The only meaningful role the Australian gelding Oakfield Mahogany played in his 2022 debut last month was going off as the 4-5 favorite.

Oakfield Mahogany was never a factor in a six-furlong handicap at Scone, unable to close any ground in the stretch while chasing a loose leader in Overextend.

Race tactics may help Oakfield Mahogany in his second start of the year in a six-furlong handicap at Gosford Racecourse on Thursday. There is a chance that leading contenders One Way Street and Xpresso will set a quick pace that will help Oakfield Mahogany’s rally.

Sha Tin, evidently, is a no-no for the 4-year-old gelding Fa Fa. Take the horse to Happy Valley, however, and he is likely to bring a smile to your face.

Fa Fa’s finishes over the Sha Tin grass course: sixth, eighth, ninth, 12th, and 14th. At Happy Valley, Fa Fa has gone a remarkable 7-6-1-0 and he is back at his vastly preferred Hong Kong course in the featured third race Wednesday.

Freedom Square has won races in sprints, at a mile and at 1 3/16 miles in the last year in Australia. 

What Freedom Square has yet to do is win consecutive races in his nine-race career, which includes four victories. Wednesday at Canterbury Racecourse, Freedom Square rates an excellent chance to accomplish that feat in a handicap at 7 3/4 furlongs. 

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, May 25, 2022)

Stars on Earth overcame traffic to win her Grade 1 debut in the Japanese 1000 Guineas in April. Her win in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese Oaks at Tokyo Racecourse was courtesy of a much smoother journey.  

The excitement occurred before the start when Sound Vivace broke free and was eventually scratched after a delay. 

Black Jacamar, the 4-year-old Australian filly, won her first start of 2022 in a five-furlong handicap at Taree Racecourse on May 2 as the even-money favorite. 

To win her second start of the year, in a five-furlong handicap at Hawkesbury Racecourse near Sydney on Tuesday, Black Jacamar must beat King Charming, an undefeated gelding who has not raced since October. 

Homeless Songs turned in a sensational performance in winning the Irish 1000 Guineas by more than five lengths on Sunday at The Curragh.

It was the first Group 1 success for Homeless Songs, a Moyglare Stud homebred trained by Dermot Weld, but surely not the last if the filly can maintain anything like this sort of form.

Weld, the renowned Irish trainer, won his fifth 1000 Guineas but first since Bethrah captured the one-mile Classic in 2010.

Native Trail gave Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby an unprecedented European classic sweep with a 1 3/4-length triumph Saturday at the Curragh in the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas.  

Godolphin and Appleby already had won the English 2000 Guineas with Coroebus, with Native Trail second, and they landed the French 2000 Guineas with Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Modern Games. It’s the first time the same trainer and owner have won the Guineas races with different horses.  

Chairman’s Choice has amassed a seven-race losing streak since September in advance of a start in a handicap at about six furlongs at Albury Racecourse in Australia on Monday.

At first glance, the losing streak is discouraging, but a closer glance at the circumstances allows for a measure of forgiveness.

Chairman’s Choice was beaten a nose in two six-furlong handicaps in March, and raced against tougher competition at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne in February than what he will face at Albury.

Paul Lally:

R1: 1-7-4-6

R2: 5-1-11-12

R3: 8-4-1-5

R4: 3-6-1-2

R5: 4-13-5-7

R6: 4-1-9-6

R7: 3-9-13-8

R8: 7-3-9-8

R9: 10-1-3-11

R10: 5-3-7-1

R11: 1-13-7-5

Best Bet: R7 N3 Eternal Bloom

Longshot: R2 N5 All Is Good

Play: R2 QQP 1-5-11

Andrew Le Jeune:

R1: 1-7-5-4

R2: 1-11-8-7

R3: 8-4-5-7

R4: 1-2-6-3

R5: 4-3-7-10

R6: 1-9-4-3

R7: 6-3-8-1

R8: 3-7-9-8