Purton’s Boy and Gangnam can find the winning style
RACEGOERS will gather in their tens of thousands at Sha Tin racecourse on Hong Kong Reunification Day this Monday, each hoping for a slice of luck.
Worth a whopping £285,000 for a Class Two Handicap, the Hong Kong Reunification Cup (11.35am) is rightly one of the most hotly contested heats on the bumper 11-race card.
Former German 2000 Guineas runner-up Flaming Rabbit, who also won the Group Three Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood when trained by Peter Schiergen, steps back to seven furlongs for the first time and could be in the mix.
He likes to be on the front-end early and could look to dictate things if getting a clean break from stall one.
A bit of give in the ground looks likely too if the unsettled weather forecasts are to be believed, so he’s one for the shortlist.
However, he’s got to shoulder almost a stone more than my selection, SUPERB BOY, and that could be the telling factor.
With Champion Jockey Zac Purton in the plate, who is a master of dictating the tempo, Superb Boy has every chance of getting his head in front.
He’s picked up four silver medals this season, including last time when just being reeled in late by Keefy, and I think he can go very close again off just a pound higher in the weights.
Earlier on in the day, trainer Pierre Ng has a clear chance to bolster his championship bid with GANGNAM STAR in the Class Five Uncompromising Integrity Handicap (10.00am), over seven furlongs.
He’s run with plenty of credit in deeper company than this and is now having only his second start in a Class Five contest, having finished second on his only previous start in this grade.
The combination of a slip down in class and a step up in trip could be the cocktail for success and he’s taken to go close with Alexis Badel in the saddle first time.
POINTERS MONDAY
Gangnam Star 10.00am Sha Tin
Superb Boy 11.35am Sha Tin