Our Hong Kong expert Graham Cunningham takes a look at Sunday's Sha Tin card live on Sky Sports Racing.
Zac bounces back for Rising and Patch
The clocks are going forward and the seven-time champion is coming back.
That’s the short summary ahead of a strong Sunday Sha Tin card and Zac Purton – raring to go after foot injuries sustained in a heavy fall seven weeks ago – partners one star at the peak of his powers and another with more to prove after four defeats.
GALAXY PATCH and KA YING RISING tackle a couple of G2s worth over £500,000 apiece and it will come as one of the shocks of the season if the latter is turned over in the Sprint Cup at 9.15.
David Hayes’s gelding has been doing a fair impression of the world’s best sprinter this season, smashing the Sha Tin 1200m track record twice and extending his winning streak to ten on his 1400m debut with Karis Teetan deputising for Purton in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup last month.
Ka Ying Rising shoulders a 5lb penalty against familiar foes after a smooth trial win last week and there are those who will lump on whatever the price because they simply can’t conceive of defeat.
Express on track for another crack
But betting ten to win two (or even one) before the gates open isn’t for me and HELIOS EXPRESS is the one for those prepared to oppose the sure thing in the hard-nosed hope that he has an off-day.
John Size’s gelding has had his hat handed to him by KYR on all his five starts this season but he ran the new king to half a length in the HK Sprint in December and has chased him home in two more G1s since, most recently when beaten a length and a half in the QSJC.
The Size horses have been in tremendous form in recent weeks and Helios Express receives 5lb from his nemesis this time.
It won’t be enough if Ka Ying Rising is on his A game and opposing a genuine ace with no apparent flaws invites ridicule if he bolts up again.
But even superstars run below their stellar best now and again. Ka Ying Rising got away with it when harried for the lead on HKIR day. And if he dips a bit below his lofty peak again this might be less of a victory lap than the market suggests.
Patch to have the Trophy covered
It’s taken a while for Purton to be given a chance to find the key to Galaxy Patch but the Aussie gets his opportunity in the Chairman’s Trophy over 1600m at 8.10 and the hint looks worth taking.
Pierre Ng’s gelding hasn’t built on a reappearance defeat of crack miler Voyage Bubble in the G2 Sha Tin Trophy – and he faded when ridden handier than usual over 2000m last time – but this looks the right slot for him to bounce back.
Ng was delighted with the way his stable star and Purton gelled in a recent morning assignment, saying “I’ve never seen the horse so relaxed in the early part of the trial.”
It’s long been apparent that getting Galaxy Patch to settle and use his power at the business end of a race is key. The likelihood of a good gallop here is a plus and, with Purton surely set to revert to patient tactics, his powerful finish can prove decisive.
Chateauneuf a vintage value choice
Opposing unbeaten improvers from the Size barn isn’t to be done lightly and Crossborderpegasus is certain to corner a huge chunk of the market for the Homestead Handicap at 10.25.
This gelding was sent off at evens on his debut and was backed down to 1.3 when following up in similar fashion – asserting late despite seeming inclined to edge right – in another Class 4 two weeks ago.
Crossborderpegasus won’t jump at 1.3 this time but he is going to be short again and, given that he’s been hiked another 8lb for his debut against battle hardened Class 3 rivals, it’s tempting to seek some win and place value to much longer odds.
Purton is back aboard Sunny Da Best, who was progressing well until failing to fire on his Happy Valley debut last time but CHATEAUNEUF is the one the market might miss.
A record of 0-7 since an emphatic October win tells the tale of a horse who hasn’t gone on quite so well as expected. But Chateauneuf has remained in good form, looking unlucky when caught in a pocket at the Valley last time, and he’s capable of going close here if the jolly shows signs of immaturity.
Honourable mentions
Ka Ying Rising’s half-brother Ka Ying Glory has been trialling strongly ahead of his debut for Hayes and Purton in the Plantation Handicap (6.45), while Horsepower isn’t ideally drawn in stall one for the Harlech Handicap (8.45) but has looked very promising in winning his first two starts.
But the Lugard Handicap that closes the card at 11.00 looks a more attractive punting medium, with ANOTHER WORLD and MAGNIFICENT NINE the pair who make most appeal.
Another World has made a strong start to his HK career and has Purton first time after finishing third in a similar event that looks solid form. He’s bound to go close but the smooth-travelling Magnificent Nine has thrived of late, winning cosily then running a belter in defeat, and he’s well worth noting as a win and Quinella option.
King Richard the Third
You wait twelve meetings for a winner then three come along all at once.
That was the short summary of Richard Kingscote’s night at Sha Tin on Wednesday but the Derby winning rider certainly wasn’t complaining after breaking his HK duck aboard Chill Kaka then following up on Fashion Legend and Rising Force.
Kingscote has two more meetings left before returning home for another turf campaign but has already expressed an interest in returning, while it may be some time before we see another familiar face back in Britain on a regular basis.
Andre Atzeni celebrated his 34th birthday with a double on Cheer For South and Must Go and, having leapfrogged Brenton Avdulla to go third in the table, the silky Sardinian is on 35 winners and closing in on £6m in prize money with a third of the season left.
Sunday’s Sha Tin Selections
8.10: Galaxy Patch
9.15: Helios Express
10.25: Chateauneuf (EW)
11.00: Another World/Magnificent Nine
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