Explosive Witness got the best of the weights when he posted a mild upset Jan. 1 in the Group 3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy Handicap but takes the worst of them in the featured sixth race Wednesday at Happy Valley. Explosive Witness got a seven-point rating rise for the recent Sha Tin win over a straight 1,000 meters, and now rated 99, he’s at the top of a Class 2 handicap for horses rated 105-80 over a one-turn 1,000 meters at Happy Valley. Explosive Witness toted just 113 pounds, getting as much as 20 pounds in the Bauhinia Sprint Trophy, but now himself is burdened with 133 pounds, giving as much as 18 pounds to nine rivals Wednesday. Maybe he can handle the weight. Trained by Caspar Fownes, who leads the Hong Kong trainer standings this season 39-37 over John Size, Explosive Witness lost his first nine starts in Hong Kong before winning four of his last five, including three this season. He’s 2 for 2 this term racing 1,000 meters at Happy Valley and is well-enough drawn in post 3. :: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, analysis, replays, and live streaming Size, who has won five of his last 12 starts – a real hot streak by Hong Kong standards, where training wins are far more difficult to pile up than in America – also has a runner here, Shining Ace. A 5-year-old Australian-bred, Shining Ace made considerable strides during the 2019-20 Hong Kong season but has gone flat so far this year. Size tried adding a tongue tie in Shining Ace’s most recent start and now cuts him back in distance from 10 consecutive 1,200-meter starts to try a shorter sprint. Grateful Heart rates a very strong chance. Up 10 points in the ratings following a 2 1/2-length Class 3, 1,200-meter Happy Valley handicap romp Dec. 23, Grateful Heart carries 122 pounds, including jockey Zac Purton, and breaks from post 8. That’s a decent draw in a race with perhaps two real front-runners behind which Grateful Heart can settle while getting first run on the deeper closers. Post time for this nine-race program is 5:45 a.m. Eastern. Catch all the action at DRFBets.com. :: Download DRF's Guide to Betting Hong Kong Racing Glorious Dragon last week’s major mover Off a 1 3/4-length upset of the Group 3 Centenary Vase on Sunday at Sha Tin, Glorious Dragon was last week’s biggest ratings riser in Hong Hong. An 11-point hike leaves Glorious Dragon rated 112, a far cry from the 78 at which he began the 2019-20 season for trainer Francis Lui. In the 1,800-meter Centenary Vase, Glorious Dragon ran down Exultant, who had won the two previous editions of the race, and won going away. Glorious Dragon, ridden by Matthew Poon, carried just 113 pounds, 20 fewer than Exultant, who held second over narrowly favored Furore. Glorious Dragon had finished fast to get second in the Group 3 January Cup at Happy Valley and has raised his game this season. Lui, for what it’s worth, stopped racing the 6-year-old gelding in a crossed noseband two starts ago and added a tongue tie three races back. Beauty Applause also cracked the 100 mark as his official Hong Kong rating rose eight points to 102 following a decisive Class 2 victory Sunday at Sha Tin. Trained by John Size, the flashy chestnut 5-year-old has won back-to-back starts, the first over a straight 1,000 meters, Sunday’s around a bend at 1,200 meters. Beauty Applause has plenty of early speed and appears to have learned to harness it this season.