Twice in March, the Australian-bred gelding Rumpshaker started in six-figure handicaps that are trial races to an upcoming final at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia. The plan did not work.
Stunned by an Easter Monday miracle, Jimmy Ting is unlikely to tempt fate twice by aiming blowout G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) winner Amazing Star at the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin on FWD Champions Day on 25 April.
Archanna, a 4-year-old Australian-bred mare, finished a game third in a handicap on the Kensington turf course at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on March 25 in her first start since October. The race would seemingly make Archanna the runner to fear in a handicap at 7 3/4 furlongs at Canterbury Park in Australia on Wednesday were it not for the presence of two equally talented stablemates in Lina’s Hero and Saigon.
Hong Kong Selections for Monday, April 5, 2021 at Sha Tin.
Sirileo Miss will be favored to win her second start of 2021 in a minor handicap for fillies and mares at seven furlongs on Monday at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia. Judging from her record of two wins in her first three starts, Sirileo Miss could be on a career ascension that will lead to starts in group-level stakes in coming months.
Waikuku is the potential standout in the Group 2, $570,000 Chairman’s Trophy, but two of the big names bowed out of the co-featured Group 2, $570,000 Sprint Cup on the Easter Monday card at Sha Tin in Hong Kong.
At the beginning of the year, the durable Australian-bred The Regiment would not have been considered for a race such as Sunday’s Stawell Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles.
The winner of the 2020 Triple Crown in that country, Contrail was second by 1 1/4 lengths to Almond Eye in the Grade 1 Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse last November, his only setback in eight starts.
Sir Dragonet will have the quickest turnaround of his career in a wide-open running of the Group 1 Tancred Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Declan Schuster's Hong Kong Selections and Analysis for Monday, April 5, 2021 at Sha Tin.
