By Declan Schuster
Trainer Frankie Lor is buoyant Money Catcher can take another step forward this season as he readies for Sunday’s (15 October) HK$5.35 million G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m) at Sha Tin.
The six-year-old returns first-up after steadily climbing the ranks last term, where he rose from a 95-rating to be Group 1-placed behind Hong Kong’s standout duo – Golden Sixty and Romantic Warrior.
By Declan Schuster
California Spangle will chase consecutive wins in the HK$5.35 million G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (15 October).
Aiming to become the race’s fourth dual winner after Silver Lining (1978 & 1981), Right Way (1992 & 1996) and Beauty Generation (2017 & 2018), the Group 1-winning California Spangle links with jockey Hugh Bowman as trainer Tony Cruz’s popular on-pacer makes his highly anticipated return after finishing third behind Golden Sixty last April at Sha Tin.
Paul Lally:
R1 5-1-3-4
R2 3-2-11-6
R3 4-1-8-9
R4 11-5-6-2
R5 3-7-4-8
R6 6-7-4-2
R7 3-2-10-7
R8 7-2-3-1
Best Bet R6 N6 Cosmo Navigator
Longshot R7 N3 Red Hare King
Play R5 QQP 3-4-7
:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, analysis, replays, and live streaming
Mark McNamara:
For a veteran who has finished fourth in his last two starts, Chateaux Park does not lose by much in Australia these days.
Chateaux Park, a winner of 5 of 45 starts, was fourth by a half-length in a handicap at 1 5/16 miles on Sept. 20, closing from seventh in a field of eight despite encountering traffic issues in the final sixteenth. On Oct. 2, Chateaux Park was beaten 1 1/4 lengths in a race at 1 3/8 miles, closing from last of eight.
The 3-year-old Australian filly Allapercanto will face males for the first time and race at the longest distance of her brief career in a handicap at about 1 1/8 miles at Newcastle Racecourse on Monday evening.
Despite those challenges, Allapercanto will be a heavy favorite in a field of nine in the second race on a seven-race program that begins at 10:50 p.m. Eastern or 7:50 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
Inspiral cruised to an easy win in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes on Saturday, the 500th win at Newmarket Racecourse for jockey Frankie Dettori, who plans to retire at year’s end and is in his final weeks of riding in England, his home base for about 30 years.
The 6-year-old Australian mare Our Girl Eve went 21 races without a win from May of 2022 until a handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Coffs Harbour Racecourse on the Australian east coast on Sept. 18.
A week later, she won again in a one-mile handicap at Tamworth.
:: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing
Gold Trip ended a five-race losing streak since the Group 1 Melbourne Cup last November with a surprise win in Saturday’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia.
The win is part of a campaign through the Australian spring designed to prepare Gold Trip for the $4.97 Melbourne Cup on Nov. 7.
Gold Trip ($61 in American pools) closed from last of 16 to win the Turnbull by 1 3/4 lengths over the British shipper West Wind Blows, who was 5-1. Romantic Warrior, the 1-2 favorite, finished fourth.
Hollywood Hero had a tough September in Australia, finishing fourth in the Dubbo Cup and third in the Bathurst Cup. He missed second by a half-length and a nose.
Had Hollywood Hero finished first or second in those one-mile handicaps he would have earned a qualifying berth for the $1.91 million Big Dance Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Nov. 7.
Instead, Hollywood Hero starts in the Coonamble Cup at a mile at Coonamble Racecourse on Saturday evening, the second-to-last of a yearlong series of 29 qualifying races for the Big Dance Stakes.
