It’s been a difficult two weeks for Hong Kong punters but this weekends meeting at Sha Tin offers a chance to turn things around.
The Group 3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup is the feature with a talented field of stayers stepping out over the 2400m. There are also 10 other races to choose from across the card and we run through our best bets for each of them in our preview below.
*All times are Hong Kong local*
This is a very difficult betting race with four of the five runners coming off their debut in the Yua Ma Tei Griffin Plate on April 12. Smiling Face was the one to take away from that race holding on for second two lengths behind the very impressive Sunny Star. The three-year-old was under hard riding over the final furlong but did show plenty of ability stretching towards the line when the pressure mounted. Joao Moreira gets a second crack to get things right and the pair should prove tough to beat.
Zac Purton steps back on board Demons Rock and if the pair race anything like they did back in February they should prove tough to hold out. The David Hall-trained gelding finished runner-up behind Fox Cheunger with Purton in the saddle at Happy Valley two starts back and has since returned to finish second under Matthew Poon first-up over the 1000m at Sha Tin. Overcoming the top-weight is the only query, but the low draw and the fact he’s won four times over the distance makes Demons Rock a worthwhile bet.
Helene Leadingstar is shooting for three straight and meets some familiar rivals from his last start win over the 2000m at Sha Tin in a Class 1 Handicap. The five-year-old by Wanted has gone to another level this time in with two wins and two placings and is more than capable of seeing out the sharp rise in trip. Helene Charisma was also an eye-catcher in that same race bursting through along the rail to grab third. The old boy was no match stepping back to the 1800m in his last start but has drawn well for a bounce-back performance and rates as an each-way hope.
The lightly raced Dublin Star has been tough to fault having missed a place only once in four career starts. The gelding by Savabeel gets back to the 1000m here where he placed two starts back only 1.6 lengths behind the winner Good View Clarico. He should take big improvement from that race and with nearly a month between runs, I think he’ll be tough to beat fresh.
Happy Time was a winner over the course and distance back in October and has since found the minors in back-to-back starts over the trip. The son of Smart Missile is well-weighted again here with Matthew Chadwick in the saddle and should take a power of beating after finishing only 1.5 lengths behind Ping Hai Bravo on the 22nd of March. I like the fact he’s had some time off between runs, so on what appears to be one of the better races on the card, this looks to be his chance.
Excel Delight won his maiden five starts back over the course and distance and has been mighty unlucky at the races ever since. The four-year-old by Exceed and Excel has finished runner-up in his last three starts by less than half a length but has the chance to make up for it here. Dollar Reward could be worth a smaller play with two wins over the trip this time in. He’s had no luck at the barriers in his last two starts but has finally drawn low with Antoine Hamelin in the saddle for the first time.
Galactic steps up to the mile for the first time and I think he’s worth a look following his latest run when third over the 1400m on April 12. The Deep Field gelding went forward from the wide gate and led most of the way before being grabbed by Best For You right on the line. I thought he stayed on nicely however, and with Joao Moreira likely looking to settle off the pace this time around, the 1600m looks ideal.
Defining Moment gets back to the 2000m following consecutive wins over the 1600m and the 1800m. The Caspar Fownes-trained five-year-old finished 6.2L third over this distance three starts back but was rising sharply from the 1400m in the start prior. I think he deserves another look here rising in grade and the lightweight of Joao Moreira only strengthens his case.
Party Genius lost his last start to Leading Fortune due to a protest being upheld in the stewards’ room, but I think he’s worth another look here resuming over the distance. He made contact with a few runners coming down the straight but still managed to battle on and hit the line for a photo. The three-year-old by Deep Field has an enormous turn of foot when he’s ridden off the speed and I really like the fact Zac Purton is back in the saddle for another crack.
Good For You won his last start by over two lengths to Beauty Spark and can easily go one better here on the short backup. The old boy is already a three-time winner this time in and is once again down in the weights with apprentice H T Mo on board. Utopia Life returns from his last start third over the course and distance with Chad Schofield on board. The gelding was a winner two starts back at Sha Tin and should be in the mix again with race fitness on his side.
Chad Schofield had the magic touch aboard Everyone’s Joy in his last start win over the course and distance. The son of Redoute’s Choice rates highly again here and remains down in the weights with an inside draw. Juneau Park is a two-times winner over the course and distance this time in and has to be respected in the market with two wins and a pair of placings at Sha Tin. Pure Legend rates as a decent each-way hope coming out of the same race with a win over the course and distance third-up last season.