By Leo Schlink

Danny Shum surged to the top of the 2024/25 Hong Kong trainers’ championship with a quartet at Happy Valley on Wednesday (8 January), crowned by Helene Feeling’s triumph in the HK$4.2 million G3 January Cup Handicap (1800m).

Shum dominated the undercard with Judy’s Great, Happy Soul and Eternal Fortune, rising to the top of the trainers’ standings with Helene Feeling’s (117lb) victory under Harry Bentley, who drove the former British galloper to victory in Happy Valley’s only Group contest of the season.

By Leo Schlink

David Hayes is confident Ka Ying Rising is primed to continue his barnstorming form in the HK$13 million G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) on 19 January after the star sprinter dominated a 1200m trial at Sha Tin this morning (Thursday, 9 January).

Partnered by regular rider Zac Purton, the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) victor sat three-wide early before coasting to the lead and was untroubled in beating G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) winner Voyage Bubble by three quarters of length in 1m 10.43s.

Sha Tin Selections
(Sunday, January 12, 2025)

Paul Lally:

R1 5-1-10-8

R2 4-12-2-11

R3 4-2-9-8

R4 1-4-9-7

R5 4-8-2-9

R6 1-10-3-4

R7 7-4-10-6

R8 4-3-1-8

R9 4-9-6-10

Best Bet R6 N1 Harmony Galaxy

Longshot R7 N7 Helene Feeling

Play Race QQP 4-6-9

Mark McNamara:

R1 – 1.5.8.10

R2 – 4.2.11.7

R3 – 6.9.4.2

R4 – 7.1.4.12

R5 – 8.4.5.2

R6 – 11.1.10.7

R7 – 6.10.4.7

R8 – 4.8.3.1

R9 – 4.9.3.10

Best Bet R8 N4 Eternal Fortune

Frankie Lor is aiming to extend his terrific record in Wednesday’s (8 January) HK$4.2 million G3 January Cup Handicap (1800m) when the trainer saddles Happy Together (135lb), Money Catcher (115lb) and Flamingo Trillion (115lb) in Happy Valley’s sole Group race.

Happy Valley Selections
(Wednesday, January 08, 2025)

By Leo Schlink

Andre Atzeni hopes a light weight and favourable barrier will pave the way for Swift Ascend to offset a class rise and post a third consecutive win when the in-form gelding tackles the HK$2.84 million Class 2 Tai Tong Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (5 January).

Triumphant in Class 3 under James McDonald at his past two starts, Swift Ascend has surged from 59 in the ratings to 84 to earn a tilt in Class 2, justifying trainer David Eustace’s faith in the Lord Kanaloa five-year-old.

Paul Lally: 
R1: 4-6-1-3 
R2: 9-6-7-2 
R3: 1-5-2-7 
R4: 3-1-2-7 
R5: 9-2-7-12 
R6: 5-10-12-4 
R7: 4-9-6-7 
R8: 7-1-8-4 
R9: 1-4-11-7 
R10: 13-8-11-12 
Best Bet R4 N3 Elegant life 
Longshot R5 N9 Pochettino 
Play R3 QQP 1-2-5 

Sha Tin Selections 
(Sunday, January 05, 2025)

Azonto and Magnaprime have developed a blooming rivalry on the Australian island of Tasmania in recent months.

They have met three times since mid-October, with Magnaprime finishing in front twice. Azonto beat Magnaprime by a half-length when they were first and second in their last meeting, an allowance race on Dec. 11.

The two Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds will have their first starts in a stakes in Thursday’s $77,387 Tasmanian Guineas at a mile at Hobart Racecourse.