Andrew Hawkins' Hong Kong selections and analysis for Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018

SHA TIN SELECTIONS

(Sunday, September 2, 2018)

RACE 1: #4 Triumphant Jewel, #2 Lightning Steed, #6 Happy Tour, #3 Victory Power

RACE 2: #7 Lucky Storm, #1 Triumphant Light, #8 Sports Master, #10 The Show

RACE 3: #4 Fabulous One, #5 Jumbo Luck, #2 Winner's Way, #1 Southern Legend

RACE 4: #8 Victor Emperor, #4 Multimax, #9 Regency Honey, #12 Corre Rapido

RACE 5: #4 King Opie, #13 Super Euro Star, #7 Peace N Prosperity, #10 Money Marshal

RACE 6: #7 Impeccable Fellow, #6 Strathspey, #11 Golden Four, #2 Beauty Day

RACE 7: #5 Golden Dash, #1 Smart Leader, #2 Turf Sprint, #8 Nice Fandango

RACE 8: #5 Hang's Decision, #9 Noble Steed, #4 Villa Fionn, #3 Roundabout

RACE 9: #5 Sun Touch, #1 Attention, #6 Super Wise, #9 Good Beauty

RACE 10: #2 Citron Spirit, #1 Rattan, #3 Rivet, #6 Harmony Victory

:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, and analysis

RACE 1: HARCOURT HANDICAP

#4 Triumphant Jewel was racing well at the end of last season, his once abundant speed now replaced by an eye-catching late flourish. He steps out as the first runner for new trainer Jimmy Ting, while he is also the first Hong Kong mount for South African rider Grant van Niekerk. He has trialled well and he should go close. #2 Lightning Steed beat Triumphant Jewel home in a recent trial. He was progressing the right way before a failure at 1200m at the season finale. Expect an improved effort. #6 Happy Tour debuts here. A son of Snitzel out of a sister to 2008 Australian Horse of the Year Weekend Hussler, he looks to have promise. #3 Victory Power will start short for Champion Jockey Zac Purton, but he may be worth opposing at too short a quote.

RACE 2: TIM WA HANDICAP

#7 Lucky Storm has his first start for Danny Shum here, having been with John Moore last season. The Red Arrow five-year-old was one of three horses successful at the first barrier trial session at Conghua Racecourse, the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s new site in Mainland China, last week and he deserves close attention in this spot. #1 Triumphant Light makes just his second appearance in Class 5, having been beaten by a short head at his previous attempt in the grade. He should go forward and he’ll be around the mark. #8 Sports Master showed signs of finding form at the end of last season. Expect a positive effort here. #10 The Show can bob up fresh.

RACE 3: THE HKSAR CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S CUP

#4 Fabulous One is an early experiment for the implementation of Conghua Racecourse into Hong Kong’s training regime, having spent most of the off-season at the Guangdong site. He looked rejuvenated in a recent trial and looks spot on for his return. He did run third to Seasons Bloom and Blizzard in this race last year and, with only 110 pounds on his back, he should be hard to catch out in front. #5 Jumbo Luck has had a number of health issues but there’s no doubting his talent. He looked good winning a trial last weekend and he deserves respect with no weight. #2 Winner's Way has also trialled well leading into his return. He looms as the one to beat. #1 Southern Legend steps out for the first time since winning the Kranji Mile in Singapore in May. He has bigger fish to fry, but expect a good return nonetheless.

RACE 4: TIM MEI HANDICAP

#8 Victor Emperor has not raced since January due to leg issues, but he looks like he’s been primed to make a strong start to this season and the booking of Zac Purton is a strong push. #4 Multimax won in Class 3 on this card two seasons ago – the equivalent of today’s ninth race – but it has all been downhill from there. Still, he looks to have a win left him in this grade. He’ll press forward and it is a matter of how long he can stick on out in front. #9 Regency Honey steps out for trainer Danny Shum for the first time, having formerly been with Tony Cruz. He has trialled well and, even from an awkward draw, he can figure. #12 Corre Rapido’s form on turf has been poor but he showed some good signs on dirt at the end of last term and it wouldn’t surprise to see him improve.

RACE 5: LUNG WUI HANDICAP

#4 King Opie came to hand very quickly at the end of last season. He has trialled well and looks ready to win his way into Class 3 here. #13 Super Euro Star won off a similar rating to begin his season last September. If Matthew Poon can take him to the front, he could prove hard to run down yet again. #7 Peace N Prosperity steps out for new trainer Jimmy Ting. His Sha Tin form leaves plenty to be desired, but he gets his chance here to hit the board at the New Territories track for the first time. #10 Money Marshal will eventually want further than 1200m but his trial leading in was very good and he could improve here.

RACE 6: TAMAR HANDICAP

#7 Impeccable Fellow looked to have talent last term but he also looked to be still finding his feet. His preparation for this has looked solid and he has drawn a good gate, so it wouldn’t surprise to see him begin his season with a win. #6 Strathspey has looked a winner in waiting for quite some time. He looks fairly wound up and he should be hard to beat. #11 Golden Four is still acclimatising but he has been fair in all of his starts so far and it won’t take much for him to figure. #2 Beauty Day, the brother to Able Friend’s bridesmaid Beauty Flame, can finish in the placings.

RACE 7: COTTON TREE HANDICAP

#5 Golden Dash looked a horse with a future last season, winning two of his first four starts. He returns to the races for the first time since March and makes his Class 3 debut here. The blinkers have been applied as he steps back in trip to 1000m and he looked sharp in the headgear in a trial last weekend. He should be hard to beat in this spot. #1 Smart Leader won three times in Australia when named Scarecrow. He has only had a limited preparation in Hong Kong, with six gallops and a trial since his arrival in mid-June. Still, it won’t take much for him to figure in this spot. #2 Turf Sprint has been off the scene since January with a leg injury. He’s another who spent most of his off-season at Conghua and he looks primed for his reappearance. #8 Nice Fandango will likely lead and can stick around for some minor money.

RACE 8: GARDEN ROAD HANDICAP

#5 Hang's Decision still holds the 1400m track record at Sha Tin, having won impressively in Class 2 14 months back. However, he was winless in 17 starts last term and now finds himself 11 points adrift of where he was when he last won. Everything suggests that he should be near a victory again and he deserves respect fresh. #9 Noble Steed was bandied about as a potential left-field Derby contender last season after winning at his second start. However, he was unable to win in two further starts in Class 4, not coming close to qualifying for the Derby, while he ran second in a late-season cameo. He should progress this season and he can begin with a bang. #4 Villa Fionn clearly has talent but he’s still putting it all together. He’ll be around the mark. #3 Roundabout is next best with Victor Wong’s 10-pound claim coming into play.

RACE 9: DRAKE HANDICAP

#5 Sun Touch has proved remarkably consistent in his Hong Kong career to date. He has not raced since April but should be suited by 1200m fresh, even though his best runs have come at 1400m. If he can push forward to lead, he will prove hard to run down. #1 Attention steps out in Class 3 for the first time. The Australian G2 winner showed promise at his first Hong Kong start and wasn’t too bad at his second outing behind exciting galloper Hot King Prawn, but he was beaten out of sight last time out. Still, with blinkers applied from a good draw, he deserves respect. #6 Super Wise has trialled well and should be around the mark. #9 Good Beauty will be running on late.

RACE 10: ALBERT HANDICAP

#2 Citron Spirit is at a place in the ratings where it is hard for him to win. However, his trial leading into this was very good and this only looks to have a few chances, so he gets the nod. #1 Rattan could not have been much more impressive at his last start, winning by four lengths at his first run since the Hong Kong Derby. Perhaps he’ll be more of a fresh 1400m-1600m horse than a middle-distance type, and if so, he’ll be hard to beat here even from the wide gate. #3 Rivet hasn’t lived up to expectations in Hong Kong but he showed a hint of promise when racing forward at his last start. Expect similar tactics to be employed here. #6 Harmony Victory was a two-time G1 winner in Brazil. That form generally doesn’t stack up abroad, but visually, he looked one right out of the box over there – and still so green – so he can’t be completely dismissed.