Sha Tin Racing Tips: Sunday, February 20th

The first Group 1 of the day is The Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup.

(1) Waikuku comes into this as the short-priced favourite having caused a major upset in the G1 The Stewards’ Cup last start, toppling Golden Sixty. Drops back to 1400m today which is always a slight query, but he has four wins from five starts at the track and distance so should be able to handle it. Purton on again, drawn well in 3, looks the horse to beat if he reproduces that last run.

(3) Sky Field is the horse that adds intrigue, stepping up to 1400m after winning the Hong Kong Sprint before finishing 2^nd by a nose in the Centenary Sprint Cup, both over 1200m. He’s been successful over this track and distance before and I suspect from barrier 7 they ride him cold with the purpose of finishing off.

(6) Healthy Happy can be thrown in at 25/1. Goes well at the distance and is undefeated third up, while the step up to 1400m may see (4) Wellington improve?

Tip: (1) Waikuku $2.25 Bet365

Betting Strategy: No bet

Zac Purton comes into this race having ridden three of these runners at their most recent starts, but chooses to jump off all of them in favour of (10) Free Foal. This horse comes off a last-start 3^rd over the mile and now drops back to 1400m. Zac’s ridden this horse once before when it ran 2^nd and given he’s elected to ride him for Frankie Lor, I’d be very surprised if he wasn’t fighting out the finish. Each way odds available.

Tip: (10) Free Foal $5.50/$2.40 Bet365

Betting Strategy: 1 unit E/W Free Foal

(3) Leading Fortune has been a model of consistency lately, with a deserved last-start win following three consecutive placings, beaten 0.6L, 0.5L and 0.1L. Joao Moreira has ridden him in all of those races but is suspended today so Alexis Badel picks up the ride. Not an ideal replacement but the horse is flying and despite copping a 3.5kg rise in the weights, I’d be surprised if he wasn’t in the finish again at each way odds.

Tip: (3) Leading Fortune $7.00/$2.60 Ladbrokes

Betting Strategy: 0.5 units E/W Leading Fortune

Purton once again combines with Frankie Lor here on (2) Five Elements. Notably, he jumps off the John Size-trained Gallant Express to do so. He wouldn’t be jumping off one of Size’s if the one he was jumping on wasn’t a serious winning chance. The horse comes into this first up; he was beaten a nose first up last preparation. Lor’s team is flying, he’s drawn well in barrier 4 and is undefeated from two starts on rain-affected ground. Keen.

Tip: (2) Five Elements $3.90 TopSport

Betting Strategy: 2 units WIN Five Elements

The second Group 1 of the day is the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup over 2000m, where we now get $1.55 for Golden Sixty after his shock last-start defeat in The Stewards’ Cup. That was over the mile and instead of dropping back to 1400m, they pull the trigger on going to 2000m. Of course, he’s had two starts at the distance for two wins so it’s not uncharted territory, and perhaps now he’s racing more like a 2000m horse than a 1400m-1600m horse. Barrier 11 makes things interesting, no doubt he’ll be taken back, but I suspect Vincent Ho will be very keen to have him within striking distance this time around and not with several lengths to make up. In any case, I think he’ll atone for that last-start defeat and if you’re a punter that’s keen to load up on shorties, I would suggest the $1.55 is backable.

I think Purton will try and pinch a break on (2) More Than This, to really try and make Golden Sixty chase.

(4) Russian Emperor is drawn inside Golden Sixty and they’ll be making their runs together. He ran 3^rd in that Stewards’ Cup last start, and prior to that was beaten less than a length over this distance by Loves Only You in the Hong Kong Cup.

(11) Zebrowski gets his chance at a Group 1 in Hong Kong having recorded back-to-back Group 3 wins leading into this. Smokey.

Tip: (1) Golden Sixty $1.55 Bet365

Betting Strategy: No bet

(3) Copartner Ambition was beaten 0.5L first up and now gets Purton booked second up for Tony Cruz. Won at this stage last preparation and with any sort of luck from barrier 11, looks the horse to beat.

Also out of that race was (2) The Hulk, who actually finished off very well from the back of the field. Prior to that he won over 1200m and from the better draw today, can settle much closer than he did last start. Racing well and doesn’t deserve to be an $11 chance.

Tip: (3) Copartner Ambition $2.60 PlayUp

Value: (2) The Hulk $11 Sportsbet

Betting Strategy: 1 unit WIN Copartner Ambition, 0.5 units WIN The Hulk