Minding and Idaho give Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien strong favorites in two Group 1 races on both sides of the Irish Sea on Saturday in the $1.4 million Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and the $931,980 English St. Leger at Doncaster.
All You Wish and Joyful Trinity ended the 2015-16 Hong Kong season with wins in June and July. When they have their first starts of the 2016-17 season in Sunday’s Kwangtung Handicap at Sha Tin Racecourse, the pair will face two rivals in Helene Super Star and Horse of Fortune with recent group-race form.
Andrew Hawkins' Hong Kong selections and analysis: Sept. 11, 2016
The stakes-winning fillies Omei Sword and Yankee Rose face 11 males in Saturday’s Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs on turf at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse near Sydney, Australia.
Pablosky, a 5-year-old Irish-bred gelding who won a handicap in April, is the 133-pound highweight in Wednesday’s $161,290 Yau Oi Handicap at six furlongs on turf at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong.
Andrew Hawkins' Hong Kong selections and analysis: September 7, 2016
The 3-year-old filly Serienholde is one of 11 entrants in the Grosser Preis von Baden, a 1 1/2–mile race expected to be contested over “good” ground, and part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Win and You’re In series, offering the winner automatic entry into the BC Turf. plus travel expenses to the race at Santa Anita this year.
Limato, a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita in November, will start favored in Saturday’s $384,028 32Red Sprint Cup at Haydock Park in England.
Racing is booming in Hong Kong, where the 2016-17 season begins on Saturday at Sha Tin Racecourse.
Andrew Hawkins' selections for Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, at Sha Tin.
