HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Thursday, April 8, 2021)

The world famous English Grand National will be run for the first time in two years on Saturday at Aintree Racecourse, albeit without spectators cramming the track located near Liverpool.

Twice in March, the Australian-bred gelding Rumpshaker started in six-figure handicaps that are trial races to an upcoming final at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia.

The plan did not work. Rumpshaker finished fifth in a trial race at Hawkesbury Racecourse on March 6 and 12th of 13 at Gosford Racecourse in a similar race March 27.

The final will be held without Rumpshaker, who remains active. Thursday, Rumpshaker starts in a more reasonable race – a handicap at 6 3/4 furlongs at Wyong Racecourse.

By Leo Schlink

Stunned by an Easter Monday miracle, Jimmy Ting is unlikely to tempt fate twice by aiming blowout G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) winner Amazing Star at the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin on FWD Champions Day on 25 April.

Struggling to comprehend the fact Amazing Star – a 178/1 bolter – had temporarily laid waste to 2.8 favourite Wellington’s standing as Hong Kong’s sprint heir apparent, Ting jubilated in one of the jurisdiction’s greatest upsets in a feature race.

Archanna, a 4-year-old Australian-bred mare, finished a game third in a handicap on the Kensington turf course at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on March 25 in her first start since October.

The race would seemingly make Archanna the runner to fear in a handicap at 7 3/4 furlongs at Canterbury Park in Australia on Wednesday were it not for the presence of two equally talented stablemates in Lina’s Hero and Saigon.

Paul Lally:

R1 1-14-9-10

R2 2-1-6-7

R3 2-5-1-3

R4 5-3-12-10

R5 11-9-5-7

R6 11-1-2-7

R7 5-6-1-8

R8 8-10-2-1

R9 3-12-13-4

R10 8-2-6-11

Best Bet R6 N11 Gracylove

Longshot R4 N5 Darci Joy

Play R6 QQP 1-2-11

:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, analysis, replays, and live streaming

Mark McNamara:

R1: 14.8.1.9

R2: 1.9.7.6

R3: 2.1.3.6

R4: 10.1.3.8

R5: 11.5.9.8

R6: 1.11.7.2

Sirileo Miss will be favored to win her second start of 2021 in a minor handicap for fillies and mares at seven furlongs on Monday at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia.

Judging from her record of two wins in her first three starts, Sirileo Miss could be on a career ascension that will lead to starts in group-level stakes in coming months.

Waikuku is the potential standout in the Group 2, $570,000 Chairman’s Trophy, but two of the big names bowed out of the co-featured Group 2, $570,000 Sprint Cup on the Easter Monday card at Sha Tin in Hong Kong.

At the beginning of the year, the durable Australian-bred The Regiment would not have been considered for a race such as Sunday’s Stawell Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles.

The Regiment ended a busy 2020 campaign with a win in a minor handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Geelong Racecourse near Melbourne, but had been racing in lower-class campaign through a season that included two wins in 17 races.

It took a loss to a Horse of the Year to derail the unbeaten record of the Japanese star 3-year-old Contrail last year.

The winner of the 2020 Triple Crown in that country, Contrail was second by 1 1/4 lengths to Almond Eye in the Grade 1 Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse last November, his only setback in eight starts.