Hong Kong Racing Tips: Casa De Forca to bring the house down
JOCKEY Vincent Ho is going to be confident of reaching a milestone at Happy Valley today when he seeks to ride his 300th winner in Hong Kong.
This is no mean feat for a young man who only gained his licence 10 years ago as a 19-year-old and has worked hard to climb the ladder and make himself one of the top pilots in the territory.
Having enjoyed his best ever total with 56 winners last season, he is currently lying fourth in the jockey standing with 31 winners and must fancy his chances of surpassing that total with six months of the current campaign remaining.
His highlight of the season has been his partnership with top-rated four-year-old Golden Sixty. A winner of eight of his nine races, all with Ho aboard, and winner of the recent £1m Hong Kong Classic Mile.
Ho has been riding with lots of confidence in recent weeks and trainers have been clamouring for his services since the season started.
Only the likes of Joao Moreira, Zac Purton and Karis Teetan have ridden in more races than him this season and he has a full book of rides in today’s eight races today.
Last start winners Lightning Missile, who lines up in the opening Bowrington Handicap (11.15am), and Happy Good Guys, Canal Handicap (11.45am), both have penalties to carry but have the bonus of inside draws and are guaranteed to go close.
Ho’s best chance, however, should come in the finale when he resumes his partnership with progressive THIS IS CLASS in the Sports Road Handicap (2.50pm) over six furlongs.
Francis Lui’s lightly-raced five-year-old suffered a health issue earlier in the season and only made a belated seasonal appearance a fortnight ago.
On that occasion, having travelled up with the early pace from the off, he led briefly a furlong from home, before being collared in the closing stages and finishing second.
That was a first-class effort from a horse who had been upped in class following two impressive track and trip wins last season.
He is mapped to get a perfect journey following the leaders during the contest and then pounce early in the home straight and go for gold. The likes of Super Turbo and Meridian Genius are the obvious threats.
One of the most interesting jockey bookings today has to be Moreira climbing aboard CASA DE FORCA in the Wong Nai Chung Handicap (1.15pm) over the extended mile.
Moreira had previously been associated with top-weight Thunder Stomp, who looked to be reaching his best when a narrow loser over course and distance back in December.
Both Thunder Stomp and Moreira subsequently trialled in impressive fashion 12 days ago as a prep for this contest, so it is surprising the ‘Magic Man’ has deserted him for the Tony Cruz gelding.
This former UK galloper, known as Hombre Casado, was a dual winner over a mile when trained by Ed Walker.
The five-year-old has taken some time to find his feet in Hong Kong, but was finishing strongly over six furlongs behind useful Victory In Hand last month and will relish a return to the mile.
POINTERS
Casa De Forca 1.15pm Happy Valley
This Is Class 2.50pm Happy Valley