Best Bets | Sha Tin, 27 March 2022

Flying Season | (Sha Tin Race 1 No.5)

The field has been decimated due to the horses being stuck in China, so it’s only a small seven-horse field up the straight. Flying Season has done us well over his two career starts and there is no reason to jump off now. Despite this being tougher being up in grade, he has met his obstacles well over his career, winning last start nicely will give him plenty of confidence. Providing he doesn’t go backward, he is a strong chance to go back-to-back.

Suggested bet: 2.3 units @ $1.80

Light My Day| (Sha Tin Race 2 No.1)

Sometimes it is hard to get excited about these Class 5’s and they are often hard to nail down. Light My Day fits a nice profile of a horse who is coming back in grade, getting a solid jockey booking in Purton, drawn ideally, and sits on the pace, which happens to be lacking in this race. The drop back to the mile also suits, and I don’t think he will be far away.

Suggested bet: 1.5 units @ $2.80

E Star | (Sha Tin Race 3 No.8) / Beauty Fit | (Sha Tin Race 3 No.6) / <strong>Beauty Joy | (Sha Tin Race 3 No.1)

Only the second time I have done this, but I am confident in one of these three winning. E Star was a black booker on March 12th, so I wasn’t leaving him out after what happened. He finished a luckless 1.6 lengths back in seventh, after meeting backsides up the straight and being unable to be fully tested, but still ran the fourth quickest final 400m and third quickest final 200m of the meeting. The draw isn’t ideal with the lack of pace but I couldn’t ignore his last start effort. Beauty Fit is coming out of the same race and was also luckless finishing fourth. He attempted to force himself up the inside of another horse, got halfway there, and couldn’t stretch out past him due to being jammed between that horse and the rail. Drawn better and Joao on, expect a better run. Beauty Joy is coming off a third to Cheerful Days and is the class of this field. Purton sticking is ideal and the smaller field suits.

Suggested bet: 0.3 unit @ $16.00 / 1.3 units @ $3.10 / 1.5 units @ $2.70

Robot Warrior | (Sha Tin Race 4 No.4)

Not a fan of this race. This bloke comes out on top for me thanks to his effort last start when finishing a luckless fifth. He gets a similar draw and a jockey upgrade which is a telling sign the horse is getting closer to a win. If he can repeat his effort from two back when he was second to Super Hong Kong, he will go close here.

Suggested bet: No Bet @ $3.40

Campione | (Sha Tin Race 5 No.2) / Beauty Mission | (Sha Tin Race 5 No.6)

I had Campione black booked from the last run on the 6th of March, where he led first-up at a strong gallop. The horse that was taking him on in the lead finished a long last and he kept fighting to finish under a length from the eventual winner Flying Ace. All three horses that finished in front of him had to chase him down, and he did really well considering he was first-up and in his Hong Kong debut. I expect nice improvement after gaining some familiarity with the track and with the lack of speed, I expect him to be fighting out the finish. Beauty Mission finished third in that same race after having to come from the rear of the field. He has drawn barrier one, so he should be able to sit closer and the addition of Joao Moreira in the saddle, should give him every chance to win.

Suggested bet: 0.8 unit @ $5.00 / 1.6 units @ $2.50

Fun N Glory | (Sha Tin Race 6 No.5)

Another race that isn’t overly advertising to me. Settled with Fun N Glory who was a former black booker of ours, who was very unlucky last start, finishing a four-length fourth placing behind Packing Treadmill. He was luckless in the straight and wasn’t able to be fully tested late, so I am putting a nice line through that run. The draw here is awkward but he does get Purton on, who may be able to get him out of this trouble.

Suggested bet: No Bet @ $4.40

Copartner Ambition | (Sha Tin Race 7 No.1) / Happy Daily | (Sha Tin Race 7 No.8)

Copartner Ambition was nothing but impressive last start, coming from a long way back to salute in a nice style. He has drawn a touch better here but I am a little concerned that the jockey over his past two runs Zac Purton hasn’t stuck with him but he doesn’t have a ride in this race either so maybe I am reading too much into it, and his replacement is Joao, so it’s the next best in line. If he matches his last start effort, he goes close again. Happy Daily may come up a nice price here after failing last start in his first go at Happy Valley. If you revert back to his form prior which albeit was in Class 4 but also at Sha Tin, where he performs much better, you can see how consistently he ran. He is drawn okay and I think he can give this a shake.

Suggested bet: 1.4 units @ $2.90 / 0.6 unit @ $7.50

Boom Stitch | (Sha Tin Race 8 No.6)

This is a gross race and one I definitely won’t be betting in. Boom Stitch ended up on top by default as I really couldn’t split these runners. His form has been okay and I am willing to put a line through last start as it was on the all-weather track. Back to 1400m suits and he gets the blinkers for the first time which should sharpen him up.

Suggested bet: No Bet @ $3.80

Circuit Stellar | (Sha Tin Race 10 No.2) / Beauty Live | (Sha Tin Race 10 No.4)

Luck just hasn’t been with Circuit Stellar this preparation and he has gotten close to the winners on most occasions. Those winners were Galaxy Witness, Beauty Live, Navas Two, and Lucky With You twice, so this race definitely doesn’t have that sort of quality in it. Although he does face Beauty Live again, he meets him 5kg better off from when they last met. Purton is back on, they have drawn ideally to be able to sit closer in the run and he just needs a chance with luck and he goes close. Beauty Live keeps stepping up to the plate and just found one better here last start. He will likely stride forward with Joao aboard and give them something to catch.

Suggested bet: 0.8 unit @ $5.00 / 1.9 units @ $2.15

Total Units Used: 16 Units