Grey Khan has shown solid form in longer turf races in Australia in recent starts, winning a handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Geelong last month for his first win of the year. What is unknown is how that form will translate to the synthetic surface at Ballarat Racecouse on Sunday in a handicap at 1 3/8 miles.
Two Group 3 races for Australian middle distance horses highlight racing on Saturday – the $110,080 Strickland Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Belmont Racecourse and the $86,000 Premiers Cup at 1 3/8 miles at Doomben Racecourse. Both race have drawn competitive fields without strong favorites.
“Which O'Brien” long has been an important question regarding Classic races in Ireland, where champion trainer Aidan O'Brien typically has multiple live entries, but the phrase has acquired a second meaning. Saturday's renewal of the Group 1 Irish Derby not only has six runners trained by Aidan O'Brien, there are three from his son Joseph, and another horse trained by another son, Donnacha. That's 10 of the 15 Irish Derby runners all in the family – “which O'Brien,” indeed.
Declan Schuster's Hong Kong selections and analysis for Saturday, June 27, 2020
Seven races into his career, Youngblood had a breakthrough win in a maiden race at 1 3/8 miles on turf on June 12 at Gold Coast Racecourse in Australia.
The phrase “second up” in Australian racing refers to a horse having its second start after a layoff. Matowatakpe fits that description in a five-furlong handicap Thursday at Kembla Grange. A 3-year-old Australian-bred gelding, Matowatakpe was beaten a half-length in a five-furlong handicap on June 7 at Hawkesbury Racecourse, closing from last of 12 in his first start since January.
Hong Kong selections for Happy Valley on Wednesday, June 24, 2020.
The eight American horses who raced at Royal Ascot are headed home this week, but two of them are likely to return to Europe later this summer.
Several good-looking last-start winners feature prominently in co-featured race 9 on Wednesday at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong.
There will be a small crowd at Sandown Park in Melbourne, Australia, to root home the runners on Wednesday’s eight-race card.
