Hong Kong: California Spangle could lead all the way in Sha Tin feature

A pair of 4-year-olds foaled more than 11,000 miles apart top the featured ninth race Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong.

California Spangle, a son of Starspangledbanner, was born in Ireland, though he never raced there, while Fantastic Way, another horse who only has started in Hong Kong, came into the world at a farm in New Zealand. Both geldings already have won prolifically and figure to attract significant wagering attention in this Class 2 handicap over 1,200 meters for horses rated 100-80.

Fantastic Way, Joao Moreira riding for ace trainer John Size, had three wins and a second racing in Class 3 and Class 4 competition during the 2020-21 Hong Kong season. Up to Class 2 for the current season, Fantastic Way returned from a layoff in October and ran like a horse that needed a start, and then dead-heated for a Sha Tin Class 2 win in November. He appeared to be on his way to victory in his most recent race, another 1,200-meter Class 2 on Dec. 12, but after collaring the pacesetter, Fantastic Way was repelled and settled for second.

The horse who turned him back was none other than California Spangle, who held a clear lead until upper stretch of that sprint and showed grit and talent to kick home through the final 100 meters after Fantastic Way headed him. That made it four wins from five starts for Fantastic Way, whose lone defeat came by a nose, and jockey Zac Purton was not coy regarding tactics in Sunday’s tilt, telling Hong Kong Jockey Club publicity that he expected California Spangle to break sharply and lead. But after getting seven pounds from Fantastic Way last month, California Dreamer picks up eight pounds off his latest victory and now only has a one-pound break, 125 to 124, from Fantastic Way.

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Trillions had a three-race winning streak snapped when he was seventh in that same Dec. 12 Class 2; not only might this gelding have gone past his best form, he once again shoulders top weight of 133 pounds.

The lower weights generally lack appeal, the lone possible exception being Igniting, who is weighted at 119 pounds but has an apprentice rider named and will tote just 114. Granted, Igniting sparked to life his last two starts racing at Happy Valley, not Sha Tin, but an equipment change, the addition of a tongue tie, also might have raised his performance.

First post for the card is midnight Eastern, with live video and wagering available at DRFBets.

* Master Eight, one of the few potential rising stars in Hong Kong at the moment, has been confirmed for the Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup on Jan. 23. Master Eight, unbeaten in five career starts, began the current season a in a Class 3 handicap with a Hong Kong rating of 74, but after capturing the Group 3 Bauhinia Sprint Cup in his most recent start, his rating has risen all the way to 102.