Magical Lagoon held off Toy and won the Irish Oaks by a half-length on Saturday at The Curragh. 

The Group 1 Classic lost its overwhelming favorite late this week when airplane issues left Emily Upjohn stuck in England. 

Turin Redsun and Money Catcher have managed to put together successful 2021-22 Hong Kong campaigns without actually winning a race, and they’ll have one last chance Saturday at Sha Tin to notch a victory this season.  

The two 4-year-olds are among 11 entered in the featured eighth race Saturday, closing day of the Hong Kong season. First post for the program is 12:30 a.m. Eastern with the feature, a Class 1 handicap carded for 1,600 meters on turf for horses rated 115-90, set for 4:05 a.m.

The Irish Oaks lost its odds-on favorite Friday when Emily Upjohn was withdrawn from the race, her England-based connections citing travel complications. 

Thady Gosden, who co-trains Emily Upjohn with his father, John Gosden, told overseas racing media that a plane coming from Edinburgh, Scotland, to Stansted Airport near London was intended to pick up the filly and fly her to Ireland but had been unable to make the trip after a bird strike. No other plane could be found Friday, forcing Emily Upjohn to stay home. 

Mark McNamara:

R1 – 6.14.9.7

R2 – 12.11.9.3.

R3 – 12.8.5.1

R4 – 1.8.2.5

R5 – 1.11.6.7

R6 – 7.2.4.13

R7 – 12.9.3.7

R8 – 7.6.8.9

R9 – 13.11.10.2

R10 – 6.2.7.10

R11 – 5.7.4.11

Best Bet: R6 N7 All is Good

Longshot: R3 N12 City Legend

Nick Child:

R1: 14-12-6-5

R2: 3-1-10-14

R3: 6-1-8-12

R4: 1-8-5-2

R5: 10-12-6-1

R6: 8-7-2-5

R7: 7-12-9-13

R8: 7-6-8-3

R9: 13-11-1-2

Emily Upjohn lost for the first time finishing second in the Oaks at Epsom Downs last month, but the filly lost absolutely nothing in defeat and is odds-on to land her first Group 1 on Saturday at The Curragh in the Irish Oaks.

Emily Upjohn faces seven rivals in the 1 1/2-mile Irish Oaks, and the uber-talented filly should love the vast, galloping Curragh course. She meets considerably softer opposition than she did at Epsom, where she was the best horse while finishing second.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS BY DECLAN SCHUSTER
(Saturday, July 16, 2022)

Paul Lally:

R1 7-8-1-11
R2 1-4-7-6
R3 5-1-3-8
R4 1-2-4-3
R5 4-7-6-2
R6 4-6-1-10
R7 11-2-5-10
R8 4-6-1-9
R9 8-9-10-11

Best Bet R8 N4 Yo Beauty
Longshot R6 N4 Regency Star
Play R8 QQP 1-4-6

Mark McNamara:

R1 – 10.7.9.5
R2 -2.4.6.9
R3 – 5.1.8.3
R4 – 8.3.4.1
R5 – 4.11.10.9
R6 – 6.5.10.1
R7 – 11.2.9.7
R8 – 6.4.1.8
R9 – 8.4.1.6

Best Bet R3 N5 Yellowfin
Longshot R1 N10 Farm Bumper
Play R5 Q/QP 1.5.8

Who can tell when the light bulb might go on for a racehorse? My Ecstatic won once in his first 18 Hong Kong starts but comes into the featured ninth race Wednesday a winner three times in his last four starts.  

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, July 13, 2022)

Star on Fire and Osman were maiden-race winners in their last starts at minor tracks in Australia in recent weeks, and they face winners for the first time in a handicap at 6 1/4 furlongs at Gunnedah Racecourse on Tuesday.

While they may lack experience, they have considerable potential considering their recent wins, particularly Osman.