Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips from Sunday’s meeting take place at Sha Tin in Hong Kong.
Looking for more international racing tips for Saturday and Sunday? We’ve got you covered:
Winning Form Tips:
Sha Tin: ow.ly/d0Zk50yYuNj
Gulfstream Park: ow.ly/zrFz50yYuNH
Geraldton: ow.ly/Szyc50yYuOH
Neil Morrice:
Sha Tin: ow.ly/u8zH50yYuPd
Anthony Delpech
Sha Tin: ow.ly/g2uA50yYuPV
Sha Tin Best Bets
Race 1: HURRICANE HUNTER (1)
Trainer: C H Yip
Jockey: Joao Moreira
Joint top weight HURRICANE HUNTER is back in his comfort zone and can play a part in the outcome of the opener. The dual course and distance winner returns to his optimum distance (7f) and should make a bold fist of avenging a narrow defeat last time that will have brought him to the boil. Granted luck in running, GOLDEN CANNON is also likely to light up the board while KWAI CHUNG ELITE needs respecting.
Prediction: 1-11-8
Race 2 ABOVE (3)
Trainer: John Moore
Jockey: Joao Moreira
ABOVE takes a lot of winding up but keeps finding, and after two frame finishes from as many starts this year is now ready to convert. The course and distance winner wears blinkers from a nice midfield post. He has Moreira in the plate and can have the edge on CHEERFUL STAR, whose rider Karis Teeton is on first day back from suspension. Expect this duo to arrive late. At a bigger price DEFINING MOMENT could take the stage, granted Zac Purton rides him for the first time.
Prediction: 3-6-4
Race 3: FANTASY (9)
Trainer: Danny Shum
Jockey: Joao Moreira
FANTASY might not have added to the laurels of his debut win but he’s put in some cracking runs in defeat making him an automatic choice for this sprint handicap. He has a featherweight as well as the ‘Magic Man’ in the saddle and will go off at prohibitive odds. URBAN DANCER has a chance to serve it up from the front and this winner of three of his last four can last out for minor pickings, while TEAM SPIRIT can also have a say.
Prediction: 9-5-1
Race 4: INCANTO PREPARED (8)
Trainer: John Size
Jockey: Joao Moreira
After a couple of near misses, the last one under Moreira, INCANTO PREPARED can get the job done and is one of the best bets on the card. The New Zealand-bred was short-headed by Charge On in a handicap over this trip here earlier in the month, having made progression from race to race. The main ones standing in his way are IRON KING and CITY LEGEND, especially the former who has an identical profile to the selection.
Race 5: XPONENTIAL (3) (Each Way)
Trainer: Doug Whyte
Jockey: Michael Chadwick
The blinkers XPONENTIAL sported for his best career run so far, here at the start of the month, are retained and the Equiano gelding can go well and give us some value in an open heat. JADE PHOENIX is the obvious one to banker in exotics, having troubled the judge on all three outings while TEAM POWER needs to show his latest effort was all wrong.
Prediction: 3-5-6
Race 6: THE RUNNER (3)
Trainer: Doug Whyte
Jockey: Chad Schofield
Of those likely to head the market THE RUNNER is the worst drawn, but crucial to his chance is that he’s put in two earning runs at this level on his last two starts. He’s hovering over a deserved win and may be too hot for JUNEAU PARK and SAM’S LOVE to handle. Juneau Park was a winner in this grade last time while Sam’s Love, beaten a whisker when last seen, is holding his form well.
Race 7: WAR OF COURAGE (13) (Nap)
Trainer: K L Man
Jockey: Chad Schofield.
Schofield has a good book of rides but none better than WAR OF COURAGE who has a win and three places to his name from as many starts and competes off a lovely weight. If he enjoys the rub of the green from a difficult draw then he will be hard to stop. The Australian form brought to the table by HEART CONQUERED has to put him firmly in the mix and another that take my eye is GRATEFUL HEART who impressed in his trial.
Prediction: 13-2-7
Race 8: BEAUTY ICON (13) (Each Way)
Trainer: Tony Cruz
Jockey: Vincent Ho
One of the hardest races to handicap can go to BEAUTY ICON who is getting better with racing and hovers on a lovely mark. He’s a slow developer and showed little until placing behind Mighty Giant here last time, an encouraging run that gives him something to build on. Another drawn wide with a definite chance is PICKEN, while top weight SUPERICH can have a say but must improve on recent efforts.
Prediction: 13- 12-1
Race 9: COT CAMPBELL (9) (Each Way)
Trainer: Tony Millard
Jockey: G Van Niekerk
Although he’s been in the wilderness since breaking his maiden at 2-7 for the Snaith yard at Kenilworth, COT CAMPBELL indicated with a frame finish here last time that he can get into the shake-up as one of the most likely roughies to pop up. The Trippi gelding, named after the American Hall Of Fame owner/trainer who introduced syndicates to the sport in that country, can get his name on the board with ultra-consistent ENZEMBLE a must for exactas and swingers.
Prediction: 9-13-4
Race 10: SHINING ACE (12)
Trainer: John Size
Jockey: Joao Moreira
The normally consistent SHINING ACE fluffed his lines at this course last time out but was a dual scorer here in 2019. At Happy Valley you can measure his performances with Swiss watch precision, but in forgiving him that recent blip he now needs to get into a handy early position under Moreira. HONG KONG BET could be the safest one to place, as he looked to be nearing his peak with a solid run last time. DUKE WAI won four in a row before narrowly failing the last twice, making him an obligatory must include in all exotics.
Prediction: 12-9-5
