Cross Counter, a stakes winner in England in the summer, gave Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing and trainer Charlie Appleby a first win in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse in Australia on Tuesday.

Cross Counter, one of two 3-year-olds in a field of 24, is the first British-trained runner of Australia’s most popular race, which had a purse of $5.07 million. The Melbourne Cup is run at two miles.

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Tuesday, jockey Zac Purton will be at Flemington Racecourse to ride the longshot Finche in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup in Australia. A day later, after a nine-hour flight, Purton will be back in his year-round base in Hong Kong for the eight-race program at Happy Valley Racecourse.

Purton is the leading rider at the current Hong Kong season and has the mount on the 132-pound highweight in the top race at Happy Valley on Wednesday – Fortune Book in the $249,058 High Island Handicap at six furlongs on turf.

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS

(Wednesday, November 7, 2018)

RACE 1: #2 Raichu, #10 Cour Valant, #1 Actuariat, #4 Perfect Choice

RACE 2: #7 Thou Shall Sing, #3 Gallant Return, #1 Very Rich Man, #2 Good Companion

RACE 3: #2 Gold Land, #5 Bellagio, #3 Heroic Guru, #7 Marvel Joy

RACE 4: #9 Love Chunghwa, #3 E Master, #4 Fantastic Fabio, #1 Have Fun Together

RACE 5: #10 Little Bird, #1 Handsome Bo Bo, #4 Jumbo Happiness, #2 Harrier Jet

The impeccably bred Yucatan struggled in top-class company in Europe earlier this year, finishing last of six in his lone Group 1 appearance in the Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs in England.

His career in Australia this fall is trending in a different direction. Yucatan won his debut in that country in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Caulfield on Oct. 13. The win gave Yucatan the role of future-book favorite for Tuesday’s Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS

(Sunday, November 4)

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Brett Davis

R1: 6-1-7-10

R2: 8-10-2-4

R3: 1-9-5-3

R4: 11-7-6-4

R5: 13-2-8-5

R6: 3-1-10-4

R7: 8-4-1-5

R8: 8-3-7-2

R9: 9-7-13-12

R10: 10-9-11-7

Best Bet – R9: #9 Mighty Maverick  

Longshot – R5: #2 Exceptional Desire

Best Play – R7: Q/Qp 1,4,8

Paul Lally

The two-time Group 1 winners Pakistan Star and Time Warp may be overshadowed in Sunday’s Group 3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Handicap at Sha Tin Racecourse by Eagle Way, and his popular jockey, Silvestre de Sousa.

De Sousa, the leading rider in England this year, will be based in Hong Kong on a four-month contract through February. He rides nine of the 10 races on Sunday’s Sha Tin program, the richest of which is the $414,831 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse at about 1 1/8 miles on turf.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS

(Sunday, November 4, 2018)

RACE 1: #6 Hainan Star, #7 Perfect Match, #8 Quadruple Double, #9 Wah May Princess

RACE 2: #4 Lightning Steed, #1 Super Model, #5 Diamond Master, #10 Multimillion

RACE 3: #14 Fair Comment, #1 Chiu Chow Kid, #2 Indigenous Star, #5 Triumphant Light

RACE 4: #11 Savvy Seven, #10 Righteous Mate, #7 Absolucool, #6 Red Horse

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Yucatan the early favorite in Melbourne Cup

SHA TIN SELECTIONS

(Wednesday, October 31)

:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, and analysis

Brett Davis

R1: 2-13-9-5

R2: 4-11-1-7

R3: 8-1-5-4

R4: 3-12-10-4

R5: 12-3-2-10

R6: 9-13-4-3

R7: 12-5-6-7

R8: 11-4-10-8

Best Bet – R4: #3 Viva Council  

Longshot – R7: #6 Biz Power

Best Play – R7: Q/Qp 5,6,12

Paul Lally

R1: 3-2-13-5

R2: 10-11-4-1

Calculation and Beauty Prince finished second and fifth in a six-furlong handicap on the infield dirt track at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong on Oct. 13. For both geldings, the race was their first start since the 2017-18 Hong Kong season, which ended in July.

There is every reason they will benefit from the recent race when they start in Wednesday’s $248,613 Hebe Hill Handicap at about a mile and 50 yards on the dirt at Sha Tin.

The Hebe Hill Handicap is the richest of eight races on Sha Tin’s all-dirt program.