A winner of two of her last three starts, the filly Velvet Haze will face a slight class test when she starts in a seven-furlong handicap at Coffs Harbour Racecourse in Australia on Wednesday evening.

Velvet Haze won handicaps on the Beaumont course at Newcastle at 6 1/2 furlongs on Sept. 26, and finished first in a dead heat in a seven-furlong handicap at Grafton on Nov. 8.

Velvet Haze had slow starts in both races, which were against a lower level of competition, but recovered rapidly. She stalked the pace at Newcastle and held an early lead at Grafton.

By Declan Schuster

Breaking records seems to come quite easily for Golden Sixty – Hong Kong’s superstar racehorse who has already gone where no other has been before.

The Pride of Hong Kong – Golden Sixty – is the city’s all-time leading earner (HK$147.93 million), only three-straight Hong Kong Horse of the Year (2020/21, 2021/22 & 2022/23) recipient and only nine-time Group 1 winner.

Paul Lally:

R1 3-8-5-7
R2 2-5-4-1
R3 1-7-5-4
R4 1-5-2-7
R5 5-3-1-10
R6 3-5-10-12
R7 1-5-3-7
R8 8-4-2-5

Best Bet R6 N3 Watch Buddy
Longshot R8 N8 Majestic Knight
Play R7 QQP 1-3-5

:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, analysis, replays, and live streaming

Nick Child:

Avonview and Red Cobra needed seven and 14 races, respectively, to beat maidens in Australia, finally doing so three days apart earlier this month.

The recent wins give Avonview and Red Cobra excellent chances to beat winners for the first time in a one-mile handicap at Wyong Racecourse on Tuesday evening.

As of early Monday, Avonview (3-1) and Red Cobra (4-1) were the second and third choices in early betting behind the unreliable Acceber, who was 6-5 despite having won once in 20 starts.

By Daryl Timms

New Zealander James McDonald is on a two-pronged mission after arriving in Hong Kong following riding stints in Sydney as possibly the most in-form jockey in the world.

The expatriate New Zealander, now based in Sydney, started a five-week riding contract in Hong Kong last Sunday (26 November) and hit the ground running when he produced a winner with his first ride on Wunderbar in the Class 4 Chevalier Lifts & Escalators Handicap (1000m) for John Size.

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, November 29, 2023)

The 5-year-old Anamoe was named Australian Horse of the Year for the 2022-2023 season at a ceremony last Thursday for a campaign that included six Group 1 wins.

Owned by Godolphin Racing and trained by James Cummings, Anamoe was retired to stud in Australia earlier this year.

Anamoe won four consecutive Group 1 races at the beginning of the season from late August to late October of 2022, and two more Group 1 races in February and March of this year. He also won a Group 2 sprint in February as part of a nine-race campaign in the season that included seven wins.

The outcome of Sunday’s Grade 1 Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse produced no surprises, only confirmation that race winner Equinox is one of the most brilliant racehorses on the planet.

Equinox won as a heavy favorite by four lengths over the brilliant 3-year-old filly Liberty Island. The victory was the sixth consecutive for Equinox in a Group 1 or Grade 1 race.

Equinox ($2.70 in American pools) won the $7.22 million Japan Cup without difficulty.

When Buck Pharoah kicks, he seemingly flies.

The Australian sprinter is not the most reliable runner, but his electrifying late rally worked in a five-furlong handicap at Kempsey Racecourse on Nov. 10 in his second start following a layoff of more than eight months.

Buck Pharoah has won 3 of 8 starts at five furlongs in his 17-race career, and rates an excellent chance for another win at the distance at Taree Racecourse on Sunday evening.

A four-time winner, Buck Pharoah will carry joint topweight of 137.7 pounds.

A heavy turf course may have affected the chances of the filly Frankie’s My Dad in a turf marathon at Hawkesbury Racecourse in Australia on Nov. 9.

Frankie’s My Dad was 16-1 and finished fourth of six, losing by four lengths.

Conditions are expected to be firmer, and more favorable, for Frankie’s My Dad in a handicap at 1 7/16 miles at Newcastle Racecourse on Saturday evening. The official going was good as of Friday.