Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Wednesday’s racing taking place at Happy Valley and Tampa Bay Downs.
Other international horse racing tips for Wednesday:
Happy Valley
Chantilly
Ascot
Doomben
Warwick Farm
Anthony Delpech
Happy Valley Best Bets
Race 1: No10 – JIMSON THE DRAGON
Trainer: Dennis Yip – Jockey: Antoine Hamelin
JIMSUN THE DRAGON was a 40-1 roughie and finished last of 12 on his previous visit to the Valley but has shown enough in three subsequent races to earn a tentative pick in a tricky opener. His best showing was last time at Sha Tin when placing behind Prawn Yeah Yeah, and if able to progress from that promising effort, from a good gate, he should be in the thick of it at the business end. Also favourably drawn is the ultra-consistent GALAXY RACER who is difficult to kick out of this, while should JUNZI recapture his old form in a class drop he can also figure.
Prediction: 10-3-8
Race 2: No6 – SUMSTREETSUMWHERE
Trainer: Chris Ho – Jockey: Zac Purton
Purton should have a good idea what he’s sitting on, even though it’s the first time he’s ridden SUMSTREETSUMWHERE. That’s because the Australian was aboard Tangmere when that fast-improving galloper beat the latter two and three-quarter lengths into third when they met here a fortnight ago. From a good gate on the inner Sumstreetsumwher can notch a first success here since March 2019. ELECTRIC LIGHTNING has looked solid with a win and close second on his last two starts, while at the top of the weights CHARITY WINGS must be feared in a class drop, and with the prospect of enjoying a clear shot at them in the home straight.
Prediction: 6-1-7
Race 3: No8 – FOX CHEUNGER
Trainer: Francis Lui – Jockey: Matthew Chadwick
With hindsight, those that supported FOX CHEUNGER here last time could feel miffed that the gelding was given plenty to do. He was never nearer than at the finish when just out of the money behind Great Son and from a better gate today Chadwick can have him closer. If so, the combination promise to repeat their course and distance success in February. Infrequent scorer EXPONENTS has Purton up in his bid to better a near-miss at Sha Tin, while AURORA STEED can go well from the rail without confirming his narrow superiority over the main pick.
Prediction: 8-10-2
Race 4: No6 – EIGHT TRIGRAMS
Trainer: David Hall – Jockey: Joao Moreira
On a card which doesn’t obviously point to an avalanche from Purton or Moreira, the ‘Magic Man’ can put one on the board here with EIGHT TRIGRAMS. The fact that the Brazilian has never ridden the gelding before suggests he rates its chances, while on basic form this horse should be bang there at the finish. HAPPY TANGO is a potential improver but needs to do some extra running from the outer, while by percentage call it’s hard to imagine THOU SHALL SING not finishing in the money, as he’s done nothing wrong since joining the Lui stable.
Prediction: 6-8-9
Race 5: No3 – WE THE SOUTH
Trainer: John Moore – Jockey: Vagner Borges
WE THE SOUTH to confirm his superiority over WINNING WAYS is the way this can pan out. The unexposed selection dealt out a 28-1 shocker that day and had Winning Ways two and three-quarter lengths adrift, which is a very long way in a sprint. Although better off at the weights, the last-named horse will find it difficult to cope with this sudden improver. Any notable support for EXCELLENT CHARIOT should be acted on, and that also applies to the lightly-raced DAILY DELIGHT, who figures to be an improver in an open contest.
Prediction: 2-3-9
Race 6: No11 – STAR LUCK
Trainer: Frankie Lor – Jockey: Alfred Chan
Chan is making the most of his opportunities and the popular apprentice enhances the claims of STAR LUCK, taking 7lb off the back of the overdue front runner, who should soon assume commend from the rail and prove hard to peg back. SMART LEADER signalled two runs ago that he’s poised to regain the winning thread and his chance is boosted by the inclusion of Moreira. If BEAUTY AMIGO’s flop last time can be attributed solely to the wide gate then he is going to struggle from an identical berth, leaving NAMJONG SINGS as a potential dark horse worthy of inclusion at longer odds.
Prediction: 11-3-9
Race 7: No2 – HARMONY SPIRIT
Trainer: Doug Whyte – Jockey: Antoine Hamelin
But for the wide gate HARMONY SPIRIT jumps off the page as a horse with plenty more to offer on only a fourth career start, and for a trainer who’s already shown he’s to be feared with such unexposed types. The selection hasn’t been beaten far into midfield finishes the last twice, and is possibly the ‘darkest’ performer in action on the whole card. The former UK-based AMAZING KNIGHT failed to menace in two starts here but represents top connections. He could prove dangerous if they were readying sighters. SPLIT OF A SECOND receives weight from everything in the race, has a good draw together with an in-form apprentice who has won on him twice, and has to be taken seriously.
Prediction: 2-9-12
Race 8: No8 – BLASTOISE
Trainer: David Ferraris – Jockey: Antoine Hamelin
What’s not to like about BLASTOISE on his fourth start of the year and return to the place of his last victory in March? His subsequent defeat by Ezemble at Sha Tin has been boosted, while Ferraris now engages a jockey on a hot steak in Frenchman Hamelin. The five-year-old has continued the progression he demonstrated at the end of last season and can take this at the main expense of joker in the pack GOLDEN SPECTRUM. The latter landed a Group 2 at Doha before moving here and signalled with an eye-catching effort here last time that he may now be ‘ready’. Above flattened out too tamely for my liking three weeks ago but goes in regardless, as he had done nothing wrong previously and could easily bounce back.
Prediction: 8-3-7
Race 9: No2 – DELIGHTFUL LAOS
Trainer: Tony Cruz – Jockey: Keith Leung
The former Ireland-based DELIGHTFUL LAOS pulled off a 59-1 shocker on his Hong Kong debut and can now prove there was no fluke about the victory. The Baltic King colt arrived late on the scene to gain a decisive verdict over Green Reign and is going to gain abundant confidence from that triumph. He can bring to an end the winning spree of TANGMERE, who is chasing a hat-trick under Purton. The latter, a gelded son of Frankel, has his tail up and must go close regardless from his inside gate. Ex-South African COT CAMPBELL is slowly edging towards a first win here and may represent the value play in the race.
Prediction: 2-6-4
Tampa Bay Downs Best Bets
Race 4 (Maiden Claiming): No2 – ONWARD
Trainer: Christophe Clement- Jockey: Daniel Centeno
If first-time blinkers in any way assist the cause of ONWARD then the son of Street Sense should take out this weakly contested heat. He framed three of his four starts in New York before the cessation of racing there and made a perfectly respectable first outing in FLA at Gulfstream in mid-March. With the headgear and a new jockey, he is clearly the one to beat on this first public outing at Tampa. The grey, Falkirk, is interesting for a strong trainer/jockey combo and need only make minor improvement to threaten the main pick. Five Star Colonel needs to improve, but could easily do that and get into the money at longer odds.
Prediction: 2-3-5
Race 6 (Maiden Claiming): No5 – ESOR
Trainer: Victor Carrasco – Jockey: Raul Mena
ESOR has experienced an industrious time with five outings on the sprint track here since his debut at the beginning of March. The son of Rattlesnake Bridge has made the frame in all but one of those races, latterly putting in his best run when second to Blame Bishop over six furlongs late last month. In a race in which few can win, he looks a touch stronger than Morning Line favourite Newyork Giant, who picked up minor prize money in four starts for his astute trainer at Gulfstream. Of the newcomers, a market check is advised on Exclusive Donald.
Prediction: 5-2-4
Race 7 (Claiming): No5 – CLASSY OF COURSE
Trainer: Monica McGoey – Jockey: Daniel Centeno
The Tampa form of CLASSY OF COURSE is hard to knock………she’s been a model of consistency since joining the McGoey barn and after breaking her maiden in February has added a second success in a claimer as well as two solid placed efforts in defeat. The five-year-old is in good heart for a battle that should also concern Classy Lynn and Sundrenched. Classy Lynn is also knowledgeable around two turns here and was possibly compromised by the sloppy track when a shade disappointing last time. Sundrenched is a pea out of the same pod, and perfectly capable of winning if near her best.
Prediction: 5-9-4
Race 8 (Claiming): No 8 – CREDIT CYCLE
Trainer: Robert Raymond – Jockey: Augusto Mann
For all-round consistency, CREDIT CYCLE is the logical call to beat recent scorer Bueno Bueno Bueno. After deservedly taking out one of these over a slightly shorter trip in early March, the Paynter gelding has gone 222 operating between five and a half furlongs and today’s distance of seven. He seems assured of another payday but will need to be at his best to win, as Bueno Bueno Bueno figures to have improvement on just a sixth career start and energised by victory on his debut at this track late last month. However, that happened on a sloppy track and the five-year-old now steps up from the minimum distance to seven furlongs on a likely dry surface. Also going into the mix will be Water Patrol, who had good stats at the end of last year and will be properly fit after two readying runs in 2020.
Prediction: 8-9-13
Race 9 (Starter Optional Claiming): No4 – MATTY’S EXPRESS
Trainer: Michael Dini – Jockey: Antonio Gallardo
MATTY’S EXPRESS is among three recent winners that contest one of the best races on the card and is on the mood to complete a fine hat-trick. He’s been very professional in the way he’s taken out a couple of these and has seemingly enjoyed having a month gap between his races. First Degree broke his maiden when odds-on, having a first look at this track and figures to improve on that for his new barn. Danceronthebeach faces an identical mission, and there are bigger threats in the shape of Uncork The Bottle and Valiant Virtue. Uncork The Bottle is dropping in class off a break, while Valiant Virtue could make more of a race of it with the main pick than when they clashed last month.
Prediction: 4-10-5
