3 minute read

Selections and Analysis for Wednesday’s (31 march) nine-race fixture at Sha Tin.

Race 1: #5 Winning Strikes, #4 Dr Proactive, #1 Little Thunder, #3 Smart Charade
Race 2: #1 Elite Patch, #4 Ping Hai Treasure, #3 Great Treasure, #8 All For St Paul's
Race 3: #5 Coolceleb, #2 Thou Shall Sing, #4 Jade Phoenix, #11 The Best Hero
Race 4: #10 General Dino, #9 Fairy Floss, #2 Mister Monte, #8 Sky Gem
Race 5: #1 Deal Maker, #8 Yes We Can, #2 Lady First, #10 El Valiente
Race 6: #11 Happy Tango, #4 Striking Mr C, #2 Mercurial, #1 Blotting Paper
Race 7: #1 Super Alliances, #10 Gold Comet, #6 Sunny Delight, #3 Flying On The Turf
Race 8: #1 Gunnison, #5 Lucky Fun, #6 Flying Bonus, #3 Sunset Watch
Race 9: #11 Holy Heart, #2 Elusive State, #3 Glorious Artist, #1 Kings Shield

Race 1: Tern Handicap

#5 Winning Strikes is lightly raced but does have ability. He draws gate one here and from there he should be able to find the front. He can get on the board with a first win here. #4 Dr Proactive mixes his form but is more than capable. He draws a touch awkwardly but the booking of Joao Moreira bears close watching. #1 Little Thunder brings solid form into this with three consecutive top-three efforts under his belt. He's relishing racing in the bottom grade. #3 Smart Charade is next best.

Race 2: Parus Handicap

#1 Elite Patch was a five-length course and distance winner earlier this term. He since been racing well and with even luck from gate one he shapes as the one to beat, especially if he finds the front as he has done in the past. #4 Ping Hai Treasure is consistent in his spot. Suspect he can figure with the right run. #3 Great Treasure draws well and has race-experience under his belt. #8 All For St Paul's is another on-speed runner. He'll give himself every chance. 

Race 3: Robin Handicap (3rd Section)

Zac Purton is two for two aboard #5 Coolceleb and he appears capable of enhancing that record here. The Foxwedge gelding loves the dirt and he should get all of the favours from gate three. #2 Thou Shall Sing is a three-time winner on the surface. He also draws well and rates as the main danger in this contest. #4 Jade Phoenix gets the services of Joao Moreira. He's consistent and commands respect from the low draw. #11 The Best Hero is showing steady improvement. He can finish inside the money.

Race 4: Tropicbird Handicap

#10 General Dino hasn't won for a while, but he is a three-time winner on the surface. He's returned to a competitive mark in Class 5 and with Joao Moreira aboard, he can get back on the winner's list. #9 Fairy Floss shared the win two starts ago. He's remained in form and draws well for this contest. The booking of Zac Purton bodes well for this contest. #2 Mister Monte gets a handy seven-pound claim from apprentice Jerry Chau. He's not without a chance to return to form. #8 Sky Gem is consistent in his spot. He can figure with the right run.

Race 5: Sand Martin Handicap

#1 Deal Maker is a two-time course and distance winner. He's led and won previously over this trip and from the front he could prove difficult to reel in. #8 Yes We Can is racing well. He gets his chance from the low draw to finish off and he rates as the main danger. #2 Lady First is in career-best form. He'll relish switching back from the turf to the dirt. #10 El Valiente turned in a career-best third-placed effort last start. Joao Moreira hops up now and he should be in the finish.

Race 6: Robin Handicap (1st Section)

#11 Happy Tango has proven he loves the dirt and his latest trial caught the eye. He's in-form and he gets his chance to get a first win on the board here, especially with the booking of championship leading jockey Joao Moreira. #4 Striking Mr C was a three-time course and distance winner last season. He can bounce out of the ground at any time and because of this he is worth supporting on a win and place line. #2 Mercurial draws well and gets his chance. #1 Blotting Paper is next best with the drop in grade.

Race 7: Robin Handicap (2nd Section)

#1 Super Alliances steps back to Class 4 where he is a two-time winner this season, both times over this course and distance. He draws well and rates as a leading player. #10 Gold Comet is lightly raced but does have plenty of ability. He could be the value runner of the race and if so, he is worth supporting on both a win and place line. #6 Sunny Delight steps out on debut following a strong trial performance on the dirt. He commands respect. #3 Flying On The Turf mixes his form but is capable. The draw is not suitable but he has the ability to finish inside the money.

Race 8: Mesia Handicap

#1 Gunnison returns to his preferred course and distance. He loves the dirt and also receives a welcome step back in grade to Class 3. He can take advantage of both of these factors and, with even luck, prove difficult to reel in with his class edge. #5 Lucky Fun is racing in supreme form with two wins from his last four starts. He's consistent and remains a factor, although does draw poorly in gate 12. #6 Flying Bonus can roll forward and play catch me if you can. #3 Sunset Watch is next best.

Race 9: Cuckoo Handicap

#11 Holy Heart has been thrown in the deep end here but he might be worth taking a chance on at a big price. His previous form over the course and distance has been solid and he returned with genuine excuses after his last-start failure. He's trialled well and the recent stint at Conghua appears to have done him well. #2 Elusive State has been arguably Hong Kong's best dirt horse in recent years. He won well last start and does have a significant class edge over a number of his rivals here. #3 Glorious Artist is racing well and does appear to have recaptured his best form which saw him campaign to post a fourth in the KOR G1 Korea Cup in 2019. He's worth including. #1 Kings Shield can roll forward and play catch me if you can. He is another with class who will be looking to boss his rivals here.