By Leo Schlink

Caspar Fownes hopes Straight Arron can lay the foundations for a bountiful campaign when the emerging staying star contests the HK$4.2 million G3 Celebration Cup Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (24 September).

Winner of three of his past five starts, including the G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap (2400m) on 7 May, Straight Arron closed last season with a close fourth in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) behind Russian Emperor, Romantic Warrior and Five G Patch.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS 
(Sunday, September 24, 2023)

Race 1: #3 Hinokami Kagura, #1 Kaholo Angel, #7 Joyful Prosperity, #2 Super Bonus 
Race 2: #8 Daily Beauty, #3 Chiron, #5 Sun Of Makfi, #1 High Cloud
Race 3: #6 The Golden Scenery, #1 Beauty Joy, #4 Circuit Stellar, #5 Encountered 
Race 4: #2 All Are Mine, #7 Mission Bravo, #3 Fast Buck, #6 Bear Slam 
Race 5: #9 Always Fluke, #7 Speedy Fortune, #3 Go Hero, #1 Island Golden 

By Leo Schlink

Danny Shum’s aspirations of landing the 2024 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) soared with Helene Feeling’s brilliant triumph in the Class 2 Victoria Harbour Handicap (1650m) under Karis Teetan at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (20 September).

One of Hong Kong’s most accomplished and respected horsemen, Shum immediately outlined plans for the Sioux Nation gelding’s participation in the lucrative Four-Year-Old Classic Series after the three-year-old out-gunned older opposition to claim a HK$1.5 million PP Bonus as well as HK$1,747,200 in prizemoney.

Pretty Eyed’s career changed in Australia when she was tried at a mile last month.

After finishing second in her debut at the distance in early August, Pretty Eyed won two consecutive starts at a mile in a maiden race and a handicap, both at Moruya Racecourse.

Those wins have been the foundation for a new objective, her first start at about 1 5/16 miles in a handicap at Goulburn Racecourse on Thursday evening.

Saavy Lad is proving tough to catch in the final furlong of turf marathons in Australia in the last month.

With wins in his last two starts at 1 1/4 miles and 1 5/16 miles, Saavy Lad has earned the role of topweight for the Lismore Cup at about 1 5/16 miles at Lismore Racecourse on Wednesday evening.

The key to a victory will be holding off an expected late threat from Holstein, who had a two-race winning streak end with a sixth-place finish by three lengths in a handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Eagle Farm Racecourse on Saturday.

By Declan Schuster

Helene Feeling has swiftly garnered a strong set of BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) credentials and trainer Danny Shum is hopeful the exciting three-year-old can advance his claim when he resumes in Wednesday night’s (20 September) Class 2 Victoria Harbour Handicap (1650m).

With nearly 200 days to go until the 2024 renewal of Hong Kong’s most famed age-restricted test, the Irish-bred has been engaged with an early season assignment against a group of hardened 80-plus raters in the final of eight races at Happy Valley tomorrow.

Paul Lally:

R1 4-3-5-2
R2 6-1-4-3
R3 1-5-7-2
R4 1-3-9-7
R5 8-3-7-5
R6 4-3-7-9
R7 1-3-7-2
R8 6-11-7-2

Best Bet R8 N6 Rise Brethren
Longshot R5 N8 Cosmo Navigator
Play R2 QQP 1-4-6

Nick Child:

R1 | 2-1-3-5
R2 | 1-6-4-3
R3 | 1-7-5-2
R4 | 1-9-7-3
R5 | 3-6-2-8
R6 | 9-1-7-2
R7 | 9-7-1-2
R8 | 7-6-11-10

BEST BET | R6 N9 UP AND UP
LONGSHOT BET | R7 N9 E UNIVERSE

Mark McNamara:

Soul Choice, a three-time winner who races for prominent North American owner Charles Fipke, will have her first start since April in a one-mile handicap for fillies and mares at Warwick Farm Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on Tuesday evening.

Judging from Soul Choice’s campaign earlier this year, the Warwick Farm race is a prep for stakes in coming months.

By Leo Schlink

Hugh Bowman continued an impressive start to the 2023/24 season with a treble at Sha Tin on Sunday (17 September) as Angus Chung, Ellis Wong and Jerry Chau figured strongly to underline the potential of Hong Kong’s home-grown jockey pool.

Bowman boosted his tally to six wins for the season to lead six-time champion Zac Purton (four) and Luke Ferraris (three) after slotting a winning treble, a second, two thirds, a fourth and a fifth from eight rides.

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, September 20, 2023)