In all likelihood, Bigwood will be flying through the stretch of the $175,905 Southorn Handicap at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong on Wednesday.
In his last four starts, all since early October, Bigwood has shown a strong rally, winning once in that span – in a one-mile handicap on turf at Sha Tin Racecourse on Oct. 21. More recently, Bigwood was second by a nose in a handicap at Happy Valley on Nov. 14 and third, by three-quarters of a length, in a handicap at Sha Tin on Dec. 9.
Beauty Generation led throughout Sunday’s Group 1 Stewards’ Cup for turf milers at Sha Tin Racecourse, further emphasizing his status as Hong Kong’s reigning Horse of the Year.
Ridden by Zac Purton, Beauty Generation ($2.30) pulled away in the final furlong to win his sixth consecutive stakes in the $1.27 million Stewards’ Cup by three lengths over Conte.
“He was coasting,” Purton told Hong Kong publicists. “There was a bit more there.”
SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, January 20)
:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, and analysis
Brett Davis
R1: 2-4-1-3
R2: 12-5-2-3
R3: 9-5-3-1
R4: 5-2-1-9
R5: 3-1-5-2
R6: 10-6-9-5
R7: 1-6-4-2
R8: 3-6-1-14
R9: 13-5-7-11
R10: 5-11-6-1
Best Bet – R8: #3 California Archer
Longshot – R9: #13 Amazing
As a partnership, Beauty Generation and jockey Zac Purton are unbeaten in the last year, winning six group stakes in Hong Kong. A seventh win is widely expected in Sunday’s Group 1 Stewards’ Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse.
Last month, Purton guided Beauty Generation to a three-length win in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin, beating a field that included several international runners.
SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, January 20, 2019)
RACE 1: #4 Guy Dragon, #1 Khaki, #7 Enjoy Life, #2 Picken
RACE 2: #4 I Do, #5 My Winner, #10 Majestic Endeavour, #13 Alcazar
RACE 3: #3 Helene Leadingstar, #5 Ho Ho Khan, #9 Nicconi Express, #2 Savvy Six
RACE 4: #9 Ezra, #5 Fabulous Eight, #2 Full Of Beauty, #4 Eptiwins
RACE 5: #2 D B Pin, #3 Beat The Clock, #1 Mr Stunning, #5 Little Giant
The Group 2, $250,000 Cape Verdi Stakes headlines the Jan. 17 Dubai World Cup Carnival card at Meydan on a program that also includes two runners from the small Dubai string of American trainer Ken McPeek.
The Cape Verdi is restricted to fillies and mares and contested over 1,600 meters (about one mile) around one bend on turf. The race has produced some really good winners, including Sun Classique, who moved on from a 2008 Cape Verdi win to capture the Group 1 Sheema Classic two months later. But this renewal doesn’t pack an especially strong punch.
Brett Davis – Selections
R1 – 4-1-3-5
R2 – 8-3-9-1
R3 – 8-2-4-6
R4 – 3-5-7-6
R5 – 6-8-12-2
R6 – 1-8-11-7
R7 – 7-2-12-8
R8 – 2-3-4-6
Best – R5 N6 Jolly Bountiful
Longshot – R7 N7 Bouyant Boy
Best Play - R1 Q1,4
Paul Lally:
R1: 1-4-5-6
R2: 10-9-3-8
R3: 3-4-6-8
R4: 9-6-8-1
R5: 2-12-6-1
R6: 11-7-1-3
R7: 4-12-2-11
R8: 2-3-4-11
Best Bet R4 N9 Letsgofree
Longshot R6 N11 Big Fortune
Best Play R6 1-7-11
In his sixth start of the Hong Kong season on Dec. 26, Happy Dragon finally had his first breakthrough win in a minor handicap at about a mile and 50 yards at Happy Valley Racecourse.
Happy Dragon rallied from seventh in the stretch to win by three lengths under jockey Silvestre de Sousa. They are reunited in Wednesday’s $175,959 Sports Road Handicap over the same course and distance in the eighth race at Happy Valley.
