SHA TIN SELECTIONS (Sunday, April 8, 2018)   :: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, and analysis   RACE 1: #8 Team Spirit, #7 Superich, #2 Peace Combination, #13 Magic Success RACE 2: #8 Happy Friendship, #2 Happy Beauty, #5 Glenealy Prize, #1 Mi Blanco RACE 3: #1 Bullish Glory, #7 Ever Laugh, #9 Play It, #12 Aeroluminance RACE 4: #6 Top Beautiful, #1 Lean Perfection, #2 Wishful Thinker, #10 Intrepic RACE 5: #2 Go Go Win, #1 Crown Avenue, #8 Elusive State, #6 Enreaching RACE 6: #11 Sangria, #4 Rule Thee, #8 Heroic Guru, #2 Green Energy RACE 7: #2 Beat The Clock, #1 Mr Stunning, #3 Amazing Kids, #8 Winner's Way RACE 8: #1 Time Warp, #6 Fifty Fifty, #3 Helene Paragon, #4 Pakistan Star RACE 9: #7 Bravo Watchman, #10 Key Witness, #1 Magic Legend, #3 Adventurer RACE 10: #13 Starship, #2 Baba Mama, #4 Midnight Rattler, #7 Chung Wah Spirit   RACE 1: CHAOYANGMEN HANDICAP In what is not the strongest of Class 4 events, debutants #8 Team Spirit and #7 Superich can fight out the finish to this one. Both have drawn favourably and both have trialled well, but the nod goes to Team Spirit, who appears primed for his debut under Nash Rawiller. However, Superich clearly has talent too and should be hard to beat with Joao Moreira aboard. #2 Peace Combination has never won at Sha Tin but he’s been very consistent over this course and distance with 13 first-four placings from 17 starts. He must be included. #13 Magic Success has been mixing his form but he can finish around the mark.   RACE 2: DENGSHIKOU HANDICAP #8 Happy Friendship is one of Hong Kong’s smallest horses but he is always well-placed off his current rating. He has only won once over this course and distance but it was a barnstorming win, so he can’t be written off in this spot. #2 Happy Beauty steps up to 1800m on the dirt for the first time. He still looks well in and he can’t be dismissed. #5 Glenealy Prize is as one-paced as they come. He is a big chance, although gate 13 will make it tricky for him. #1 Mi Blanco is a player at his first run in Class 5.   RACE 3: DONGZHIMEN HANDICAP #1 Bullish Glory has talent but he is also a rascal, often missing the start by lengths and giving himself no chance at all. Now, down to Class 4 for the first time and with Joao Moreira jumping aboard, maybe he can defy his issues to win anyway. #7 Ever Laugh is racing well and has been gifted with another ideal draw. He should be able to settle in the box seat or a pair further back and he will be right around the mark. #9 Play It has shown little at Sha Tin in the past but he returns now off a more favourable mark. He has to be in the mix. #12 Aeroluminance is a place chance.   RACE 4: THE BEIJING CLUBHOUSE ANNIVERSARY CUP #6 Top Beautiful was heavily backed at his return two weeks ago, but he was one-paced in the closing stages. He steps up to 1200m now and he has a good enough draw and an advantageous speed scenario. He should be hard to beat. #1 Lean Perfection has just kept stepping up to the mark, winning three from three to date. It was his latest win, though, which really impressed as he drew clear for an almost five-length score. He has copped a big penalty for that win, but he appears to still have scope and he can’t be written off. #2 Wishful Thinker disappointed last time out after an awkward break. For the first time in his Hong Kong career, he has drawn a good gate and if he can jump with them, that could prove crucial. #10 Intrepic is mixing his form but he is capable on his day.   RACE 5: JIANGUOMEN HANDICAP #2 Go Go Win returns to the dirt for the first time in almost 18 months. He has never won on the surface in seven starts but he has a racing style that suggests he’s capable of winning on the track and, with the right run from gate two, he’ll be right around the mark. #1 Crown Avenue’s record on this surface is good, although he’s usually been better over 1800m. Still, at the 1650m with a better draw, he’s right in contention. #8 Elusive State is racing well and he can figure despite another awkward draw. #6 Enreaching has drawn poorly but he can hit the board.   RACE 6: DONGCHENG DISTRICT HANDICAP #11 Sangria is racing in great heart currently. He ran well at his return to Sha Tin last time out, flashing home for second. If he gets a suitable pace set-up, he’ll be flying home again. #4 Rule Thee was disappointing last start but had won like a progressive galloper the start before. If he can recapture that form with a better gate, he’ll be hard to beat. #8 Heroic Guru is a quirky galloper who should prove well-suited with senior jockey Alberto Sanna replacing apprentice Matthew Poon. He can fill a placing. #2 Green Energy is inconsistent but at his best, he’s a leading player.   RACE 7: G2 SPRINT CUP The strength of John Size’s sprinters comes to the fore here, with the champion trainer saddling up the three leading chances in this race. With a five-pound weight swing on Mr Stunning, #2 Beat The Clock looms as the one to beat. He appears a G1 winner in waiting after two good efforts in the grade and the return to 1200m is a positive. He can win this and stamp himself as a leading Chairman’s Sprint Prize player. #1 Mr Stunning carries five pounds more than the rest of the field as a result of his win in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint in December. He is the class runner and he is a definite chance of making it back-to-back wins in this race. #3 Amazing Kids is just off the top two class-wise, but he is always a chance on his day, as he showed as topweight in a Class 1 last time out. #8 Winner's Way was not far away in that same Class 1 and he is a place chance.   RACE 8: G2 CHAIRMAN'S TROPHY #1 Time Warp has emerged as Hong Kong’s leading galloper this season after big wins in the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup and the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup, both G1s at 2000m. His run in the Stewards’ Cup at this distance should be forgotten as he messed up the start, and even with a five-pound penalty, if he is able to dictate out in front, he will be hard to run down. #6 Fifty Fifty is similar to some past winners of this race, on the way up, and he can’t be dismissed. #3 Helene Paragon is struggling to find form but if he can find his best, he’s a chance. #4 Pakistan Star appears in need of further these days but he could get into the placings and stamp himself as a live QEII Cup hope.   RACE 9: JINBAO STREET HANDICAP This race is packed with speed, which makes it difficult to figure out where some of these will end up. Perhaps #7 Bravo Watchman can find himself just off the speed and pounce, even though he shared the lead last time out. He has run well from just off them in the past and he is unbeaten at the course and distance. #10 Key Witness usually needs further but he is well-weighted and he could be the type to pounce when the speed collapses. #1 Magic Legend has a lot of weight to carry but he should be in the right spot to capitalise. If somehow the speed doesn’t collapse, or there isn’t the speed battle predicted, then don’t write off #3 Adventurer in this spot.   RACE 10: WANGFUJING HANDICAP #13 Starship produced a terrific run last time out, just failing to reel in Circuit Hassler. He has no weight again and from the right draw, he should find himself in the mix again. #2 Baba Mama has not had things in his favour at two starts back down in Class 3. It won’t take much for things to go right and, if they do, he’s hard to beat. #4 Midnight Rattler returns to Class 3 after a lacklustre season. He has shaped better in the mornings though and improvement wouldn’t surprise in this spot. #7 Chung Wah Spirit has an awkward draw but he should be making ground late.