A pair of sprint handicaps, one at five furlongs and the other at seven, both for horses officially rated 100 down to 80, are co-featured Sunday at Sha Tin in Hong Kong, but the seven-furlong race, the last of 11 on the card, stands out due to the presence of the exciting prospect Pakistan Star.

Even by his lofty standards, trainer Aidan O’Brien is on a roll, and with strong chances in four of the five Group races Saturday at Ascot on QIPCO British Champions Day, the O’Brien train doesn’t appear to be slowing anytime soon.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016)

Brett Davis - Selections

R1: 1-7-5-6
R2: 3-2-5-8
R3: 4-2-5-8
R4: 5-4-2-12
R5: 4-5-10-7
R6: 7-1-4-12
R7: 7-5-12-10
R8: 2-8-9-6

Best - R6 N7 C P Power
2nd Best - R8 N2 Super Turbo
Longshot - R7 N5 Entrusting
Best Play - R6 Q/QP 1,4,7

Paul Lally – Selection

R1: 5-9-1-2
R2: 5-3-7-2
R3: 9-2-5-8
R4: 5-10-1-12
R5: 5-10-4-7
R6: 7-1-6-12
R7: 10-1-7-12
R8: 8-4-2-9

Happy Cheers can win his first race in Hong Kong in the $159,196 Yew Handicap at six furlongs at Happy Valley Racecourse on Wednesday.

There are reasons to expect a promising race for Happy Cheers, who is trained by Caspar Fownes. A 4-year-old Australian-bred gelding, Happy Cheers won twice in Australia last year when racing under the name Kallara Village. In his first start in Hong Kong, at Sha Tin Racecourse on Sept. 11, Happy Cheers closed from eighth in a field of 11 to finish third, beaten 3 1/2 lengths, in a six-furlong handicap.

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday October 12, 2016)

Rhododendron and Hydrangea gave trainer Aidan O’Brien a sweep of the first two positions in Friday’s $661,860 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket Racecourse, the second time in recent weeks that the Irish trainer has finished first and second in a Group 1 for 2-year-old fillies in England.

On Sept. 24, the O’Brien-trained Brave Anna and Roly Poly were first and second in the Cheveley Park Stakes at six furlongs at Newmarket.

O’Brien said after the Fillies’ Mile that Rhododendron and Hydrangea will be considered for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.

Brett Davis - Selections
Race 1:  2-3-1-4
Race 2: 12-11-9-2
Race 3:  7-4-5-6
Race 4: 11-5-6-7
Race 5: 5-3-2-8
Race 6: 4-3-12-1
Race 7: 5-2-1-6
Race 8: 13-1-2-14
Race 9: 8-10-2-5
Race 10: 13-10-14-8

Churchill is the early favorite for the 2017 English 2000 Guineas and therefore will be heavily favored Saturday at Newmarket in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes for 2-year-olds over seven furlongs.

Renaissance Art, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding who began his career in Ireland, has found his niche in Hong Kong.

In 18 starts in Hong Kong, Renaissance Art has won four times, including consecutive wins in handicaps in June and July. Trained by Caspar Fownes, Renaissance Art will have his first start of the 2016-17 Hong Kong season in Saturday’s $225,576 Yuen Long Handicap at a mile on turf.

The Yuen Long Handicap is the eighth race on a 10-race program that begins at 1 a.m. Eastern time Saturday, or 10 p.m. Pacific on Friday.