Thu, 06/22/2017 - 11:25

Andrew Hawkins' Hong Kong selections and analysis for Sunday, June 25, 2017

SHA TIN SELECTIONS

(Sunday, June 25, 2017)

 

RACE 1: #2 Kwaichung Brothers, #3 The Full Bloom, #8 Yourtheoneforme, #11 Telecom Boom

RACE 2: #6 Travel Emperor, #9 Winfull Patrol, #2 Beaut Beaut, #3 Sacred Ibis

RACE 3: #1 Pakistan Star, #5 Eastern Express, #2 Horse Of Fortune, #4 Harbour Master

RACE 4: #5 Ivictory, #3 Winston's Lad, #6 Presidentparamount, #11 Intrepic

Wed, 06/21/2017 - 14:16

Highland Reel stalks, pounces in Prince of Wales's

Barbara D. Livingston
Aidan O'Brien earned his 300th Group or Grade 1 stakes win in the Prince of Wales's

A patient Highland Reel proved too tough against a top-class field in Wednesday’s Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, providing trainer Aidan O’Brien with his 300th career Group 1 or Grade 1 stakes win in a flat or jump race.

Highland Reel has at times set the pace in his races, notably in winning the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita last November, but was a stalker in the $955,000 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at 1 1/4 miles, the richest race of the five-day Royal Ascot meeting.

Wed, 06/21/2017 - 12:46

Tall order for Americans at Royal Ascot

Keeneland/Coady Photography
Bound for Nowhere has cruised in two starts this year, winning by a combined 10 1/4 lengths.

The American-trained runners Bound for Nowhere and La Coronel face brutal challenges in Group 1 races at Royal Ascot on Friday.

Bound for Nowhere, unbeaten in two races in Kentucky this year for trainer Wesley Ward, will have his stakes debut against 11 rivals in the $506,520 Commonwealth Cup for 3-year-olds at six furlongs on turf. The field is led by Caravaggio, who is unbeaten in five starts for trainer Aidan O’Brien.

Tue, 06/20/2017 - 13:29

Royal Ascot: Barney Roy caps big day for Godolphin in St. James's Palace Stakes

Barney Roy completed a Royal Ascot opening-day Group 1 double for Godolphin when he won the St. James’s Palace Stakes by one length over Lancaster Bomber. Thunder Snow finished third, and odds-on favorite Churchill ran the worst race of his career, checking in fourth following five straight wins at the Group 1 level.

Godolphin, which also campaigns St. James’s Palace third-place finisher Thunder Snow, won the Group 1 Queen Anne with Ribchester and added a one-two finish in the listed Windsor Castle Stakes on Tuesday with Sound and Silence and Roussel.

Tue, 06/20/2017 - 13:27

Hong Kong selections for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS

(Wednesday, June 21, 2017)

 

Brett Davis

Race 1: 7-1-4-9

Race 2: 6-4-9-3

Race 3: 5-6-1-10

Race 4: 4-1-2-5

Race 5: 3-2-5-12

Race 6: 8-3-7-1

Race 7: 7-1-10-9

Race 8: 2-3-6-11

Best Bet - Race 3: #5 Phantom Falcon  

Longshot - Race 4: #5 Balay Balay

Best Play - Race 3: Q/QP   1,5,6

 

Paul Lally

Race 1: 4-1-6-7

Race 2: 4-1-6-7

Race 3: 5-9-6-10

Race 4: 2-4-8-6

Tue, 06/20/2017 - 12:22

Royal Ascot: Lady Aurelia does it again

The original was a smash hit, and for a change the sequel proved equally satisfying, as Lady Aurelia followed up on her breathtaking win a year ago in the Queen Mary Stakes with a scintillating score Tuesday in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Tue, 06/20/2017 - 11:26

Royal Ascot: Ribchester too good for Queen Anne foes

Ribchester cemented his position as Europe’s best miler with a definitive victory Tuesday in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes to launch the 2017 Royal Ascot meeting.

Ridden by William Buick for Godolphin and trainer Richard Fahey, Ribchester followed Miss Temple City through the early and middle stages of the straight-course mile as pacemakers Toscanini and Dutch Uncle shot off to a large lead over the main body of the field. Ribchester moved easily into contention about three furlongs from the finish – too soon for Buick.

Mon, 06/19/2017 - 15:16

Order of St George could be vulnerable in Gold Cup

Mathea Kelley/Dubai Racing Club
Big Orange has never raced longer than two miles.

Order of St George is the odds-on favorite to win the Group 1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on Thursday for the second year in a row, but the horse’s reputation at this moment appears to have outpaced his form, and if the Ascot course stays dry, Big Orange will have a chance at an upset.

The Gold Cup is the lone Group 1 on Thursday’s six-race Royal Ascot card that begins at 9:30 a.m. Eastern. The Gold Cup is the fourth race, post time 11:20, while trainer Wesley Ward’s very quick 2-year-old McErin could start the day with a win in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes.

Mon, 06/19/2017 - 13:32

Jolly Convergence seeks elusive Hong Kong victory

Jolly Convergence is winless in nine starts in Hong Kong this season, but the gelding’s record is not as discouraging as it seems.

Jolly Convergence was second, beaten three-quarters of a length, in a troubled trip in a six-furlong handicap June 7 and returns at the same level of competition in Wednesday’s $158,375 Lantau Island Handicap at six furlongs on turf at Happy Valley Racecourse.

Mon, 06/19/2017 - 13:16

Royal Ascot: Highland Reel in tough in Prince of Wales's Stakes

Debra Roma
Seamus Heffernan wins his first Breeders' Cup race aboard Highland Reel in the Turf.

Highland Reel won the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita last November and the Group 1 Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs in his most recent start June 2.

Those are brilliant credentials but not enough to make Highland Reel a clear favorite in a tough running of the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.