A pair of 4-year-olds look live in the second of two Class 2 handicaps, the co-features on Sunday’s racing program at Sha Tin in Hong Kong.

While Super Football appears to be the horse with the bigger reputation, Celestial Power looks at least as capable in this 1,800-meter race around one turn and open to horses rated 105-80.

Remarque will be a heavy favorite in Sunday’s Group 3 Black Opal Stakes for 2-year-olds at Canberra Racecourse in Australia, if he starts.

Remarque was also entered in Saturday’s Group 2 Todman Stakes at Royal Randwick, which drew a tougher field. Regardless of where he starts, Remarque is a highly regarded juvenile who won his debut against winners in a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on Jan. 16.

Gordon Elliott, one of Europe’s leading steeplechase trainers, was suspended 12 months and fined approximately $17,860 on Friday after a photo emerged on social media in late February of him sitting on a deceased horse in a paddock.

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Body announced the penalty Friday, the same day a hearing was held at Naas Racecourse. The suspension begins Tuesday.

The Group 1 Australian Cup at Flemington Racecourse in March 2020 remains the career highlight of the millionaire Fifty Stars, a winner of 10 of 29 starts.

Fifty Stars had a February campaign this year geared for a return appearance in Saturday’s $1.15 million Australian Cup at 1 1/4 miles. The 6-year-old Australian-bred will be a slight favorite in a strong field of 17.

Three times in the 24-year history of the Dubai World Cup has the race’s winner exited a win in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3, and it’s been a while. Dubai Millennium in 2000, Street Cry in 2002, and Electrocutionist in 2006 are the only horses to pull the double in the same year, and if there is a 2021 World Cup winner entered in this year’s renewal of the race, he is hard to find.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, March 07, 2021)

Bottega raced without success against excellent company in big-prize races in Australia last October and November.

Bottega was fifth in the $5.2 million Golden Eagle Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 4-year-olds at 7 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on Oct. 31 behind Colette, who won the Group 2 Apollo Stakes on Feb. 13 in her next start.

Mystic Guide, who launched his 4-year-old season in smashing fashion winning the Razorback Handicap on Saturday at Oaklawn, will make his next start March 27 in the $12 million Dubai World Cup if all goes according to plan.

Camp Rifle and Group Think dominated the betting when they were first and second by a neck in a one-mile handicap at Coffs Harbour Racecourse in Australia on Feb. 13.

The familiar rivals meet again on Thursday in a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Port Macquarie Racecourse, and this time have a formidable foe in War Cat.

Those are three of the 12 runners in the fifth of eight races at Port Macquarie on a program that begins at 9:15 p.m. Eastern or 6:15 p.m. Pacific on Wednesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Paul Lally:

R1 3-11-7-9

R2 9-7-12-3

R3 2-6-3-8

R4 12-1-7-2

R5 5-2-4-7

R6 1-4-6-11

R7 8-5-3-11

R8 1-4-10-3

R9 1-4-6-3

Best Bet R3 N2 Mercurial

Longshot R2 N9 Savvy Kingdom

Play R2 QQP 7-9-12

Mark McNamara:

R1  3.7.5.9

R2  12.7.3.2

R3  11.2.6.3

R4  8.12.1.7

R5  2.7.5.4

R6  1.12.6.4

R7  11.8.5.12

R8  5.4.11.6

R9  1.6.4.3

Best Bet R2 N12 Smiling Face

Longshot R7 N11 Hardly Swears

Play R9 Q/QP 1.4.6