| What | 2023 Champions Day |
| Where | Sha Tin Racecourse – Tai Po Rd, Sha Tin District, Hong Kong |
| When | Sunday, April 30, 2023 |
| First Race | 12:45pm HKT | 2:45pm AEST |
| Watch Live | |
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Visit Ladbrokes |
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It’s one of the great days on the Hong Kong racing calendar as stars of the turf converge on Sha Tin Racecourse for an outstanding 10-race program. We’ve got three Group 1 features to cover to go along with big fields and a strong undercard throughout the afternoon. There’s international flavour in all the Group 1 events and even Australian-trained My Oberon has made the journey to compete against the worlds best.
The rail is in the A position throughout the course and despite some rain forecast leading into race-day, it’s unlikely to affect the Good 4 track listed for Sunday afternoon. It’s usually a fair playing surface and with racing set to get underway at 12:45pm HKT (2:45pm AEST), it should be a sensational way to finish the weekend.
Keep reading for our free race-by-race preview and quaddie selections
Race 1: : CLASS 4 HANDICAP (2000M)
It’s a tough assignment to find the winner in the opener on Champions Day; however, we think Ensured will be a good each-way price to kick-off the program. He’s yet to find a win since arriving in Hong Kong but doesn’t look far off producing a peak performance over the 2000m. This will be just his second run in Class 4 after heading to the 1650m at Happy Valley on March 22 and was strong to the line chasing off a slow tempo throughout. There were mid-race moves at the halfway point of the race, leaving Ensured flatfooted prior to the turn, but the way he smashed through the line, suggested 2000m at the bigger track should do him wonders. Jockey Hugh Bowman will be looking to be more positive despite gate nine on Sunday and with luck this time, this son of Sea The Stars can definitely be figuring.
3
ENSURED
9
REACH GOAL
1
KOWLOON GREAT
7
SUPER HONG KONG
Race 2: CLASS 4 HANDICAP (1200M)
Beauty Destiny already looks like a ready-made galloper based on what we’ve seen at the barrier trials and must be considered on of the best bets of the day. He’s had a totally of five jump-outs between Australia and Hong Kong, winning them all with seemingly plenty up his sleeve. This Star Turn gelding has done nothing but impress every time he’s stepped out and although there is some quality around him for his first trip to race-day, we’re confident he’s more than up to the task. Winning barrier trials isn’t always a great indicator of how a galloper is travelling, but the manner of which he’s putting his rivals to bed, suggests he can do something similar on Sunday. Hong Kong’s leading jockey Zac Purton elects to stick after taking the reins in all three Hong Kong trials and from barrier seven looks likely to take luck out of the equation and lead them up. Beauty Destiny should cross them relatively easily and if he finds a soft lead, this race could be all over with 200m to go. He’s got stacks of ability and if he brings it to race-day won’t be in Class 4 for long.
8
BEAUTY DESTINY
1
GREEN N WHITE
13
LUCKY ENCOUNTER
3
CALL ME DANDY
Best Bet
Race 2 – #5 Beauty Destiny (7)
3yo Gelding | T: Frankie Lor | J: Zac Purton (58kg)
Bet with PlayUp
Race 3: CLASS 3 HANDICAP (1200M)
Race three is a terrific Class 3 sprint with progressive types all over the page; however, it’s Prince Of Porty that just gets the nod for us over Supreme Lucky. We haven’t seen Prince Of Porty since February 19 where he destroyed his rivals to secure a 2.5-length win at this track and trip. Zac Purton found the one-one on that occasion and once gaining an early position was always going to be tough to chase down. His win was in Class 4 with 61kg on his back and now finds himself against some quality types in Class 3. He drops 5kg heading up in grade and we’d imagine jockey Zac Purton will look to craft his way to a positive position once again, utilizing the lighter weight. Barrier seven poses a tricky task for the David Hall-trained gelding, but we can see him gaining a similar position to last start. He’ll get a head start on his main rival Supreme Lucky and we’re hoping he can pinch a break turning for home. If he can put a margin on his opposition with 200m to go, Prince Of Porty is going to take a world of beating.
7
PRINCE OF PORTY
1
SUPREME LUCKY
8
NISHIKADO
9
NORTHERN BEACHES
Race 4: CLASS 4 HANDICAP (1400M)
Red Hare King is an awkward type that has plenty of ability if he can put it all together. His first-up performance over 1200m on March 11 saw him forced back to the barrier trials when rolling all over course when turning for home, and on ability alone was able to cling on to a mid-field finish. He went back to the trials and re-emerged on April 15 at this course and distance to finish a half-length off War Of Courage. He was raw again but seems to have plenty of upside for followers provided he doesn’t have a reoccurrence of his first-up disappointment. He’s third-up now with racing fitness to boot and in a competitive race, Red Hare King can go one better. Matthew Chadwick gets the task to get this three-year-old gelding to settle throughout the 1400m and if he does, looks the one to beat.
6
RED HARE KING
1
HAPPY FOR ALL
9
ROUND THE GLOBE
2
STORM LEGEND
Race 5: GROUP 1 THE CHAIRMAN’S SPRINT PRIZE (1200M)
The first of our Group 1 feature’s is the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize and should see Lucky Sweynesse secure his third Group 1 win of the preparation. He’s absolutely flying this time in for the Manfred Man stable and his latest effort at Sha Tin on April 9 suggests he hasn’t missed a step despite a long preparation. Prior to his Group 2 success last start, he won two Group 1 races in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) and The Centenary Cup Sprint (1200m), producing dominant performances in both to score comfortably. He finds a similar field with only a couple overseas challengers engaged on Sunday and although they’ll provide some x-factor for the race, we can’t see them making an impression on Lucky Sweynesse. He’s an outstanding sprinter and must be considered one of the world’s best on his international rating. The hope is with a win on Sunday afternoon, the phone will be ringing off the hook from slot holders looking to secure Lucky Sweynesse for the The Everest.
1
LUCKY SWEYNESSE
2
WELLINGTON
3
SIGHT SUCCESS
6
FLAMING RIB
Chairman’s Sprint Prize
Race 5 – #1 Lucky Sweynesse (7)
4yo Gelding | T: Manfred Man | J: Zac Purton (57kg)
Bet with Bet365
Race 6: CLASS 3 HANDICAP (1600M)
Race six on the program is another tricky race to dissect but we think Owners’ Praise should present at a nice price with online bookmakers. He battled on into second placing last start at this course and distance behind Forever Folks in Class 4 on March 26. He closed nicely but seemed to peak on the run and we believe it was due to the top weight issued in that grade. Now heading up to Class 3 for the first time we’ll see some improvement in this so of Toronado. He should get a very soft run throughout the 1600m journey with the one-one on offer if Matthew Chadwick wants it. The Chris So team seem to have targeted this race since his last win on February 12 and this looks an ideal set up to secure his second career win at start seven.
13
OWNERS’ PRAISE
2
CHING
3
THE BEST PEACH
9
ROMANTIC CHARM
Race 7: GROUP 1 THE CHAMPIONS MILE (1600M)
The Group 1 Champions Mile sees the Hong Kong champ Golden Sixty seeking his tenth Group 1 win and we can’t see why he can’t manage that task. His win in the Group 1 Hong Kong Gold Cup on February 26 was jaw dropping over the 2000m where he looked out on his feet chasing home Romantic Warrior. He showed his champion quality by battling on and wore down Romantic Warrior to win with class. He’s a pure winner with 28 starts for 24 wins and simply doesn’t know how to run a bad race. He’s had a tick-over trial between his two-month let up and we trust the Francis Lui yard have him in supreme order once again. Barrier seven in the small field is a tricky task to overcome, but with California Spangle drawn to his outside, Vincent Ho should be able to track across to find a one-off position. He’ll be powering over the top of his rivals once again and despite some overseas types providing a different form-line for the race, they shouldn’t be a match for Golden Sixty.
1
GOLDEN SIXTY
2
CALIFORNIA SPANGLE
4
AEGON
9
VOYAGE BUBBLE
Champions Mile
Race 7 – #1 Golden Sixty (7)
7yo Gelding | T: Francis Lui | J: Vincent Ho (57kg)
Bet with Bet365
Race 8: GROUP 1 THE QEII CUP (2000M)
The toughest of the Group 1 races on Sunday comes in the form of the QEII Cup regardless of just the seven gallopers engaged in the event. Dubai Honour is a proven world traveller now and gets the on top selection in this year’s edition of the QEII Cup. His two Australian Group 1 wins are just too hard to ignore – particularly his win on a Good deck in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes. It was proof that a firmer surface is no issue for this son of Pride Of Dubai and continues to improve in racing under his belt. He’s been impressive in Hong Kong in the past as well, with a terrific effort behind Loves Only You in the 2021 edition of this race. William Haggas has unlocked the best out of this now five-year-old gelding and if he can replicate his effort from the Ranvet here in Australia warrants all the respect in the world. So does the likes of Romantic Warrior and of course the Japanese cohort that could easily figure, with all three bringing some quality form-lines. Dubai Honour just seems to get the perfect map throughout though and if he gets the breaks from the inside, we’ve got to be on his side.
2
DUBAI HONOUR
7
GERALDINA
1
ROMANTIC WARRIOR
6
PROGNOSIS
QEII Cup
Race 8 – #2 Dubai Honour (1)
5yo Gelding | T: William Haggas | J: Tom Marquand (57kg)
Bet with Palmerbet
Race 9: CLASS 3 HANDICAP (1400M)
Good Buddy is on the one-week back up and with a step up to the 1400m should see the best out of this five-year-old. He’s been a consistent type for the David Hall yard and we’re happy to forgive his second effort of the preparation. He drew wide and was unable to settle in contention with the winner getting a slow tempo to be off and gone with the prize. He draws barrier two this time and with James McDonald set to take the reins, we think can be much closer to the speed with the 1400m looking an ideal trip to see the best from this son of Showcasing. It’s a wide-open race in which we think the market will reflect when they open on Sunday morning, so expect a good price for Good Buddy in the penultimate.
3
GOOD BUDDY
8
HAPPY MISSION
5
BEAUTY MISSILE
12
UNPRESUMING
Best Value
Race 9 – #3 Good Buddy (2)
4yo Gelding | T: John Size | J: James McDonald (60kg)
Bet with Ladbrokes
Race 10: CLASS 2 HANDICAP (1400M)
We concede he’s poorly weighted on Sunday, but we’ve got some much time for Beauty Eternal. He comes out of the Hong Kong Derby from March 19 and wasn’t disgraced running into third less than a length off the winner. The 2000m was just a stretch for this son of Starspangledbanner and with a tick-over trial between runs still seems to be going outstanding for the John Size yard. The form from the Derby has stacked up nicely with a trio of runners finding the trifecta in a race last weekend, so you’d have to imagine this Class 2 winner can come out and put in another bold showing. It’s a very competitive race to finish the night, but Beauty Eternal hasn’t put a step wrong and with Zac Purton happy to stick for his continued campaign, it shows the opinion he has of this four-year-old with an electric turn-of-foot.
4
BEAUTY ETERNAL
8
TUCHEL
10
RED LION
13
FLAMING RABBIT
Next Best
Race 10 – #4 Beauty Eternal (10)
4yo Gelding | T: John Size | J: Zac Purton (60.5kg)
Bet with Neds
Sha Tin quaddie tips for Champions Day
Sha Tin quadrella selections
Sunday, April 30, 2023
- 1-2
- 1-2-6-7
- 3-4-5-8-12-14
- 4-7-8-10-13-14
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