Fifty Fifty steps up in Chevalier Cup Handicap

Fifty Fifty, among the more promising lightly raced horses this Hong Kong season, steps up to Class 1 competition for the first time when he starts in the Sunday feature at Sha Tin.

Fifty Fifty is one of 10 horses in the $256,137 Chevalier Cup Handicap, a 1600-meter (about 1 mile) Class 1 that’s the sixth of 10 races on the program. Post time for the Chevalier Cup is 3:40 a.m. Eastern while the card kicks off at 11:45 p.m. Saturday, earlier than normal for a Sha Tin Sunday.

Fifty Fifty, a gray New Zealand-bred 5-year-old trained by Peter Ho, finished second by a head in his lone start last Hong Kong season, and began this season with back-to-back eye-catching victories, a two-length win on Sept. 3 and a 1 1/2-length win on Oct. 8. Fifty Fifty might have made it three straight on Nov. 5 but lacked running room and despite turning in the fastest final 400 meters, his rally fell just short.

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Fifty Fifty has raced at 1200 and 1400 meters in his four local starts and tries a mile for the first time. His cause is aided by favorable weighting, and at 115 pounds – including jockey Karis Teetan – Fifty Fifty gets as much as 18 pounds from the top-rated horses.

Citron Spirit, another class-riser Sunday, has won both his starts this season and has only a 116-pound burden.

Nearer the top of the ratings (the Sunday feature is for horses rated 85-110), Romantic Touch and Marvel Hero bring in poor form, but top-rated Booming Delight could easily win with a return to his best. Booming Delight was a dull seventh with no apparent excuse last out, but was beaten a head in the Group 2 Oriental Watch Sha Tin Handicap just two races ago.

Race 8, a 75-95 Class 2 handicap over 1400 meters, also bears watching. Rivet, who makes his Hong Kong debut for trainer John Moore, is top-rated in a field that also includes talented Pingwu Spark.