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

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS

(Wednesday, December 20)

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

Brett Davis
Race 1: 8-6-3-4
Race 2: 10-4-6-9
Race 3: 6-5-3-1
Race 4: 4-9-5-6
Race 5: 10-11-9-7
Race 6: 11-1-7-5
Race 7: 5-9-12-11
Race 8: 7-12-4-2
Best Bet - Race 3: #6 Mr Kool 
Longshot - Race 1: #8 Whistle Up
Best Play - Race 6: Q/QP 1,7,11

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS

(Wednesday, December 20, 2017)

RACE 1: #4 Winfull Patrol, #9 Highland Dragon, #2 World City, #12 Bliss Cartel

RACE 2: #4 Kirov, #7 Sonic Fighter, #10 Doctors Delight, #1 Love Chunghwa

RACE 3: #5 Sun Touch, #12 Megatron, #1 Call Me Awesome, #6 Mr Kool

RACE 4: #11 Show Mission, #12 Paddington, #4 Cheerfuljet, #5 Numero Uno

RACE 5: #1 General Dino, #2 Leisured Feet, #10 Ever Laugh, #7 Sichuan Boss

One of these races House of Fun is going to have a clean trip – and probably claim a win.

A 5-year-old, House of Fun has been beaten a short head and a nose in his last two starts, narrow losses that make him the likely favorite in Wednesday’s $273,346 Mercury Handicap at six furlongs on turf at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong.

Trained by John Size, House of Fun is winless in five starts during the current Hong Kong season, which began in September. He has won 5 of 21 races in his career, with all the wins during the 2016-17 Hong Kong season.

A week removed from the Hong Kong International Races, Sha Tin Racecourse has more proletarian fare on offer Sunday, though the featured 10th race is pretty good.

The 10th and final is a Class 2 handicap for horses rated 100-80 at 1,400 meters, and it drew an overflow field of 16, 14 in the main body and two substitute (also-eligible) runners.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS

(Sunday, December 17, 2017)

RACE 1: #12 Hot Hot Pepper, #4 Gouten Of Garo, #5 Have Fun Together, #7 Lean Perfection

RACE 2: #2 Goldington Horn, #10 Golden Partners, #3 Proud Sky, #12 Faithful Boy

RACE 3: #12 Hello Kimberley, #7 Corre Rapido, #5 Helen's Choice, #10 Victory Music

RACE 4: #7 Aashiqui, #5 Lucky Time, #6 Ugly Warrior, #10 Respect

RACE 5: #7 Young Legend, #11 Primero, #12 Amazing Star, #3 Bigwood

Le Vent Se Leve was a sharp winner Wednesday night in Japan of the Zen-Nippon Masai Yushun, the second leg of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Le Vent Se Leve got 10 points for winning the 1600-meter (about one mile) dirt race at Kawasaki Racecourse. Don Fortis finished second, earning four points, while Haseno Pyro got two qualifying points for finishing third.

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HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS

(Wednesday, December 13, 2017)

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

Brett Davis
Race 1: 9-4-3-2
Race 2: 9-4-1-7
Race 3: 1-3-4-6
Race 4: 1-8-10-11
Race 5: 3-6-9-11
Race 6: 9-12-4-2
Race 7: 2-3-8-10
Race 8: 10-1-12-9
Best Bet - Race 5: #3   Hinyuen Swiftness
Longshot - Race 2: #7   Clear Choice
Best Play - Race 2: Trio   9/1,3,4,7

Zac Purton is keeping the jockey’s race close in Hong Kong this year.

Since the season began in September, Purton has won 36 races, five less than leader Joao Moreira, the runaway leader in the last two seasons.

Purton won the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse on Sunday and has leading chances in two of the top races at Happy Valley Racecourse on Wednesday.