She’s unbeaten, she has a handy running style, and she has already beaten males. There is several things going in favor of the filly Four Moves Ahead for Saturday’s Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes for 2-year-olds at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia.
In 2020, Hong Kong harbored a standout 4-year-old, Golden Sixty, who swept through the 4-year-old Classic Series, winning the series' final leg, the Hong Kong Derby, by a nose despite having to pass 10 rivals in the homestretch. There's no such star among this 4-year-old class, but there are a number of talented horses set to do battle Sunday at Sha Tin in the $3.03 million Hong Kong Derby.
The domination of Irish horses at the Cheltenham Festival in western England continued on Thursday, though not in the predicted manner. On the seven-race program, six winners were from stables based in Ireland, notably the Grade 1 winners Allaho in the $368,164 Ryanair Chase and Flooring Porter in the $333,432 Stayers’ Hurdle.
Declan Schuster's Hong Kong Selections and Analysis for Sunday, March 21, 2021 at Sha Tin.
The 7-year-old mare Put The Kettle On is based in County Waterford in Ireland with trainer Henry De Bromhead. Cheltenham Racecourse in the west of England is really her home.
The rapidly improving gelding Declares War faces several rivals with recent losses in group-level stakes in Friday’s $155,100 Albury Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Albury Racecourse in Australia.
Al Boum Photo on Friday can became the first three-time winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup since Best Mate in 2002-04.
Field size will not be an issue on the Dubai World Cup card of March 27. The Dubai Racing Club on Wednesday announced likely entrants for the World Cup program and six of the eight Thoroughbred races are expected to lure 14 or 15 runners.
Paisley Park was a popular winner of the Grade 1 Stayers’ Hurdle as the 6-5 favorite at Cheltenham Racecourse in 2019, rolling from the back of the field to take the lead after the final obstacle in the three-mile race. Last year, Paisley Park was seventh at odds of 4-6 in the Stayers’ Hurdle, never playing a factor. This year, Paisley Park will be favored again to win Thursday’s $333,432 Stayers’ Hurdle following a winter campaign of two starts – a second in the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury and a win in the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.
Hong Kong Selections for Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at Happy Valley.
