SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, March 24)
:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, and analysis
Brett Davis
R1: 6-1-8-7
R2: 8-1-9-5
R3: 3-4-9-8
R4: 2-1-11-3
R5: 2-8-1-3
R6: 5-9-1-12
R7: 1-3-6-2
R8: 1-5-6-11
R9: 8-5-9-7
R10: 2-8-6-1
Best Bet – R5: #2 Monica
Longshot – R8: #11 Dalradian
Best Play – R6: Q/Qp 1,5,9
Paul Lally
R1: 6-11-1-8
R2: 8-9-5-1
Three weeks after her first graded stakes win, the Kentucky-bred Mozu Superflare will start with a leading chance in one of Japan’s toughest sprints – Sunday’s Grade 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo Racecourse.
By Speightstown, Mozu Superflare has won 6 of 14 starts, the most prestigious of which was the Grade 3 Ocean Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse on March 2. The Ocean Stakes was run at six furlongs on turf, the same conditions as the $2.17 million Takamatsunomiya Kinen.
Right Choice has compiled a three-race winning streak in Hong Kong since the start of the year that is attracting ample attention.
Trained by Frankie Lor, Right Choice has risen in the Hong Kong handicap rankings through the three-win sequence, accomplished entirely in seven-furlong races at Sha Tin Racecourse on Jan. 12, Feb. 10, and March 2. Right Choice is back at Sha Tin on Sunday for the $248,502 Kowloon Cricket Club Centenary Cup at a mile on turf. This time, he faces a more difficult class of competition in a field of nine.
SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, March 24, 2019)
Race 1: #6 Royal Prerogative, #11 Triumphant Light, #1 Flying Noble, #10 Best Effort
Race 2: #8 Voyage Warrior, #1 Joyful Heart, #5 Sunshine Universe, #11 Great Harvest
Race 3: #3 Natural Flare, #4 M Reborn, #9 Richcity Fortune, #11 The Happy Bunch
Race 4: #3 Shamport, #11 Tom’s Dragon, #5 Hearts Keeper, #10 Fortune Happiness
The historic career of the Australian supermare Winx is winding down in the next few weeks.
On Saturday, Winx, a winner of 31 consecutive races since May 2015, will start in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney. Following the George Ryder, Winx is scheduled to have her final start in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick on April 13.
Winx’s appearance in the $708,700 George Ryder Stakes will not require travel. Rosehill Gardens is trainer Chris Waller’s primary base.
The Dubai Racing Club’s list of likely starters released Tuesday for the March 30 Dubai World Cup program includes 96 horses in eight Thoroughbred races, among them a record number of American-based runners.
Eighteen horses based in America were expected to be shipped to Dubai on Tuesday, while Switzerland, who runs in the Dubai Golden Shaheen for trainer Steve Asmussen, and Grecko, an expected starter in the UAE Derby for trainer Ken McPeek, have already been racing in Dubai.
Brett Davis – Selections
R1 – 9-11-5-6
R2 – 9-6-8-2
R3 – 7-5-4-2
R4 – 4-9-1-3
R5 – 5-1-9-6
R6 – 9-2-8-1
R7 – 3-1-7-10
R8 – 3-4-1-9
Best – R7 N3 Fantastic Eight
Longshot – R1 n9 Rockage
Best Play – R1 Q/Qp 5,6,9,11
Paul Lally:
R1 2-3-1-7
R2 8-9-1-6
R3 5-1-2-7
R4 4-1-3-10
R5 4-8-7-5
R6 3-9-8-11
R7 7-1-11-6
R8 3-2-1-7
Best Bet R8 N3 Magnificent
Longshot R5 N4 All Wongchoy
Best Play QQP R8 1-2-3
For a Group 1 winner in Australia, Ruthven has yet to live up to expectations since arriving in Hong Kong before the 2017-18 season.
Ruthven, a 5-year-old Australian-bred gelding, has 1 win in 10 starts in Hong Kong, a record that could improve when he starts in Wednesday’s $334,399 Happy Valley Vase at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Happy Valley Racecourse.
Furore, who was third in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas in Australia in 2018, won Hong Kong’s top race for 4-year-olds in Sunday’s $2.29 million Hong Kong Derby at Sha Tin Racecourse.
Ridden by Hugh Bowman, who has become famous as the rider of the star Australian mare Winx, Furore (5-1) took the lead in the final furlong of the race at 1 1/4 miles and finished 1 1/4 lengths clear of Waikuku, the 9-10 favorite who closed from the rear in the field of 14.
Sunny Speed, an 86-1 outsider, finished third, while the well-regarded Dark Dream finished fourth, beaten 1 3/4 lengths.
