Hong Kong: Class 2 handicap at Sha Tin attracts diverse group
They’re saving the best for last Sunday at Hong Kong, the feature, a Class 2 handicap over 1,400 meters on turf, carded as the last of 10 races at Sha Tin.
This is a hot-looking race, 14 strong, for horses rated 100-80, and includes horses making their first Hong Kong start and three entrants exiting good wins.
Last-start winners Excellent Proposal, Enrich Delight, and Lucky Patch all could make an appearance in the Four-year-old Classic series that begins later this month with the Classic Mile.
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Russian Emperor, Beauty Joy, and Tsar are the Hong Kong newcomers. Russian Emperor, previously trained by Aidan O’Brien and now under the care of Douglas Whyte, won the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes over just less than 1 1/4 miles this past June at Royal Ascot. Russian Emperor won a maiden race in Ireland at one mile but probably needs more distance than he gets Sunday in what figures to be a start meant as much as anything to move him forward.
Trainer David Hayes also suggested that will be the case with Australian import Beauty Joy, who went 4 for 4, winning a listed stakes race in his final start before being purchased and sent to Hong Kong.
Tsar, previously trained by John Gosden, won two handicaps in July at class levels somewhat comparable to Sunday’s.
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Six-year-old Band of Brothers is top-rated here at 99 and will struggle to win carrying high weight of 133, while weighted just below him, at 132, is Excellent Proposal. Trained by John Size, this gelding, among the more promising of the 4-year-old class in Hong Kong, has three wins from his four Hong Kong starts and is 3 for 3 this season. While he did score at the Class 3 level going 1,400 meters in September, his most recent win came over 1.800 meters.
Enrich Delight was a vet scratch from an intended start on Dec. 13 after winning well two weeks earlier – in a Sha Tin race at this class level and distance – while making his Hong Kong debut for leading trainer Caspar Fownes.
Lucky Patch, meanwhile, got an eight-point rating rise to 83 after a 1 1/4-length Class 3 win in his most recent start. He carries only 117 pounds and can win on the class rise for trainer Francis Lui, who swept the 2020 Four-year-old Classic Series with Hong Kong’s best current horse, Golden Sixty.
First post for this card is midnight Eastern. Wagering and live video can be found at DRFBets.com.