HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, December 26, 2018)
RACE 1: #6 Great Joy, #9 The Sylph, #7 Association Fans, #1 Impeccable Fellow
RACE 2: #7 Chaparral Star, #5 Curling Luxury, #10 Happy Warrior, #6 Gentry
RACE 3: #10 Sweet Bean, #9 Come On Wongchoy, #8 The Joy Of Giving, #1 Lucky Shiny Day
RACE 4: #2 Special Stars, #4 Mr Right, #1 Midnight Rattler, #5 Thou Shall Sing
Blast Onepiece, the only 3-year-old in a field of 16, caught pacesetter Kiseki in the stretch and held off a late threat from Rey de Oro to win Sunday’s Grade 1 Arima Kinen Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse in Japan in a 7-1 upset.
Blast Onepiece, ridden by Kenichi Ikezoe for trainer Masahiro Otake, prevailed by a neck in the $5.16 million race at 1 9/16 miles.
SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, December 23)
Brett Davis
R1: 4-1-2-11
R2: 4-6-1-3
R3: 1-2-8-3
R4: 8-2-5-7
R5: 4-7-3-1
R6: 6-14-4-10
R7: 6-4-5-2
R8: 12-9-4-6
R9: 10-6-4-3
R10: 6-8-10-3
Best Bet – R6: #6 What A Legend
Longshot – R8: #12 Lucky Hero
Best Play – R4: Q/Qp 2,5,8
Andrew Le Jeune
R1: 1-11-4-7
R2: 4-10-2-1
R3: 1-2-3-4
R4: 2-14-8-10
R5: 4-14-3-7
R6: 4-10-8-6
Rey do Oro has had a career ideally suited to be selected for Sunday’s Grade 1 Arima Kinen Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse.
The field for the $5.16 million Arima Kinen is largely determined by a vote of racing fans, who select 10 of the 16 runners. The remainder of the field is determined by career earnings.
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With a reliance on imported runners, the Hong Kong racing circuit includes horses primarily from Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
Most arrive with established form. For the unraced runners, there is a class of races known as Griffin races that allow them to begin their careers at Sha Tin and Happy Valley racecourses against similar horses.
Sunday at Sha Tin, the $255,457 Griffin Trophy at seven furlongs on turf serves as a lucrative year-end race for those horses.
SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, December 23, 2018)
RACE 1: #4 Happy Sound, #1 Manful Star, #11 First Beaut, #7 Trendiful
RACE 2: #7 Happy Rocky, #2 Good Days, #4 Bring It On, #6 Garlic Yeah
RACE 3: #1 Perfect Match, #2 Witness Hunter, #4 Shinealot, #3 Nordic Warrior
RACE 4: #2 Right Choice, #1 Good For You, #8 Happy Force, #12 Swot Windicator
RACE 5: #14 Care Free Prince, #1 Green Card, #11 Fun Times, #4 Flame Lily
Brett Davis – Selections
R1 – 3-7-5-8
R2 – 1-8-9-5
R3 – 9-4-10-6
R4 – 10-1-6-9
R5 – 11-5-1-3
R6 – 3-4-12-7
R7 – 7-8-10-5
R8 – 8-2-1-5
Best – R7 n7 Gunnison
Longshot – R6 n3 Cheerful Star
Best Play – R7 Quin 7 / 8,10
Paul Lally:
R1 1-8-7-3
R2 9-4-12-2
R3 4-10-9-3
R4 10-6-4-1
R5 5-9-11-3
R6 4-7-12-1
R7 8-10-1-3
R8 8-2-10-12
HONG KONG – Earlzy on the Hong Kong International Races card on Dec. 9 at Sha Tin Racecourse, a first-time Hong Kong starter named Regency Legend stormed to a four-length victory in a Class 3 handicap. A win margin so wide is rare in Hong Kong racing – but not as rare as the path Regency Legend took to Sha Tin.
Regency Legend did most of his preparatory work for his Hong Kong unveiling not in Hong Kong itself, but in China. He’s one of a growing number of horses stabled at the Conghua Racecourse, the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s lavish facility on the Chinese mainland.
Jumbo Luck, the 6-year-old proven on turf in recent races, will start on the infield dirt track at Sha Tin for the first time in Wednesday’s $249,600 Penfold Park Handicap at six furlongs in Hong Kong.
The 12-runner Penfold Park Handicap will be a test of Jumbo Luck’s ability on a new surface against a solid field.
Trained by Francis Lui, Jumbo Luck was third in the Group 3 National Day Cup at five furlongs on turf at Sha Tin on Oct. 1, and later a troubled seventh in the Group 2 Premier Bowl on turf at Sha Tin on Oct. 21.
