Hong Kong Horse Racing Tips: Sha Tin bettors can Marvel at Joy of Magic Man Moreira
RACING in Hong Kong reverts to the all-weather track at Sha Tin this afternoon, which doesn’t make it easy for bettors looking to win some extra Christmas cash.
The unpredictability of the all-weather track has been mentioned in this column on numerous occasions.
When the humidity gets into the surface, it either suits horses that are racing up with the pace from the off, or favours horses that dash down the centre lanes of the home stretch.
As always, it’s best to watch the first couple of contests to get an idea which part of the track is the quickest and whether it is favouring early-paced runners, or strong finishers.
Bettors will also be dismayed to find that in-form jockey Zac Purton is now side-lined for three meetings.
The reigning champ had ridden 10 winners in the past week, including a five-timer at Sha Tin last Sunday.
Still, racing fans do have ‘Magic Man’ Joao Moreira to fall back on.
The three-time HK champion jockey seems to have gone under the radar since returning to the city to ride on a permanent basis. That’s until you look at his present statistics.
Six winners from just 33 rides suggests he is just getting his eye in, and with his great rival Purton sitting at home preparing the Christmas turkey, expect normal service to resume with a deluge of winners.
He has eight rides this afternoon and his fanatical fans will surely be disappointed if he doesn’t visit the winner’s circle on at least a couple of occasions.
His best value-for-money ride could be MARVEL JOY whom he partners in an open-looking handicap at 12.15pm over the extended mile.
This Caspar Fownes-trained gelding is still looking for his first success after 19 races in the city and has proved expensive to follow for many of his supporters.
However, he now reverts back to dirt, which offers him a big chance of success.
He just missed out on this surface last season when second over course and distance in a bunched finish from a difficult draw in May.
If he reproduces that form from a 4lb lower mark, he is going to be hard to beat.
Later in the afternoon, Moreira renews his association with the diminutive but battle-hardened GUNNISON in the highlight race on the card, the Class2 £200,000 handicap over six furlongs at 2.20pm.
This highly-competitive dash includes some of the quickest dirt horses in training, including top-weight Fight Hero, who was beaten in a photo finish in the Group One Korea Sprint in September.
He will be looking to run well again to get an invite to Dubai next March.
Gunnison suffered a tough run, including interference and an outside draw, when exploding down the home straight – the fastest 400m closing sectional of the race – to chase home rival Big Time Baby earlier this month.
This time Moreira’s mount gets an all-important inside draw, which sets him up for a dream journey, and he will be hard to keep out of the frame.
POINTERS WEDNESDAY
Marvel Joy 12.15pm Sha Tin
Gunnison e/w 2.20pm Sha Tin