Sir Dragonet, winner of the Group 1 Cox Plate in his debut in Australia in October and sixth in the Melbourne Cup on Nov. 3, will have his 2021 debut in Saturday’s Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne.

The $379,650 C.F. Orr Stakes is run at seven furlongs, shorter than the Cox Plate at about 1 1/4 miles or the two-mile Melbourne Cup, Australia’s most famous race. As of Thursday, Sir Dragonet was favored to win the C.F. Orr Stakes against nine rivals in what will be his first start in a sprint.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Saturday, February 06, 2021)

Swoop Dog should not have any trouble with the distance of Friday’s Tasmanian Derby at 1 3/8 miles at Hobart Racecourse in Tasmania.

Swoop Dog has won his last two starts in listed stakes at Launceston Racecourse in Tasmania – the Tasmanian Guineas at a mile on Jan. 8 and the Launceston Guineas at 1 5/16 miles on Jan. 20 as an odds-on favorite.

In the Launceston Guineas, Swoop Dog stalked the pace before taking the lead in the final furlong.

One day last April, trainer Angel Miguel Silva was reached by phone while driving from Houston to Grand Island, Neb., a horse trailer behind him housing Sleepy Eyes Todd, who a few days later would win Nebraska’s premier race, the Bosselman/Gus Fonner at Fonner Park.

On Feb. 9, Silva and Sleepy Eyes Todd are taking another trip, this one not over the road. Sleepy Eyes Todd flies on an international equine transport from Florida to Saudi Arabia, where Silva will meet his horse and oversee final preparations for a start Feb. 20 in the $20 million Saudi Cup.

Andrew Le Jeune

R1: 7-5-3-6
R2: 12-2-1-11
R3: 2-7-3-5
R4: 3-1-5-8
R5: 4-8-10-2
R6: 5-1-4-7
R7: 6-7-4-2
R8: 11-10-2-8
R9: 3-1-6-7

Best: R6 N5 Grateful Heart
Each/way: R4 N3 Casa Kingdom
Play: R6 Q/QP 1-4-5

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

Paul Lally:

Delexo lived up to pre-race hype when the Australian 3-year-old won his debut in a five-furlong maiden race at Wyong Racecourse on Jan. 21 by more than 2 3/4 lengths.

For his second start, Delexo will be sent to nearby Gosford Racecourse for an appearance in a five-furlong handicap against seven rivals. Once again, Delexo figures to be favored, though probably not as short as the 6-5 price in his maiden win at Wyong.

By Declan Schuster

Inner Flame worked in first-time blinkers at Sha Tin last Thursday (28 January) morning and trainer Douglas Whyte is pinning his hopes on not only the headgear but a change of scenery to reignite the lightly-raced gelding’s career as he makes his Happy Valley debut in the first section of the Class 3 Lai Chi Kok Handicap (1200m) tomorrow night (Wednesday, 3 February).

Explosive Witness got the best of the weights when he posted a mild upset Jan. 1 in the Group 3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy Handicap but takes the worst of them in the featured sixth race Wednesday at Happy Valley.

By Leo Schlink

Glorious Dragon has avenged defeat in the 2020 G3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) by denying Exultant a third win in the staying feature while delivering Matthew Poon one of the most important triumphs of his career.

Beaten by Tony Cruz’s Exultant in the same race last year, Glorious Dragon swept past the reigning champion under Poon’s urgings to succeed by one and three quarter lengths with Furore a further neck away in third place.

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, February 03, 2021)