A ground-saving trip helped the undefeated colt Jantar Mantar extend his unbeaten streak to three races, and make a compelling case for champion 2-year-old male of 2023, in Sunday’s Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan.

Ridden by Yuga Kawada, Jantar Mantar stalked the pace in the middle of a field of 17 from post 3 and remained on the inside until he took the lead in early stretch. Jantar Mantar was allowed to drift away from the inside through the stretch, but was always clear.

The 4-year-old gelding Heika will be an odds-on favorite to win for the fourth time in his seventh start in the longest race of his career at 1 3/8 miles at Scone Racecourse in Australia on Monday evening.

While Heika was seventh in a handicap at 1 3/16 miles at Gosford in his last start on Nov. 25, he has every chance to rebound at Scone.

The turf course is expected to be good, the type of surface that works for Heika, who has won three times on good turf. The turf course was rated as heavy at Gosford.

Caring Lass, Lehndorff, and Not Too Bad were all winners of their last starts in Australia in late November and early December in a similar manner, racing near the front throughout races at a mile.

They meet for the first time in a handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Bathurst Racecourse on Sunday evening, starting at a distance that may pose a test for a few of them.

By Jim McGrath

Top international jockeys have been coming to Hong Kong since the start of the professional era in 1971. In that first season, with Happy Valley the only track, the RHKJC — R was for ‘Royal’ in those days — managed to entice Lester Piggott and Yves Saint-Martin, the best in England and France, respectively.

By Leo Schlink

With five winners from the past four Sha Tin meetings, Alexis Badel hopes Ping Hai Galaxy can extend the Frenchman’s productive streak when the veteran gelding contests the Class 2 Lukfook Jewellery Cup Handicap (1000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (17 December).

One of Hong Kong’s fastest horses, Ping Hai Galaxy led throughout last start to land the Class 2 The Peninsula Golden Jubilee Challenge Cup Handicap (1200m) on Sha Tin’s dirt course on 3 December, defeating Flying Ace by a short head.

The two-time stakes winner Turk Warrior has won 11 of 20 starts in his career in Australia, racing exclusively in sprints.

Turk Warrior has won 5 of 8 starts at Hobart Racecourse on the island of Tasmania and will race there for the first time in more than a year in the Winzenberg Handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs on Saturday evening.

The undefeated colt Jantar Mantar has drawn an ideal post for Sunday’s Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan, a one-mile turf race that annually plays a leading role in balloting for the country’s juvenile champion.

Jantar Mantar starts from post 3 in a field of 17, a good post for a colt who has won his first two starts from a stalking position.

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The 5-year-old New Zealand-bred mare Lekvarte flew through the stretch to win consecutive seven-furlong handicaps against fillies and mares in Australia on Nov. 18 and Dec. 2.

Lekvarte’s recent winning streak will be put to a test when she starts against males in a one-mile handicap at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Friday evening.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, 17 December, 2023)