Sports For All Handicap looks like good spot for Gunnison

The distance and conditions of Saturday’s $236,984 Sports for All Handicap at Sha Tin Racecouse in Hong Kong should fit Gunnison, the 3-year-old gelding who has had mixed luck in his first three starts on the circuit.

Trained by John Size, Gunnison had troubled trips when seventh and fourth in his first two races in Hong Kong in February and March, both at six furlongs. Gunnison was a fast-closing fourth in a handicap at five furlongs on turf at Sha Tin on April 8, a distance arguably too short for his best effort.

The Sports For All Handicap is run at seven furlongs, which should give leading jockey Joao Moreira ample time to position Gunnison. The Sports For All Handicap will be the longest race yet for Gunnison, who has had six starts and was unbeaten in two starts at five and six furlongs in Australia in early 2017.

Gunnison will carry 125 pounds, two less than Apollo’s Choice, a leading contender who won a seven-furlong handicap on turf at Sha Tin on Feb. 10 and was third in his last start, over the same course and distance, on March 18.

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People’s Knight was assigned topweight of 129 pounds, but apprentice jockey Victor Wong claims 10 pounds. People’s Knight won a handicap at seven furlongs on turf on March 18, beating Apollo’s Choice.

The Sports For All Handicap marks the Hong Kong debut of the Italian Group 2 winner Xiang Bai Qi, who was fourth in the Group 2 Italian Derby last year and later won the Group 2 Premio Vittorio di Capua at a mile last September when racing under the name Amore Hass.

Horses frequently have their names changed when they are imported to Hong Kong. Xiang Bai Qi has won 5 of 11 starts, with all the wins between six furlongs and one mile.

The Sports For All Handicap will be the third start in Hong Kong for Harmony Hero, who won a minor handicap at Sha Tin on April 4 against lesser company. Harmony Hero was unbeaten in two starts in Australia last August when racing under the name Lina’s Hero.