Hong Kong Racing Tips: Rev can ensure Hall’s night ends on a High
CHINA’S population is enduring a very tough time at present as a result of the deadly virus which is causing grief around the world.
The outbreak has meant that there is a partial lockout for all visitors at both Sha Tin and Happy Valley for the foreseeable future.
Only key personnel, horse connections, media and existing customers are allowed onto the courses and if that wasn’t enough, all betting shops are also closed throughout the territory.
It wasn’t all bad news, though, especially for the thousands betting online at Sha Tin last Sunday. The traditional Chinese New Year meeting saw several well-fancied horses go in, including seven market leaders at the 11-race meeting.
With Zac Purton riding a treble and Joao Moreira a double, you can guarantee the gambling-mad fraternity will have plenty of dollars to play with when racing resumes at Happy Valley today.
Trainer Francis Lui is in the form of his life at present. If training the one-two with Golden Sixty and More Than This in the £1m HK Classic Mile on Sunday wasn’t enough, the highly popular trainer has recently saddled 10 winners and seven places from his last 50 runners.
With 32 victories to his name already this season, only two behind present leading trainer Ricky Yiu, he sends four contenders to the inner-city track and has a good chance of cutting back the deficit.
He renews his successful partnership with Moreira with Dionysus Collin in the Volunteers’ Challenge Cup (12.45pm) and probably his best chance, VICTORIAM, who lines-up in the competitive Class 3 Queen’s Road East Handicap (1.45pm) over six furlongs.
This highly-regarded Australian import made an instant impact in Hong Kong last summer, winning two of his three races in impressive style.
It hasn’t quite gone according to plan this season with double figure draws stopping him adding to those wins.
He dashed too late when trying to catch track specialist Gentle Breeze over five furlongs in November and then found himself caught wide for most of the journey when a close-up seventh at the beginning of the month.
This time fortune has smiled on him, with an all-important low draw allowing him a dream journey along the rail and up with the early pace from the off.
With the likes of Hardly Swears, seeking a four-timer, the talented Prance Dragon and Aurora Pegasus in opposition, this promises to be a good betting race, but Victoriam can prove too strong for his rivals in the closing stages.
Another horse seeking to resume winning form is HIGH REV in the Tin Lok Handicap (2.50pm) over the extended mile.
Trainer David Hall experimented by trying his three-time course and distance winner over longer trips last month.
He was given too much to do when a strong finishing third to the much improved Glorious Dragon over nine furlongs, but then found a mile and a quarter too far when fourth to the same horse at Sha Tin.
Back over his favoured trip and after a recent encouraging trial suggesting he is back in top form, he should prove too strong for the classy top-weight Not Usual Talent and the consistent Reliable Team.
Pointers
Victoriam 1.45pm Happy Valley
High Rev 2.50pm Happy Valley