Hong Kong Racing Tips: Back Ting’s Breaker to leave rivals staring at his Shadow
IT IS fair to say that the combination of Viva Popcorn and Joao Moreira will be an automatic choice for punters when the striking four-year-old gelding lines-up for the Saturn Handicap (12.15pm) over the extended mile.
The Tony Cruz-trained son of Farhh, who won over the track and trip in the bottom grade back in October, has always been an eye-catcher in the majority of his races when dashing fast and late in the closing stages.
He has however, proved expensive to follow for the most part and there are reasons to believe rival SHADOW BREAKER from the Jimmy Ting stable could prove the value play.
The five-year-old was beaten on every start of last season when always ridden up with the speed from the off and then proving a weak finisher.
His rating has plummeted to seven pounds below his last win as a result, but a change of tactics to being ridden quietly before delivering an explosive late surge has seen a dramatic change of fortune.
After coming from last to first to gain a clear-cut victory over the course and distance in October, the son of Excelebration, carrying a five-pound penalty, produced similar tactics the following month but just too late to catch Red Majesty in a photo.
More importantly Shadow Breaker finished just over a length-and-a-half in front of Viva Popcorn with another fancied rival, Manna From Heaven, back in fourth.
While Viva Popcorn looked visibly strong in the latter stages of that race, it should be noted that Shadow Breaker produced a faster closing sectional time than his rival and is clearly capable of upholding the form.
POINTERS
Shadow Breaker (e/w) 12.15pm Happy Valley