HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, April 18, 2018)
:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, and analysis
RACE 1: #1 Raichu, #5 Scarborough Fair, #3 Hot Hot Pepper, #4 Sparkling Talent
RACE 2: #4 My Blessing, #6 Pearl Furu, #5 Loaded, #10 Celebration
RACE 3: #8 You Have My Word, #5 King Bountiful, 3 Je Pense, #6 Audacity
Wooton, now unbeaten after three starts, beat Olmedo by a head Sunday at Longchamp in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau, a battle between perhaps the two best 3-year-old milers in France.
The Fontainebleau was contested over the sort of heavy going that can yield unsatisfying results, but there appears to be nothing phony about either Wooton or Olmedo. The time for the one-turn mile was a slow 1:47.33, but both colts appeared to finish with verve while well clear of three others in this prep for the French 2000 Guineas.
The 13-1 outsider Epoca d’Or closed from fourth in a field of 16 to win Sunday’s Group 1 Japanese 2,000 Guineas at Nakayama Racecourse in a key prep for the Japanese Derby on May 27.
Ridden by Keita Tosaki for trainer Hideaki Fujiwara, Epoca d’Oro won the $2.23 million Japanese 2,000 Guineas at 1 1/4 miles on turf by two lengths over 23-1 Sans Rival.
“I was able to position him as planned,” Tosaki told Japan Racing Association publicity.
Gustav Klimt, Nelson, and Who’s Steph were the winners of the three classic prep races on Saturday at Leopardstown Racecourse in Ireland, but what exactly that means is uncertain.
The Leopardstown course for the second day in a row was rated “heavy,” and times were glacially slow. Radical conditions produce unreliable results, and it would be unwise to put too much stock in performances good or bad in these three races.
Tiger Roll, a three-time winner at the prestigious Cheltenham National Hunt Festival in recent years, won Saturday’s $1.41 million Grand National steeplechase at Aintree Racecourse, holding off a late threat from Pleasant Company to win the grueling race at 4 5/16-miles by a head.
Tiger Roll was popular with bettors in recent days and was the 10-1 joint second choice in a field of 38. An 8-year-old Irish-bred gelding by Authorized, the 2007 winner of the English Derby, Tiger Roll is trained by 40-year-old Gordon Elliott of Ireland for Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud.
It could fairly be said that nothing new was learned about Winx on Saturday at Randwick Racecourse in Australia. We already knew she is an all-time great racehorse.
But Winx added another layer to her legend by winning her 25th straight race in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Exultant flew from the back of a field of 14 to finish third in the $2.29 million Hong Kong Derby for 4-year-olds at Sha Tin Racecourse on March 18, the richest race of his career.
Ping Hai Star, who won the Hong Kong Derby, is rated as a leading contender for the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin on April 29, a race worth approximately $3.05 million.
SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, April 15, 2018)
RACE 1: #6 Strathallan, #4 Quadruple Double, #3 Speed Vision, #7 Styling City
RACE 2: #6 Happy Sound, #2 Sky Treasure, #9 Le Pegase, #5 The Greatest
RACE 3: #3 Fiama, #2 Unicron Jewellery, #1 Hang's Decision, #4 Positively High
RACE 4: #8 Striking Mr C, #4 Goldie Flanker, #2 Giddy Giddy, #1 Gallant Return
RACE 5: #2 Photon Willie, #8 Honest Way, #9 Noble De Love, #1 Hard Ball Get
A classic prep in France and the 4-year-old debut of dual classic winner Capri in Ireland highlight the Friday flat-racing slate in Europe.
Capri won the Irish Derby over no less a tiger than Cracksman and later in the season captured the English St. Leger Stakes before ending his year with a dud in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, where he finished 18th. Capri, trained by Aidan O’Brien, gets his 2018 campaign started Friday at Naas in the Group 3 Alleged Stakes over 1 1/4 miles.
