By Daryl Timms
Hong Kong’s challenging spring weather rather than barrier position is the only concern Tony Cruz has for his highly-fancied California Spangle in Sunday’s (28 April) HK$22 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin.
California Spangle, who won his past two starts at the highest level, continues to reinvent himself as a sprinter after taking out the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) in Dubai at his most recent start.
By Declan Schuster
Golden Sixty will attempt to land a record-extending fourth consecutive win in the HK$22 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (28 April) after receiving gate seven at this morning’s (Thursday, 25 April) barrier draw.
Paul Lally:
R1 1-2-7-4
R2 1-10-2-7
R3 2-4-7-9
R4 11-1-9-5
R5 5-4-7-1
R6 10-2-3-6
R7 3-2-7-8
R8 5-2-1-4
R9 3-4-9-1
Best Bet R6 N10 Cant Go Wong
Longshot R8 N5 The Perfect match
Play R9 QQP 3-4-9
Tom Wood:
R1: 1-4-2-7
R2: 5-2-1-7
R3: 2-3-4-9
R4: 4-5-11-8
R5: 4-9-5-1
R6: 10-2-3-4
R7: 7-6-8-5
R8: 4-1-2-5
R9: 3-6-1-4
BEST: R9 N3 NOBLE PURSUIT (WIN)
VALUE: R4 N4 GRAND NOVA (EW)
PLAY: R7 QQP 6,7,8
By Leo Schlink
Preparing Straight Arron for a HK$28 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) tilt in eight days, Caspar Fownes claimed training honours at Sha Tin on Saturday (20 April) with a treble as the four-time Hong Kong champion crowned a memorable week.
After becoming only the fourth trainer in Hong Kong history to reach the 1,100 win milestone behind John Moore (1,715), John Size (1,535) and Tony Cruz (1,502) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (17 April), Fownes struck with Charming Steed, Galvanic and Sky Heart to sweep to 40 winners for the season.
Revered for his extraordinary exploits as a jockey with a record 13 Hong Kong championships, Douglas Whyte’s famed appetite for achievement is showing no signs of abating as the South African searches for more success at Sha Tin on Saturday (20 April).
With a record 1,813 victories in the saddle, Whyte is now only two wins short of 200 as a trainer and he has four runners tomorrow – Link, Red Elegance, Valiant Elegance and Flaming Rabbit – as he looks to add to his stable’s 30 wins so far for the season.
CHELTENHAM, England -- Pretty Crystal was no better than second in four consecutive Group 3 races for 2-year-old fillies from June to September in Britain last year.
The storyline has started on a much brighter note this year.
On Wednesday at Newmarket, Pretty Crystal rallied through the final quarter-mile to win her first stakes in the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs.
