HKIR full racing tips & quaddie | Sha Tin | Sunday, December 12

Race 1: Beauty Generation Handicap (C4) (1400m)

We kick-off proceedings with a Class 4 contest over the 1400m in what looks a very open race on paper. Perfect Peach makes our on top selection here with three starts over the 1400m for a win and another minor placing. He’s been very consistent and after drawing wide last start on November 12 at Sha Tin he gets a much better run-in transit here from barrier-one. Lyle Hewitson has ridden this son of Sebring every start this preparation and we can see why he wouldn’t want to be dropping off on this occasion. He may need a little bit of luck getting clear running – however – if Perfect Peach does see daylight turning for home, he looks very hard to beat.

• 9
  

  PERFECT PEACH

• 11
  

  HAPPY LAND

• 2
  

  WIDE BLUE YONDER

• 1
  

  CIRCUIT MIGHTY

Race 2: Falvelon Handicap (C4) (1200m)

Frankie Lor and Zac Purton will be looking to combine with Nicetobemet in this 1200m Class 4 contest. He’s first starter by Deep Field and his trials have indicated to us he’s ready and raring to go here and looks one of the better bets on the card. He’s improved with every one of his three trials, but it was his latest effort at Happy Valley that really caught the eye on November 26, when he sat off the leaders over the 1200m before letting down to win comfortably by a half-length. The horse he beat in that trial Allgreektome come out and ran second at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, so the form he holds coming into his first career start looks as though it should hold up nicely. Barrier 10 is the only real concern here – however – we have Hong Kong’s best Zac Purton booked to ride so you’d expect him to find a spot somewhere mid-field with cover and provided he gets a soft enough run Nicetobemet should be hitting the line best.

• 8
  

  NICETOBEMET

• 1
  

  THE HULK

• 13
  

  MARVEL DRAGON

• 3
  

  REGENCY BO BO

Race 3: Lord Kanaloa Handicap (C3) (1200m)

We’ve got two likely leaders and short-priced favourites with Victor The Winner and Dragon’s Luck both looking to press forward in this 1200m event, so we’ve looked for something to sit in behind the hot speed with first-up European import Silver Hammer looking a good each-way bet in this race. He’s had two trials down the Sha Tin straight and has been hard held in both efforts, he’ll sneak in under the radar with the market likely to gravitate to the known quantities in the race, but we’re willing to risk siding with this Richard Gibson-trained gelding on what we’ve seen. He’s had a win in Europe to boot as well, so the fact he comes to Hong Kong with a win to his name is a nice bonus. Karis Teetan is booked to ride and from the awkward draw, look for him to try and slot in behind the speed before finding down the middle of the track. You should be getting a good price with online bookmakers just for this son of Kodi Bear to run into the minors.

• 10
  

  SILVER HAMMER

• 4
  

  VICTOR THE WINNER

• 6
  

  READY TO WIN

• 14
  

  DRAGON’S LUCK

Race 4: The Hong Kong Vase (G1) (2400m)

The Group 1 Hong Kong Vase is the first of four Group 1 events for the afternoon and is set over the 2400m. Glory Vase ($3) heads the market with Stone Age ($3.50) and Win Marilyn ($5) not far behind with Ladbrokes. You’re looking at a double figure quote for every other runner with European traveller Botanik ($15) and best of the locals Senor Toba ($11).

Can Glory Vase take out a third Hong Kong Vase? Or is there an upset brewing?

Click here for our full preview of the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase

Race 5: The Hong Kong Sprint (G1) (1200m)

The second of the four Group 1’s come in the fifth race of the card, and it’s traditionally been a race for the locals in the Hong Kong Sprint. Lucky Sweynesse ($3) holds the favour of online betting sites with Wellington ($4) not too far behind. The Japanese contingent are the only other gallopers found in the market with Gendarme ($9) and Meikei Yell ($11) finding some support.

Will it be a Hong Kong one, two in the sprinting feature? Or can one of the Japanese hopefuls produce a peak performance?

Click here for our full preview of the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint

Race 6: Jim And Tonic Handicap (C3) (1800m)

Sweet Encounter looks a clear best of the day on Sunday afternoon in this 1800m contest. He should really be looking for five straight wins on the trot on this occasion but due to missing the start on November 12 he’s had a minor blemish to his resume. His win last time out on November 27 at Sha Tin was dominant when Zac Purton took luck out of the equation and elected to lead over the 1600m, before kicking well clear of his rivals to score an eased down two length victory. He steps up to the 1800m for the first time, and does cop a 4kg penalty for his win, but he simply rates to win again with a field that doesn’t impose much of a threat outside of last start winner Woodfire Bro. John Size and Zac Purton team up again here and from barrier-two has plenty of options, he can either lead again and find late, or sit in behind the speed and pounce on his rivals, we’ll leave that up to the king of Hong Kong and hopefully we can collect post-race.

• 3
  

  SWEET ENCOUNTER

• 4
  

  WOODFIRE BRO

• 6
  

  SECRET VISION

• 10
  

  LOOKING COOL

Race 7: The Hong Kong Mile (G1) (1600m)

The third Group 1 up for grabs is the Hong Kong Mile as the champion miler himself Golden Sixty ($1.50) looks to make it three in a row for Vincent Ho and trainer Francis Lui. California Spangle ($4.50) and Japan’s Schnell Meister ($11) have seen some support as well but it’s all about the Hong Kong champion in this one.

Can Golden Sixty create history and a third Hong Kong Mile?

Click here for our full preview of the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile

Race 8: The Hong Kong Cup (G1) (2000m)

The final Group 1 for the Hong Kong international races is the Hong Kong Cup, and we may be saving the best for last as Romantic Warrior ($3) look a future superstar in this one. His key rivals however have seen support with Jack D’or ($4.20) and Panthalassa ($4.60) not without their admirers. It’s a cracking edition of the Cup so it should be a thrilling finally to the four Group 1 contests.

Click here for our full preview of the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup

Race 9: Maurice Handicap (C3) (1400m)

Golden Express was unfortunate not to be winning on his Hong Kong debut over the 1200m and now stepping up to the 1400m here, he looks well suited to find the winners enclosure. His run behind Victor The Winner on November 20 was enormous after getting further back then expected and rattled home late to find second, if he gets clear air sooner it’s fair to say Golden Express would be looking for back-to-back wins. This is a much tougher race on paper and the speed map doesn’t flatter our on top pick from barrier-eight, but he gets Zac Purton again and if he can find cover on the outside line it may be a benefit for us overall after being checked between horses first up.

• 10
  

  GOLDEN EXPRESS

• 12
  

  SUPER SUNNY SING

• 1
  

  BON’S A PEARLA

• 6
  

  VOYAGE BUBBLE

Race 10: Highland Reel Handicap (C2) (1400m)

The final race is a Class 2 over 1400m and it’s where you’ll find our best value runner of the day with the Frankie Lor-trained Eason. His last start effort on October 23 at this track and distance was phenomenal and really should have found a minor placing at the least, after getting posted three wide no cover the trip, jockey Alexis Badel elected to take off mid-race before he tired late. He’s won a trial since that effort and looks to be going even better heading into the weekend, with Silvestre de Sousa booked to ride and ready to bounce off his IJC win on Wednesday, we’re hoping he just pings the lids from barrier-10 and plays catch me if you can with a very light 53.5kg in this quality field.

• 11
  

  EASON

• 12
  

  KING LAND

• 3
  

  BLAZE WARRIOR

• 5
  

  IMA SINGLE MAN