Inspiral will be heavily favored to win the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes on Saturday at Newmarket in what may or may not be a stepping-stone to the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
The John and Thady Gosden-trained 4-year-old filly won Group 1 races at age 2 and 3, but started a calculated 4-year-old campaign with two defeats before breaking through with a decisive victory over males Aug. 13 in the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville.
Hoo Ya Mal, 12th of 22 in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup last November, will be favored to win the Group 2 Petaluma Hill Stakes at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney, Australia, on Friday evening, a prep for an expected start in this year’s Melbourne Cup on Nov. 7.
The $1.27 million Petaluma Hill Stakes, the richest race in Australia this weekend, is one of three stakes on Friday evening with ramifications for the $4.97 million Melbourne Cup.
SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, October 08, 2023)
Race 1: #2 Fiery Diamond, #3 Adefill, #8 Nordic Star, #4 Viva Hunter
Race 2: #2 Bear Slam, #3 Fast Buck, #5 Mission Bravo, #7 Boom Alliance
Race 3: #1 Billionaire Secret, #4 Pakistan Friend, #8 Dazzling Fellow, #5 Reach Goal
Race 4: #2 Master Of Luck, #10 Apex Top, #11 Noble Boyz, #8 Gluck Racer
Race 5: #5 Double Win, #8 I Give, #7 Prince Chiswick, #10 Dragon Delight
The scratch of the group stakes winner Luncies has left Mount Popa as the 133-pound topweight in the $126,400 Port Macquarie Cup at Taree Racecourse in Australia on Thursday evening.
Despite the hefty weight assignment in a field of 11, Mount Popa has a strong chance to end a six-race losing streak since the Group 3 Rosewood Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney in March 2022.
By Leo Schlink
Frankie Lo continued whirlwind career progress by posting his 400th Hong Kong win at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (8 October), reaching the milestone in only his seventh season with Heroic Master in the Class 3 Nam Fung Handicap (1000m).
Licensed as a trainer in 2017, Lor struck with his first runner – Yourtheoneforme - and surged to a record debut season haul of 65 winners. Formerly 12-time Hong Kong handler John Size’s assistant trainer, Lor then advanced to his first title in 2021/22 with 90 wins for the season to extend a prodigious sequence.
Chances are the 5-year-old gelding Mr Papera will set the pace in a one-mile handicap at Gosford Racecourse in Australia on Wednesday evening. There is a good chance that will be a winning strategy against seven rivals.
Mr Papera led throughout a maiden race at 7 1/2 furlongs at Hawkesbury Racecourse on Sept. 7 in his 10th career start. At Gosford, Mr Papera is part of a field that does not have another committed front-runner, although the outsider Sonny Fella does race near the front at times.
Leading Australian compatriot Zac Purton by just one win in the 2023/24 Hong Kong jockeys’ championship, Hugh Bowman hopes to successfully harness Caspar Fownes’ powerful start to the season when the pair combines at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (4 October).
Paul Lally:
R1 1-3-8-5
R2 5-3-7-8
R3 2-6-4-1
R4 7-3-2-8
R5 6-8-3-1
R6 1-7-10-12
R7 3-2-1-7
R8 9-2-7-5
Best Bet R8 N9 Eighteen Palms
Longshot R4 N7 Little Fairy
Play Race3 QQP 2-4-6
:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, analysis, replays, and live streaming
Tom Wood:
Aditi did not just win a maiden race in her third career start at Warwick Farm Racecourse in Australia on Sept. 20, she won a super maiden race.
In a promotion to boost field size, the regulatory authority of racing in the state of New South Wales, launched an initiative last month to add money to some maiden races, which are known as super maiden races.
Aditi won such a race, worth approximately $64,000, as the 8-5 favorite, leading throughout. The purse boost is significant. Some maiden races on the circuit have purses of approximately $38,000.
