Mongolian King totes more weight in Yuen Long Handicap

Mongolian King beat six of the 13 horses he faces Sunday at Sha Tin in the featured $238,162 Yuen Long Handicap – and don’t think the Hong Kong Jockey Club handicapper doesn’t know it.

Mongolian King carried 120 pounds when he won Sept. 3, but his rating is up six points after that victory, and in Sunday’s 10th and final race (post time: 5:45 a.m. Eastern), his impost is up to 127. Mongolian King, a 5-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, started showing steady improvement midway through last season, but bettors will be pondering the height of his ceiling in Sunday’s race.

Mongolian King, trained by Mei Tsui and ridden by Umberto Rispooli, has a well-established hold-up style, and he came from 10th to win by 1 1/4 lengths last out. Sunday’s race over 1,400 meters is right in his wheelhouse, as all of Mongolian King’s best runs last season came over that trip.

California Whip took the worst of the weights in the race Mongolian King won, and while he still is the top-rated and weighted runner Sunday, his penalty has lessened. California Whip gave 12 pounds to Mongolian King last time, and on Sunday, the spread is only six.

Trained by Tony Cruz, California Whip, a 4-year-old American-bred by Giant’s Causeway, won only once from eight starts last season, but he rose steadily in class and was twice placed in Class 1 events at the end of his campaign. California Whip sits at the very top of the Class 2 scale at which he competes Sunday, handles the distance, and would not have to improve much to win.

Baba Mama finished a good, closing third behind Mongolian King on Sept. 3, and while his ceiling is not especially high at age 6, he does get in Sunday’s race at 120 pounds and could be set for sufficient improvement to capitalize.