Efforia avenged a nose loss in the Grade 1 Japanese Derby in May with a victory in his first appearance against older horses in a tough running of the Grade 1 autumn Tenno Sho at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday.
Incentivise has won nine consecutive races in Australia, including three Group 1 races in the last two months, and was the 8-5 favorite on Sunday in a field of 24 for Tuesday’s Group 1 Melbourne Cup at two miles at Flemington Racecourse.
Hong Kong Selections for Sunday, October 31, 2021 at Happy Valley.
It took six races, but the Australian gelding Strad finally won a maiden race at Mornington Racecourse outside of Melbourne on Oct. 7. The way Strad closed from off the pace to record a convincing win by 2 1/2 lengths in the five-furlong race suggests he can win consecutive races for the first time in his career in a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs at Ballarat Racecourse on Monday.
Art Cadeau is unbeaten in four starts in Australia this year, including in three lucrative restricted races. Sunday’s $150,400 Goulburn Cup at Goulburn Racecourse is an open race, and will test Art Cadeau’s ability against a different group of horses at a seven-furlong distance the gelding has shown to like.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club turned the standard racing schedule on its head this week, with the Wednesday program, typically run at Happy Valley, held at Sha Tin. And this Sunday’s card, nearly always hosted at Sha Tin, will be run at Happy Valley.
Efforia, a nose away from an undefeated record in five starts, will race against older horses for the first time in Sunday’s Grade 1 autumn running of the Tenno Sho at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan.
With less competition from overseas interest this year, locally based Incentivise, the dominant winner of the Caulfield Cup, will rule as favorite in Tuesday's $5.38 million Melbourne Cup.
Declan Schuster's Hong Kong Selections and Analysis for Sunday, October 31, 2021 at Happy Valley.
Rich and Shameless, a 5-year-old gelding, has had an active October, already finishing seventh, second and fifth in cup races at smaller venues in Australia. There is time for one more start in a similar race in the Moree Cup at Moree Racecourse on Friday.
