SHA TIN SELECTIONS by Declan Schuster
(Sunday, September 12, 2021)
Race 1: #9 Diamond Star, #3 Dazzling Feeling, #4 Jimmu, #1 Daily Charm
Race 2: #8 Steel Win, #5 Blotting Paper, #11 The Best Hero, #9 Little Thunder
Race 3: #5 Lord Thunder, #8 Fortune Happiness, #11 Amazing Knight, #4 Infinite Power
Race 4: #7 Fox Cheunger, #4 Golden Four, #6 Alloy Star, #2 Seize The Spirit
Race 5: #11 Best For You, #4 Xiang Yin, #1 King’s Capital, #9 Solar Power
Race 6: #4 Speedy Mouse, #3 Flying Bonus, #8 Spontaneous, #6 Harmony Spirit
Race 7: #6 Green Envy, #1 Casimiro, #3 Great Treasure, #11 Jiangxi Stamina
Race 8: #14 Cheerful Days, #6 Ian, #9 Gluck Racer, #2 Ima Single Man
Race 9: #6 Gold Chest, #5 Lucky More, #7 Trillion Win, #10 Winner Method
Race 10: #13 Win Win, #3 The Golden Scenery, #4 Super Winner, #6 Super Ten
Race 1: Sau Mau Ping Handicap
#9 Diamond Star has the ability and he looks very well placed here with Zac Purton engaged. The draw suits and he should be able to take up a forward position from there. #3 Dazzling Feeling can bounce back getting up to the mile. He’s the value of the race and is worth supporting on a win and place line. #4 Jimmu is yet to win from 28 starts. He’s got some skill and Joao Moreira’s urgings will help. #1 Daily Charm has claims, especially with the in-form Karis Teetan engaged.
Race 2: Lam Tin Handicap (2nd Section)
#8 Steel Win showed tremendous ability to win last time out. He can carry that form into here and the booking of Joao Moreira suggests that he’s held his condition or better yet, improved. #5 Blotting Paper is expected to roll forward and try to pinch this. He’ll take running down and the return to six furlongs is suitable. #11 The Best Hero has some talent and he deserves respect with no weight on his back. He’s worth supporting. #9 Little Thunder has the form on the board. Don’t discount.
Race 3: Lam Tin Handicap (1st Section)
#5 Lord Thunder makes his highly anticipated debut. He looks to have above average ability as shown in his trials and he could take running down. Blake Shinn can rate a front-runner and this looks like the pair’s contest to lose. #8 Fortune Happiness has returned to a suitable mark. Joao Moreira hops up and with the right run he should get his chance. #11 Amazing Knight slots in light and draws favourably. He’s worth supporting on a win and place line. #4 Infinite Power is next best.
Race 4: San Po Kong Handicap
#7 Fox Cheunger will relish the step up in trip to seven furlongs. He’s had the benefit of one run already this term which should hold his race-fitness in good stead. #4 Golden Four races well fresh. He’s down to a very competitive mark and with the right run he rates as the main danger. #6 Alloy Star won nicely two starts ago. He’ll need luck but he is aided by the services of Zac Purton. #2 Seize The Spirit mixes his form but is more than capable in this grade on his day.
Race 5: Ngau Tau Kok Handicap
#11 Best For You doesn’t win out of turn but he does have his fair share of ability. He’s a winner off this mark previously and the light weight plus good gate should ensure he gets the chance. #4 Xiang Yin has struggled with injuries but he is much better than his record suggests. He has the potential to bounce out of the ground at any time. #1 King’s Capital appears to have come on nicely. #9 Solar Power has gate speed and is expected to sit prominent in the run.
Race 6: Kowloon Bay Handicap
#4 Speedy Mouse has a stack of class and this contest looks a more than suitable starting point for his campaign. He’s above average and does shape as the one to beat here. #3 Flying Bonus can find the front from the inside draw. Alfred Chan takes a key seven pounds off his back which helps, especially as a two-time course and distance winner in this grade last season. #8 Spontaneous caught the eye in a recent trial. Must respect. #6 Harmony Spirit has his share of ability. Next best.
Race 7: Ngau Tau Kok Handicap
#6 Green Envy has the form on the board with two wins from his last three starts. He’s trialled well in the lead-up to his seasonal return and this contest looks favourable. #1 Casimiro gets his chance back in Class 4 with Zac Purton engaged. #3 Great Treasure has been a terrific horse across his 83-start career in Hong Kong. Searching for his ninth win, the gritty veteran is more than capable of challenging for it here. #11 Jiangxi Stamina caught the eye with a win last start. Must include.
Race 8: Diamond Hill Handicap
#14 Cheerful Days catches the eye here stepping back to six furlongs. His only start over the trip he finished an eye-catching fourth, producing a run that would have resulted in a win had he received clear room in the closing stages. The step back down in distance could well be a positive and he’s worth taking a chance on here. #6 Ian did well on debut. Look for improvement from him here getting around a bend. #9 Gluck Racer has both ability and potential. He warrants respect. #2 Ima Single Man will be fighting out the finish.
Race 9: Choi Hung Handicap
#6 Gold Chest races well fresh having won both of his first-up runs in the past two seasons. Although this is tough, he does appear more than capable of notching another. #5 Lucky More is a speedster down the straight. His personal best over the course and distance has him right in contention. #7 Trillion Win is gifted and he should be able to test this group. #10 Winner Method has class and is ultra-consistent with three wins from five starts. He’s super-fast and is another who will be in the thick of the action.
Race 10: Kwun Tong Handicap
This is a hot race to close out the card. Considering the amount of early speed there appears to be on paper, #13 Win Win, who trialled impressively at Conghua recently catches the eye. He’s proven in this grade and with the right and last look at them in the straight, he can finish best. #3 The Golden Scenery has a stack of ability. He’ll be running home strongly. #4 Super Winner should cross and pester for the lead. He’ll kick on, he’s gritty. #6 Super Ten should lead. However, he’ll need to be tough here.
Hong Kong Selections for Sunday, September 12
Paul Lally:
R1 4-8-12-3
R2 8-9-5-3
R3 5-6-8-4
R4 7-2-6-12
R5 9-1-3-4
R6 8-4-9-10
R7 10-5-2-6
R8 9-2-1-12
R9 7-10-6-3
R10 5-3-4-11
Best Bet R10 N5 My Sugar
Longshot R7 N10 GoGo Sixteen
Play R10 QQP 3-4-5
Tom Wood:
R1: 8-6-2-1
R2: 5-9-11-8
R3: 5-8-6-4
R4: 12-6-2-7
R5: 1-4-9-7
R6: 8-4-6-7
R7: 6-10-8-5
R8: 12-9-2-6
R9: 2-7-10-6
R10: 3-5-6-9
BEST: R6 N8 SPONTANEOUS (WIN)
VALUE: R8 N12 PROUD DRAGON (EW)
PLAY: R9 QQP 2,7,10
Mark McNamara:
R1 12.4.6.3
R2 11.2.3.1
R3 5.4.8.6
R4 6.7.10.12
R5 4.9.1.10
R6 8.4.1.9
R7 5.6.10.13
R8 1.9.2.12
R9 7.10.3.6
R10 3.5.4.9
Best Bet R9 N7 Trillion Win
Longshot R8 N1 Big Fortune
Play R8 Q/QP 1.2.9
