMS should have finished closer last time, but he was hampered at the 300m mark. In-form Grant van Niekerk does duty this afternoon and from a good barrier position, he should be involved in the finish.

Race 2 – 06:45 – Class 5 – 1600m (Turf)
Selections: 3 – 1 – 2 – 4 – 5 
LITTLE GENERAL is the value bet on the day. He has produced fair recent form, but that was in Class 4. He takes a drop to Class 5 today and in this type of field, he could be the one to beat. Grant van Niekerk knows the son of Cape Blanco well and the pair could find themselves in the winner’s enclosure. SAVVY SEVEN has not been in the best of form recently, but he takes a drop in class today and can come back to his best. Lyle Hewitson was aboard the son of Sebring last time and should have a better idea of how to ride him today. His positive barrier position of three is a big plus. GOLD VELVET has been in good form in this class. He was touched off over this type of distance last time, but had blood in his trachea. If all goes according to plan today, he should be involved in the finish with his claiming apprentice. DIAMOND LEGEND didn’t have the best of starts last time but didn’t finish too far off the winner. That was his first start in this class and the son of More Than Ready can finish closer today.

Race 3 – 07:15 – Class 4 – 120m (Turf)
Selections: 1 – 4 – 7 – 6 – 10  
INNER FLAME was an impressive winner on debut in this class over this c&d. He was bumped at the start that day, but showed some class and cruised clear to win by two lengths. Alexis Badel who was aboard the son of Zoustar last time takes the ride once again for the Douglas Whyte stable. BRAVE BABY has not finished too far off the winner in recent outings. He raced from a handy position last time and kept on well at the business end of the race. In-form Vincent Ho does duty today and the pair merit healthy respect. WONDER BRAHMA produced a decent debut effort over this c&d. He raced from a midfield position that day and rallied well to finish two lengths off the winner. Apprentice Matthew Poon would have learnt a lot from that run and the pair should pose a big threat to the top two selections. PING HAI BRAVO is an unraced son of Red Dazzler from the John Size stable. Joao Moreira does duty today and the betting market will be the best guide with regards to his chances.

Race 4 – 07:45 – Class 4 – 1650m (All Weather)
Selections: 1 – 12 – 11 – 13 – 2   
BEST ALLIANCE runs well on the All-Weather track having placed in his last two runs on this surface. He had excuses at the start last time but finished his race off well to go down by just a short head. With a bit of luck in running and with Karis Teetan doing duty, he should go one better today. FOODIE PRINCESS is another sort that loves racing on this surface. He was awkward at the start last time but rallied well to finish just under two lengths behind the winner. Joao Moreira is in the saddle and he is likely to drop this son of Sepoy out and let him do his best work late from his wide barrier position. THIS ONE’S FOR YOU was pushed two wide last time but rallied well in the closing stages of the race. With a bit of luck in running, he should be right there in the run down to the wire. MEGATRON is better than his last run suggests. He won his penultimate run well when setting the pace and finding more to win with ease. From his handy draw of five, he should adopt the same tactics and can go from start to finish.

Race 5 – 08:15 – Class 3 – 1650m (Turf)
Selections: 7 – 5 – 11 – 3 – 12   
FARHH ABOVE is the best bet on the day. He showed a lot of class last time when rallying well to go on and win by 3.5 lengths. He makes his stable debut for the Douglas Whyte yard and has his first run for this season. His wide barrier of fourteen should not pose a problem as he likes to be switched off early and do his best work up the straight. BALTIC SUCCESS showed good improvement in his second start over this c&d. He set the pace that day and kept on well at the business end of the race. Grant van Niekerk is in the saddle once again and the pair should be right there at the finish. GLENEALY GENERALS showed good signs of a form return in his last start over this c&d. He gets the services of in-form Karis Teetan this afternoon and from his wide barrier position, he will likely be mowing down the frontrunners in the closing stages. TAKE WHAT YOU NEED was just a length behind the winner in his last start. He rallied well over the minimum trip that day and will enjoy the extra furlong that is on offer today. Blake Shinn retains the ride and the pair merit healthy respect.

Race 6 – 08:50 – Class 4 – 1400m (Turf)
Selections: 11 – 1 – 2 – 5 – 6   
ADONIS likes to set the pace in his races. He was caught in the dying stages of his last race and finished just 2.5 lengths behind the winner. Alexis Badel was aboard the son of Exceed And Excel when winning his penultimate start over this c&d. From his midfield barrier position, he is likely to adopt the same tactics and may be hard to catch in the closing stages. SUNSHINE WARRIOR raced from a handy position last time but produced a one-paced effort up the straight. A repeat of his run on 20 October 2019 would see him contest the finish under Tony Piccone. KING’S RACE has set the pace in his last two starts. He was caught late in the race over a mile last time and will enjoy reverting to the seven furlongs. Jockey Vincent Ho knows the son of Foxwedge well and the pair merit healthy respect. MY WINNER should have finished closer last time as he was hampered in the late stages of the race. With a bit of luck in running, he should be involved in the finish.

Race 7 – 09:20 – Class 4 – 1400m (Turf)
Selections: 5 – 4 – 13 – 7 – 2  
XPONENTIAL is another runner on the day from Douglas Whyte stable that has a decent chance of winning. He was impressive when winning on debut over six furlongs. He came from some way back that day and should enjoy the extra furlong that is on offer today. Karis Teetan rides the son of Equiano and with the one run under the belt, he may notch up a quick double. TRIPLE TRIPLE has shown good improvement with each outing and fought hard for his last win over this c&d. It is encouraging that jockey Joao Moreira retains the ride aboard this son of Per Incanto. GOLDEN FOUR has not finished too far off the winner in recent outings. He was switched off early last time and made eye-catching progress up the straight. Blake Shinn rides for the first time today and the pair should be right there. SPRINT FORWARD won his last start well despite excuses at the start and up the straight. His wide barrier position is a slight concern, but he will get all of the necessary assistance from the saddle.


Race 8 – 09:50 – Class 3 – 1650m (All Weather)
Selections: 2 – 9 – 6 – 5 – 13 
BEAR SLAM is in good form and the manner in which he won his last start was encouraging. He was crowded at the start but recovered well to draw clear at notch up the victory. Joao Moreira does duty again aboard the son of Mizzen Mast and the pair have a good chance of winning two in a row. RIGHTEOUS DOCTRINE was unlucky not to win his last start over this c&d at the end of December. He was awkward out the gates and had no clear run from the 400m mark to the 300m mark. In the end, he was beaten by just a neck and should have notched up his fourth career victory. From his good barrier of two and with a bit of luck in running, he should pose a big threat to the top choice. HOLY HEART was a bit disappointing in his last start, but that was in soft conditions. His form prior to that was encouraging with two placings. Vincent Ho returns to the saddle and on best form shown, the pair should be right there in the run down to the wire. LAST KINGDOM was very well ridden to give Lyle Hewitson his first win in Hong Kong last time. He had his own way in front that day and held on where it matters most. A repeat of that effort would see him in contention in the run down to the line.

Race 9 – 10:25 – Class 3 – 1400m (Turf)
Selections: 1 – 3 – 6 – 4 – 14   
SUPER STAR has produced top form to date and has only been unplaced once from nine outings. He was reported to have blood in his trachea last time which didn’t help his cause when finishing third. It is encouraging that the son of Snitzel is unbeaten under today’s pilot Silvestre de Sousa and there is a very good chance that the pair will keep this record intact. AWE has made the move to Hong Kong after showing very good form in Great Britain. He had seven starts for two wins and two second-place finishes. Neil Callan does duty and if fit and well, the son of Bated Breath should go close in his local debut. HORSESAIN BOLT is another horse making his Hong Kong debut. This time, the son of Excelebration raced in Ireland. He had five runs for two wins and two third-place finishes. Karis Teetan rides for the Douglas Whyte stable and he too could make a good start to his Hong Kong career. BE READY has shown good improvement with each outing. The manner in which he finished off his race over six furlongs last time suggests that the extra furlong on offer today will suit him well. Joao Moreira rides for the first time and the pair merit healthy respect.

Race 10 – 11:00 – Class 2 – 1600m (Turf)
Selections: 6 – 2 – 5 – 10 – 13 
PRECIOUSSHIP is in very good form, winning two of his last three starts. He was unlucky to not to notch up the hat-trick last time as he was hampered at the 350m mark. Vincent Ho has been aboard the son of Iffraaj in his last three starts and the pair could find themselves in the winner’s enclosure once again. PRIVATE SECRETARY was an impressive winner on debut over a similar distance at Happy Valley. He was slow out that day, but took the lead at the 150m mark and drew away to win. If not too green on his first run at Sha Tin, he should pose a big threat to the top choice. It is interesting that Vincent Ho has chosen to ride the top choice over this son of Kingman. NICCONI EXPRESS was running on well in his last start over this c&d. He was an impressive winner of his penultimate start and if repeating that run, he should be involved in the fight out to the finish. BAND OF BROTHERS was running on well in his last start at Happy Valley on Boxing Day. It is encouraging that Karis Teetan retains the ride and the top jockey would have learnt a lot from the son of Sakhee’s Secret which will help him have every chance today. He has a good draw of four which is a big plus.