The $269,427 Beas River Handicap at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong on Saturday is a gathering of horses dropping class and a promising 5-year-old seeking his first win on the circuit.

In a field of 13, Insayshable is the 130-pound highweight in the race at 1 1/4 miles on turf, but is winless in 11 starts. The losing streak includes two third-place finishes in Group 3 races.

Almond Eye, the 2018 Japanese Horse of the Year, will be favored to win her seventh Grade 1 or Group 1 race in Sunday’s $2.74 million Arima Kinen at Nakayama Racecourse, one of the most highly anticipated races of the year in Japan.

The field for the Arima Kinen is partially determined by a fan vote. Not surprisingly for a reigning Horse of the Year, Almond Eye received the most votes even though the Arima Kinen was not the original late-season target for the 4-year-old filly.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Saturday, 21 December, 2019)

by Dick Powell

255 races (one dead-heat)
65 favorites won – 28.8%
12.33 average field size
$18.68 average win price

Andrew Le Jeune:

R1: 3-4-1-6
R2: 4-1-8-10
R3: 1-2-9-3
R4: 4-2-3-11
R5: 1-5-3-9
R6: 6-3-7-10
R7: 10-4-9-7
R8: 6-1-4-5
R9: 3-4-12-6

Best: R5 N1 Silver Fig
Each/way: R1 N3 Solar Billion
Play: R5 Q/QP 1-3-5

Tom Wood:

SELECTIONS:

R1: 5 – 1 – 4 – 6
R2: 4 – 1 – 10 – 8
R3: 5 – 3 – 2 – 1
R4: 2 – 4 – 11 – 3
R5: 5 – 1 – 6 – 9
R6: 3 – 6 – 7 – 5
R7: 3 – 8 – 8 – 10
R8: 6 – 1 – 3 – 5
R9: 12 – 4 – 6 – 3

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, 18 December, 2019)

Andrew Le Jeune:

R1: 6-9-13-4

R2: 2-10-9-3

R3: 2-12-3-1

R4: 1-6-10-12

R5: 11-2-9-7

R6: 4-5-2-3

R7: 4-2-10-8

R8: 11-9-14-1

R9: 9-5-1-7

R10: 2-3-9-4

Best: R9 #9 Quadruple Double

Each/way: R10 #2 Seerite Dragon

Play: Q/QP R9 1-5-9

Tom Wood:

SELECTIONS:                                      

R1:          1 – 4 – 6 – 11

R2:          6 – 2 – 10 – 3

R3:          2 – 8 – 3 – 10

R4:          11 – 2 – 1 – 10

There are big hopes pinned to the little gray horse Decrypt, who makes his Hong Kong debut Sunday in the featured eighth race.

Decrypt is high-rated at 93 and carries top weight of 123 pounds, including jockey Zac Purton, in this 1,400-meter Class 2 handicap for horses rated 105-80. Decrypt races for the first time since May 25, when he finished third behind Phoenix of Spain and Too Darn Hot in the Irish 2000 Guineas.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, 15 December, 2019)

Brett Davis - Selections

R1 - 4-1-5-9
R2 - 2-1-6-7
R3 - 8-3-7-1
R4 - 11-1-3-2
R5 - 10-3-7-12
R6 - 6-2-11-7
R7 - 11-3-1-12
R8 - 6-4-1-11
R9 - 7-9-3-5

Best - R5 N10 After Me
Longshot - R7 N11 Break Record
Best Play - R7 Q/Qp 1,3,11

Andrew Le Jeune:

R1: 1-4-2-5
R2: 6-2-1-9
R3: 3-1-7-4
R4: 11-4-1-8
R5: 11-2-3-1
R6: 6-1-4-7
R7: 1-12-3-2
R8: 7-4-1-8
R9: 1-5-10-3