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Storms continue ahead of another Sunday showdown

City of Troy might've bombed out in Saturday’s 2,000 Guineas but his big brother Unbelievable can make the headlines on Sunday when he bids to break his HK duck at the fifth attempt in a demanding renewal of the Queen Mother Memorial Cup at 9.05.

The rain that tried to put a dampener on last week’s Champions Day has intensified this weekend and, for all that the Sha Tin track has tremendous drainage, this £420,000 handicap over 2400m will provide a grind that will test most of the field up to and beyond their limits.

That will play to the strengths of HK’s leading stayer Russian Emperor – who was good enough to beat the mighty Romantic Warrior in G1 company over Sunday’s trip last spring - but another former Aidan O’Brien pupil looks a danger to all receiving lumps of weight.

Unbelievable set to rise up for the Cup

True, Russian Emperor’s presence means that UNBELIEVABLE is well out of the handicap and Derek Leung is likely to put up a few pounds overweight, too.

However, Frankie Lor’s gelding showed smart form in his Ballydoyle days – winning a good Newbury handicap off 99 before finishing a fine third off 104 at Royal Ascot – and he’s progressing nicely in his new home after following a solid fifth in the Derby with a good handicap second over the same 2000m trip.

Unbelievable galloped on willingly after travelling comfortably on the pace that day. We already know he stays 2400m thanks to his Ascot effort and, with further progress on the cards, he looks a very lively win and place hope indeed for the Sunday feature.

Purton poised to come on up for the Rising

Zac Purton has a string of strong chances among his Sunday book and I’m hoping he’s chosen correctly in two supporting contests and wrongly in another.

Testing ground would be an unknown for KA YING RISING in the 10.10 but David Hayes’s gelding is one of the most progressive handicappers in town, winning three of his first five and getting the better of a couple of bang-in-form rivals in decisive fashion last month.

He still looks ahead of the game despite a 9lb rise for his Class 2 debut, while a low draw and the likelihood of a smooth run on the inner gives VICTORY MOMENTS a fair chance of reversing recent course form with Monta Frutta and Hong Kong Hall in the 9.35.

It’s hard to be sure whether Zac had the choice between Superb Kid and Magnificent Nine in the finale at 10.45 but, if so, it can’t have been an easy decision.

Purton partners emphatic recent course and distance scorer Superb Kid for Francis Lui but MAGNIFICENT NINE has caught the eye more than once of late – most recently when involved in two separate notable barging matches under the champion – and better luck in running ought to make him a danger to all here.

Angus joins the big boys as Emperor rules the Valley

Two homegrown youngsters and two much more seasoned HK veterans stole the show at Happy Valley on Wednesday.

Angus Chung joins the senior riding ranks after File fancy Colourful Emperor took the nightcap in emphatic fashion to give the 27-year-old the 70th success of his career.

Ellis Wong’s valuable 10lb claim will be reduced to 7lb after partnering a double aboard Cordyceps One and Dragon Delight.

Meanwhile, veteran trainers Ricky You and Francis Lui are both on the cusp of major achievements, the former needing one more winner to reach the 1000 mark in HK and the latter building momentum in pursuit of a first trainers’ title aged 65.

Lui couldn’t keep pace with Pierre Ng through the winter but a big gap is closing and Golden Sixty’s handler is just five behind his former assistant after Copartner Prance and Yellowfin gave him a race-to-race double.

Sunday’s Sha Tin Selections

• 9.05: Unbelievable (EW)
• 9.35: Victory Moments
• 10.10: Ka Ying Rising
• 10.45: Magnificent Nine

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