The task is simple. Amade must finish in the top three in Wednesday’s Group 3 Bendigo Cup at Bendigo Racecourse in Australia to have any chance of gaining a berth in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse on Nov. 2.
Declan Schuster's Hong Kong Selections and Analysis for Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at Sha Tin.
Titleholder led by five lengths midway through Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese St. Leger at Hanshin Racecourse. While a bold move to take command of the race may have seemed dangerous, the tactic turned out to be a winning strategy.
Little River was beaten a nose in her debut against winners at Sunshine Coast Racecourse in Australia last January, a result that looked much better in the ensuing months. Little River has not raced since the Sunshine Coast loss, a layoff that ends Tuesday in a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares at Hawkesbury Racecourse near Sydney.
Since mid-April, the 5-year-old mare Unwavering Faith has won 3 of 6 starts in Australia at distances ranging from 7 1/2 furlongs to a mile. In each win, she closed from off the pace to take a late lead. The style suggests Unwavering Faith will handle a longer distance, such as Monday’s Cessnock Cup at 1 5/16 miles at Newcastle Racecourse, north of Sydney.
Capping an unbeaten three-start campaign, Luxembourg made Swiss cheese of eight rivals Saturday at Doncaster, winning the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths under Ryan Moore.
Hong Kong Selections for Sunday, October 24, 2021 at Sha Tin.
State of Rest completed a unique double of stakes wins at Saratoga Racecourse in New York and Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, with a narrow victory in Saturday’s Group 1 Cox Plate in Australia.
Master Montaro comes into the featured 10th race Sunday at Sha Tin holding strong form – but not as strong as his jockey’s.
Orthoclase, 3, was a good third in the Grade 2 Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen at 1 3/8 miles on turf at Nakayama Racecourse on Sept. 20 in his first start since December. The comeback race was the foundation of an autumn campaign that continues in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese St. Leger at Hanshin Racecourse, a $2.38 million race formally known as the Kikuka Sho.
