Hong Kong Horse Racing Tips: Hearts Keeper can make most of a good draw for Wong

Champion trainer John Size and Joao Moreira team up with the steadily-improving Nice Kick in the 12.45pm over six furlongs.

You can guarantee their partnership will be heavily punted on, as the trainer/jockey combination has already delivered five winners in the past 10 days.

Nice Kick produced an encouraging run when a staying-on fifth behind the progressive Big Party at the beginning of the month.

But this time he may not be able to confirm placings with seventh placed HEARTS KEEPER.

This old ‘greybeard’ will soon be reaching the retirement stage of his career, but has been one of the most consistent performers in Hong Kong over the years, especially on the dirt surface.

A record of seven wins and 14 placings from 39 starts on the six furlong AW track vouches for his durability, and when he races against Class4 opposition, as he does this afternoon, he’s a hard horse to beat, with eight victories to his name.

He still looked under-prepared, despite having raced four times already this season, when finishing just under a length behind Nice Kick in the race won by Big Party, but ran better than this form figure suggests.

On that occasion, he was caught wide with no cover throughout the journey, but still stayed on okay in the closing stages.

This time he has the coveted inside draw – and, more importantly, is reunited with his last winning jockey, in-form 7lb claimer Victor Wong, who steered him to victory last May from a similar mark in the handicap.

POINTERS WEDNESDAY

Hearts Keeper e/w 12.45pm Sha Tin