3 minute read

Selections and Analysis for Sunday’s race meeting at Sha Tin (31/01/21).

Race 1: #7 Fantastic Way, #12 Vukan, #14 Fire Ball, #2 Xponential
Race 2: #12 Golden Mission, #3 City Legend, #2 Winwin Thirtythree, #1 Destin
Race 3: #4 Striking Mr C, #5 Resolute, #1 Lucky Fun, #8 Demons Rock
Race 4: #6 Winning Steed, #2 Cheerful Days, #8 Country Boy, #4 Donc Je Suis
Race 5: #9 Super Alliances, #3 All For South, #5 Sunset Watch, #6 Gunnar
Race 6: #1 Band Of Brothers, #3 Ballistic King, #2 Not Usual Talent, #10 Highly Proactive
Race 7: #2 Furore, #3 Columbus County, #7 Savvy Nine, #1 Exultant
Race 8: #4 Seaweed Fortune, #9 Wins All, #11 Ultra Express, #3 More Than Enough
Race 9: #10 Casimiro, #5 Looking Great, #7 Beauty Day, #3 Perfect To Great
Race 10: #11 Guy Dragon, #3 Beauty Applause, #2 Duke Wai, #9 Handsome Bo Bo

Race 1: Shau Kei Wan Handicap

#7 Fantastic Way has caught the eye leading up to his debut with several smart trials. He looks forward enough to figure first-up. #12 Vukan has ability. He'll have taken plenty of benefit from his first-up run and with even luck, he rates as the main danger. #14 Fire Ball gets in light with no weight on his back and is racing well. #2 Xponential makes the step down to Class 4. He'll relish this drop in grade and does get the added bonus of apprentice Jerry Chau's seven-pound claim.

Race 2: Aldrich Bay Handicap

#12 Golden Mission draws well and once again gets his chance to break through. Michael Chang's horses have been running well without winning and from the good draw with Antoine Hamelin up, he should get every chance. #3 City Legend is a perennial non-winner with 10 runner-up efforts to his name from 30 starts. Still, he gets a handy seven-pound claim here and the inside draw does suit. #2 Winwin Thirtythree draws well and did win at his last run in Class 5. He bears close watching. #1 Destin rarely runs a bad race and does get the services of champion jockey Zac Purton once again.

Race 3: Rambler Channel Handicap

#4 Striking Mr C is capable in his spot and was a three-time course and distance winner last season. He can turn around his first-up struggles. #5 Resolute grabbed a close-up second last time out. He draws well and gets his chance. #1 Lucky Fun got off the mark impressively last time out at only his second start. He's racing well he just needs to handle the circumstances of racing on the dirt. #8 Demons Rock is looking for back-to-back wins. He's next best.

Race 4: Chai Wan Handicap

#6 Winning Steed gets the blinkers first time to sharpen him up after struggling at his latest outing. His form prior was solid and if he can recapture that here, then he is capable of taking this contest out from the good gate. #2 Cheerful Days is doing everything right apart from winning. He is racing well and has gone close a number of times but once again, just can't draw a good gate. #8 Country Boy kept on strongly for a close-up fifth last start. He is open to improvement with race-fitness under his belt. #4 Donc Je Suis is steadily improving. He's next best.

Race 5: Tai Tam Bay Handicap

#9 Super Alliances is a three-time course and distance winner. He profiles well for this contest and with even luck from the good draw, he is the one to beat. #3 All For South won well from the front last time out. Chances are he tries the same again here and he will, look the winner for a long way. #5 Sunset Watch makes the switch to the dirt for the first time this season. He's performed well on the surface previously and he's a leading player with that form under his belt. #6 Gunnar is a consistent on-pacer who gets his chance.

Race 6: Tathong Channel Handicap

#1 Band of Brothers narrowly missed two starts ago in this grade and although he's drawn awkwardly, he does rate as the one they all have to beat, especially with Zac Purton atop again. #3 Ballistic King doesn't win out of turn but he does rarely run a bad race. He draws well and gets his opportunity. #2 Not Usual Talent won in style last start. He draws well and does get a handy seven-pound weight relief from apprentice Jerry Chau. #10 Highly Proactive is next best on his form from early last season.

Race 7: G3 Centenary Vase Handicap

#2 Furore won consecutive Pattern races before finishing a competitive fifth in last month's G1 Hong Kong Cup over 2000m. Tony Cruz has this horse racing well and with confidence and, he does rate as the one to beat. #3 Columbus County crossed the line third in last month's G1 Hong Kong Vase over 2400m. He gets a handy weight relief on the top two and his form over this course distance warrants respect as a two-time winner. #7 Savvy Nine is looking for back-to-back wins at G3 level over 1800m. This is a step up though with the likes of Exultant and Furore taking part but, his last success is hard to discount. #1 Exultant rarely runs a bad race but just might need a bit further as he gets older.

Race 8: Clear Water Bay Handicap

#4 Seaweed Fortune is better than his last-start struggle suggests and he can bounce back to his best here from the good gate. #9 Wins All is consistent and is looking to snap three consecutive runner-up efforts. He gets his chance to do so from gate one. #11 Ultra Express is steadily improving and does appear worth including down in the weights from gate three. #3 More Than Enough is in-form, he only needs to offset the wide gate. He does get Christophe Soumillon atop who on Wednesday, rode a double.

Race 9: Siu Sai Wan Handicap

#10 Casimiro is consistent in his spot and should be able to finish home strongly with a number of on-pace types engaged in the race. #5 Looking Great grabbed fifth last time out. He's racing well and is open to further improvement at only his second start. #7 Beauty Day is one of those who will roll forward. He'll get his chance to be around at the finish. #3 Perfect To Great mixes his form but has shown glimpses of talent. He's next best.

Race 10: Victoria Harbour Handicap

#11 Guy Dragon was awfully unlucky last start and with a clean run, perhaps he could have won. He's racing well and gets his chance to atone for that luckless effort here. #3 Beauty Applause is looking for back-to-back wins. He's a classy on-pace galloper who only needs to offset the awkward draw here. #2 Duke Wai appears to have found his mark but is in reasonable form. The seven-pound claim from apprentice Jerry Chau enhances his claims. #9 Handsome Bo Bo is next best off the back of two wins at the city circuit this season.