HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS (Wednesday April 11, 2018) RACE 1: #7 Oriental Elite, #5 Dr Race, #9 Starlot, #4 Love Chunghwa RACE 2: #2 Great Joy, #4 Contribution, #3 Little Island, #1 Kiram RACE 3: #9 Showing Character, #7 Gouten Of Garo, #11 Bingo, #3 Buoyant Boy RACE 4: #5 Multigogo, #4 See Me Now, #1 Planet Star, #9 Doctors Delight RACE 5: #12 Super Junior, #9 Smart Declaration, #10 Encore Boy, #8 After Me RACE 6: #11 Silverfield, #12 Right Honourable, #3 Little Dragon, #5 Pretty Bauhinia RACE 7: #9 Circuit Glory, #6 Winning Faith, #8 Patriot Hero, #5 Rickfield RACE 8: #4 Lucky Hero, #2 Raging Blitzkrieg, #5 Jolly Convergence, #9 Back In Black RACE 1: D'AGUILAR PEAK HANDICAP #7 Oriental Elite has shown promise in three starts to date, finding the line nicely each time. Joao Moreira takes the mount for the first time and with even luck from the middle gate, he should be able to get into the finish. #5 Dr Race is back below the mark off which he was able to win at the start of the season. He has been racing well enough and he is a threat here. #9 Starlot mixes his form but is capable on his day. #4 Love Chunghwa has been poor at his last two starts but he is at an appealing rating. RACE 2: MOUNT BUTLER HANDICAP It remains one of the great mysteries of the season that #2 Great Joy has been unable to break through for a victory so far. He has struck trouble in some races, while he has been unsuited in others, but it is still surprising that he hasn’t got that win. He should get every chance in this spot to build on two runner-up finishes at his last two starts. #4 Contribution gets Brett Prebble aboard, replacing Alvin Ng, and he should be hard to topple from the inside gate. #3 Little Island is rounding into form and can’t be dismissed. #1 Kiram has only raced twice in this grade for two seconds. He’s not without a hope. RACE 3: D'AGUILAR PEAK HANDICAP #9 Showing Character has looked a chance a number of times this term but he hasn’t been able to find the winners’ circle. Circumstances look in his favour here, though, and so a victory could be forthcoming in this spot. #7 Gouten Of Garo has drawn awkwardly but he has the talent to win off his current rating. He just needs to iron out a few kinks in his armour. #11 Bingo is still a little weak but he is another with the talent to be able to win off his mark of 43. #3 Buoyant Boy is finding form and should have every chance. RACE 4: MOUNT BUTLER HANDICAP #5 Multigogo needs everything to go right in his races to win. However, there looks every chance that he can get an easy lead here from gate four under Matthew Poon. If so, he’s capable of winning again. #4 See Me Now is racing consistently now, not something that has been a hallmark of his Hong Kong career. If he produces a similar run here to what he has at his last few efforts, he will be hard to beat. #1 Planet Star is finding himself in a position to race more handy these days, now that he doesn’t miss the start. That has proven lethal as he has won two of his last three starts. He has a lot of weight but he can’t be overlooked. #9 Doctors Delight deserves respect up to an extended mile. RACE 5: NAM LONG SHAN HANDICAP #12 Super Junior returns to Class 3 after a good run down in grade last time out. He is probably better down in grade at this point in his career, but the return to 1000m looks a positive move and so he deserves consideration here. #9 Smart Declaration has found form at his last two starts. He is at his best over this course and distance and he will be in the mix here. #10 Encore Boy has drawn awkwardly again but he does have the talent to figure. #8 After Me brings some fair Irish form to the table, but he has trialled well enough and so he goes in on debut in Hong Kong. RACE 6: THE INDIAN RECREATION CLUB CHALLENGE CUP #11 Silverfield shaped well at his return to Happy Valley last time out, only finding Roman Impero a shade too good late. He continues to race honestly and off his current rating, he should prove competitive again. #12 Right Honourable is yet to prove he can truly measure up in Class 3, but if things go right for him, he can get into the finish with no weight on his back. #3 Little Dragon showed a first hint of form last time out over an unsuitable trip. He has only been at this low a rating once before in his Hong Kong career, when he was a course and distance winner in December, 2014. He can’t be dismissed. #5 Pretty Bauhinia is racing well and can place again. RACE 7: POTTINGER PEAK HANDICAP #8 Patriot Hero ran last in the Hong Kong Derby last time out, but before that, he had been rounding into form with a closing third to Ruthven. He looked good in a recent trial and the return to a mile could prove a positive. Don’t be surprised to see him in the mix here. #9 Circuit Glory is still doing things wrong but he is looking a more relaxed galloper now after two starts with John Moore. Joao Moreira jumps aboard now and he bears close watching. #6 Winning Faith has won his last three in a row and now makes his first appearance in Class 2. He has no weight on his back and with a soft run, he could easily make it four on the trot. #5 Rickfield is racing well and can’t be completely dismissed, although the 1650m is short of his ideal trip. RACE 8: SIU MA SHAN HANDICAP #4 Lucky Hero has impressed in two Hong Kong starts to date. The well-bred Australian import only won one from six in Sydney when named Fiery Trail, and there is some concern that he might be the type of horse who is consistent but an infrequent winner. Still, on his exposed form, he’s the one to beat here. #2 Raging Blitzkrieg makes his Happy Valley debut. He’s run some strong races at two of his last three starts and, even with an awkward draw, he deserves respect here. #5 Jolly Convergence is racing well and with another good gate, he should get every chance in the run. #9 Back In Black can hold out a number of better-fancied chances for some minor money.