Reve can chase home Sha Tin sprint king Ka Ying
ALL EYES of the racing world will be focused on Hong Kong on Sunday morning when Sha Tin hosts one of the major events in the racing calendar, FWD Champions Day, featuring three International Group One races worth in excess of £7 million in prize money.
Expect the whole city to come to a standstill when the world’s best sprinter KA YING RISING steps out onto the turf looking to extend his winning sequence to 12 in the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (7.50am) over six furlongs.
To think the Zac Purton-ridden sprinting machine will be beaten is unthinkable and, with every local racing fan supporting him, his odds will be near unbackable.
Maybe Japanese raider SATONO REVE who won a Group One in impressive style at Chukyo last month is the best solution to include in a forecast.
The FWD Champions Mile (9.00am) is billed as a showdown between Australia’s champion miler and nine-time Group One winner Mr Brightside and local hero Voyage Bubble, winner of his last four starts, including the Group One Hong Kong Mile on International Day at Sha Tin back in December.
This is not a two-horse affair, however, with top four-year-old My Wish – so unlucky in the Hong Kong Derby – and another Australian challenger ROYAL PATRONAGE in opposition.
Six-year-old Royal Patronage, trained by the legendary Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, went down with all guns blazing when headed on the post after a wide journey throughout in the highly competitive Group One Doncaster Mile Handicap at Randwick earlier this month.
A reproduction of that form would be good enough to make the frame in this contest.
The FWD QEII Cup (9.40am) over 10 furlongs may be the feature race on the card, but there are too many imponderables to be confident about the outcome.
French champion Goliath is the clear form choice but has not run over this distance for two seasons, while the Japanese trio of Prognosis, Tastiera and Liberty Island have hardly set the world alight with recent performances.
With question marks over New Zealand champion El Vencedor, and Hong Kong Derby winner Cap Ferrat being good enough in this company, picking a winner is difficult.
Best advice is to follow the fortunes of TASTIERA, who despite his recent form has looked a picture of health in his recent track work this week, and will strip in prime condition.
POINTERS
Forecast: Ka Ying Rising and Satono Reve 7.50am Sha Tin
Royal Patronage e/w 9.00am Sha Tin
Tastiera 9.40am Sha Tin