The fleet 4-year-old Premiere will try to win his fourth race in a row Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse when he faces seven foes in the Group 3, $383,670 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy Handicap.
The Bauhinia Sprint is contested on Sha Tin’s straight course over 1,000 meters, or about five furlongs, and Premiere loves the trip. His perfect record this Hong Kong season is composed of three 1,000-meter wins, two at Sha Tin and one at Happy Valley, where Premiere also won three such races in a row last season.
Helene Paragon, third in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin Racecourse on Dec. 10, is one of four Group 1 winners in Monday’s Group 3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup at seven furlongs on turf in Hong Kong.
In addition to the established runners, there are two promising geldings in Beat the Clock and Fifty Fifty, who have each won three of their last four starts and will have their first starts in group stakes on Monday.
The $384,024 Chinese Club Challenge Cup drew a field of 12 and is the 10th race on an 11-race program that begins at 11:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday.
SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Monday, January 1, 2018)
RACE 1: #6 Scarborough Fair, #10 Winning Boy, #4 Unbeatable Guts, #2 Otouto
RACE 2: #3 Viva Council, #9 Brilliant Monkeys, #12 Jolly Amber, #5 Winning Controller
RACE 3: #3 Wushu Champion, #8 Brilliant Dream, #1 Everest, #5 Empire Star
RACE 4: #4 Elite Boy, #11 Nice Kick, #6 Have Fun Together, #3 London Master
The lightest horse must carry the heaviest burden in the featured Chai Wan Kok Handicap on Wednesday night at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong.
Marvel Hero weighed in at 990 pounds at entry time for the Chai Wan Kok, a Class 2 handicap for horses rated 100-80 contested at 1650 meters – one circuit of the Happy Valley course – and worth a little less than $238,136. That, by a fairly wide margin, is the lowest weight recorded among any of the race’s 12 entrants, and a horse name Beauty Prince weighed in more than 300 pounds more than Marvel Hero.
HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, December 27)
:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, and analysis
John Blance
Race 1: 1,7,4,6
Race 2: 7,10,11,8
Race 3: 7,3,5,4
Race 4: 3,2,7,1
Race 5: 5,6,4,3
Race 6: 11,5,1,7
Race 7: 9,1,3,12
Race 8: 2,4,1,7
Best Bet - Race 6: #11 Circuit King
Long Shot - Race 4: #3 Dr Race
HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, December 27, 2017)
:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, and analysis
RACE 1: #7 Pearl Furu, #9 Fun Manager, #6 Agiaal, #2 City Winner
RACE 2: #2 Secret Agent, #3 Golden Deer, #1 Raichu, #10 Whistle Up
RACE 3: #10 Money Winner, #7 Destin, #8 Yourthewonforme, #9 Don't Miss
RACE 4: #2 Speedy King, #1 Mr Right, #7 Dr Proactive, #3 Dr Race
SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Saturday, December 23)
:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, and analysis
Brett Davis
Race 1: 6-2-11-12
Race 2: 2-12-10-6
Race 3: 4-3-1-2
Race 4: 14-3-2-13
Race 5: 1-8-13-10
Race 6: 5-2-8-4
Race 7: 10-5-2-8
Race 8 - 8-10-1-5
Race 9: 4-6-14-2
Race 10: 3-13-2-1
Best Bet - Race 3: #4 Alcari
Longshot - Race 4: #14 Raindow Gold
Best Play - Race 8: Trio 8/1,2,5,10
Earlier this year, Irishcorrespondent finished third in the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas in May and fifth in the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot in England in June.
Within a month of that race, Irishcorrespondent had been sold privately to race in Hong Kong.
Saturday, the colt now known as Exultant tries to win for the first time in Hong Kong in the $237,915 Long Ke Handicap at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Sha Tin Racecourse. Horses frequently have their names changed when they begin racing in Hong Kong.
SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Saturday, December 23, 2017)
RACE 1: #6 Happy Rocky, #1 Top Act, #11 Amazing Gold, #5 Fancy Music
RACE 2: #2 Eighty Eighty, #10 Beaut Beaut, #6 Lucky Coin, #3 Cool Army
RACE 3: #4 Alcari, #6 Gallant Return, #1 Sparkling Dragon, #3 Win Beauty Win
RACE 4: #8 Rhode Assassin, #2 Five Stars Agent, #1 Diamond Friends, #5 Dragon Dance
RACE 5: #13 Remarkable, #1 Better Choice, #8 Brilliant Dream, #2 Care Free Prince
