Hong Kong hosts four Group One flat races on Sunday morning, with Europe represented in all. The sprint, in particular, is full of value and looks the perfect punting race with a short-priced favourite seemingly there for the taking.
At 15/8, Gold-Fun is a hot favourite after being dropped back in trip and winning well over course and distance last month – watch below. He travelled like the best horse in the race and was last off the bridle, so I’d be hesitant to back anything that was drawn inside him on that evidence – which rules out the well-drawn Not Listenin’tome.
Sha Tin is a very tight track and the draw-bias is huge; you don’t want to be out in the car park. Watch the above again and two horses made up a lot of late ground were out widest of all and re-oppose tomorrow with better draws.
The first is eventual fourth Lucky Nine (in white), who is available at 33/1 and is far favourably drawn this time around in stall five. The second, two stalls down in seven, is Charles The Great (gold with the red and white cap), who is a whopping 50/1 with Betfair. Both are worth siding with despite being on 5kg worse terms with the winner.
“He’s a real genuine bugger and we are very happy to take our chances with him” – John Moore on Charles The Great
Everyone’s favourite speedster Sole Power has another go the race he came second in last year, but he’s never won over six furlongs and it’s hard to see that changing tomorrow, despite the big price.
Remarkably, the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Mongolian Saturday, who defied the widest of draws that day, is available at 25/1 despite being well-drawn in stall four. Watch his big win below.
The ground at Keeneland was – excuse my French – a bit fucked, and threw up some surprise results on the day. This represents a small but significant step up in trip and I’m not sure about the value of the form with the Diamond Jubilee Stakes winner Undrafted beaten out of sight.
The way he weakened in the final strides suggests the trip will be an issue, and he looked like the kind of big, powerful sprinter who would appreciate the dodgy ground. Sha Tin will be quick and I’m not convinced he’ll be at his best.
What seems assured is a break-neck pace, with the comically-named Peniaphobia and Mongolian Saturday likely to get straight to the front. This will help both of the selections’ chances of picking up the pieces.
It should be a cracking race.
0.5pts win Lucky Nine @33/1 (BetVictor), Sha Tin 06:40
0.5pts win Charles The Great @50/1 (Betfair), Sha Tin 06:40