| What | Hong Kong International Races Day 2023 |
| Where | Sha Tin Racecourse – Tai Po Rd, Sha Tin District, Hong Kong |
| When | Sunday, December 10, 2023 |
| First Race | 12:25pm HKT |
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Visit Dabble |
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The iconic Hong Kong International Races are set for Sha Tin on Sunday afternoon for a massive 10-race program – including four Group 1’s alluring the world’s best. The Hong Kong Vase, Sprint, Mile and Cup make up a stacked day racing scheduled to get underway at 12:25pm HKT (3:35pm AEDT).
The rail is in the A position the entire circuit, and with only a minor chance of rain forecast on race-day, we don’t anticipate the track suffering a downgrade from the Good 4 surface listed at the time of writing.
Keep reading for our free race-by-race preview and quaddie selections
Race 1: Class 4 Handicap (1200m)
The opening event is a Class 4 over 1200m, where Gorgeous Win should prove hard to beat. The son of Press Statement impressed on debut at this course and distance on November 19 when holding on for a third-place finish, despite setting a strong tempo throughout the journey. He’s had a lovely tick-over barrier trial since with Zac Purton taking the reins, and with the star Hong Kong hoop electing to hop aboard the Danny Shum-trained gelding, Gorgeous Win will give followers a bold sight in the opener.
6
GORGEOUS WIN
8
PATCH OF TIME
10
STORM RIDER
3
PHOENIX LIGHT
Best Bet
Race 1 – #6 Gorgeous Win (4)
3yo Gelding | T: Danny Shum | J: Zac Purton (58kg)
Bet with Bet365
Race 2: Class 4 Handicap (1400m)
Eighty Light Years appreciated the step back in grade first-up when closing strongly behind Lost Child on November 19 and should only improve second-up into the campaign. He had no issues lugging the 60kgs on that occasion but was simply outmatched by a smart one in the form of Lost Child. It’ll require an intelligent steer from Jerry Chau drawn in gate 10 to slot in for cover, but if the breaks fall his way, Eighty Light Years will be storming down the middle of the course late.
3
EIGHTY LIGHT YEARS
9
WINNING DATA
5
STAR CLUB
1
FUN N GLORY
Race 3: Class 3 Handicap (1400m)
Simple Hedge was beaten by 2.5 lengths first-up at this track and trip, but the margin doesn’t really tell the story. The son of Sebring was cast three and four wide without cover throughout on that occasion, but still showed the tenacity to stick to the task under Zac Purton. He draws barrier five this time, and if he can muster speed like he did last time out, Simple Hedge should be able to hold a position to the gain an economical run. This guy has plenty of upside compared to some key rivals, and we expect Simple Hedge to be closing best.
7
SIMPLE HEDGE
9
GLOBAL HARMONY
12
LOST CHILD
3
TAMRA BLITZ
Next Best
Race 3 – #7 Simple Hedge (5)
4yo Gelding | T: John Size | J: Zac Purton (58.5kg)
Bet with Neds
Race 4: Group 1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m)
The Aiden O’Brien-trained Warm Heart gets the nod for us in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m), as the two-time Group 1 winning three-year-old filly makes her way to Hong Kong. She was terrific in the Group 1 Breeders’ Cup Fillies & Mares (2400m) at Santa Anita on November 4, where she was only beaten by another star mare in the form of Inspiral. Prior to that she was flying in Europe, taking out the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks (2000m) and Group 1 Prix Vermeille (2000m) respectively. Ryan Moore gets down to 53kgs for the mount showing strong intent, and from the inside draw, Warm Heart will be leading a long way out.
9
WARM HEART
8
LEBENSSTIL
5
WEST WIND BLOWS
3
ZEFFIRO
Hong Kong Vase
Race 4 – #9 Warm Heart (1)
3yo Filly | T: Aiden O’Brien | J: Ryan Moore (53kg)
Bet with Unibet
Race 5: Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m)
We couldn’t get away from Lucky Sweynesse in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m). He’s building nicely into campaign after taking out the Group 2 Jockey Club Sprint(1200m) and seems to be peaking into his grand final on Sunday. Barrier five gives Zac Purton all the options aboard Hong Kong’s highest-rated sprinter, and provided he’s at his best, Lucky Sweynesse will rectify his luckless defeat from this race last year.
1
LUCKY SWEYNESSE
2
WELLINGTON
5
VICTOR THE WINNER
6
AESOP’S FABLES
Hong Kong Sprint
Race 5 – #1 Lucky Sweynesse (5)
5yo Gelding | T: Manfred Man | J: Zac Purton (57kg)
Bet with Dabble
Race 6: Class 3 Handicap (1800m)
We take a break from Group 1 racing in the sixth event to focus on some possible Four-Year-Old Classic Series contenders – including our top selection Silver King. The son of Turn Me Loose tried to lead all the way on Hong Kong debut on November 11, just knocking up late over the 1600m due to a lack of race-day fitness. He still held ground for a third-place finish and we’re not convinced the grey appreciated his front-running role. Watch for James McDonald to drop this guy in for cover from barrier eight, and when the whips are cracking, Silver King will be right in the mix at the wire.
3
SILVER KING
1
AWESOME FLUKE
2
ENSUED
7
SWAN BAY
Race 7: Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m)
We’re searching for some each-way value in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) and Japanese raider Serifos represents exactly that. The lightly raced five-year-old was luckless in the Group 1 Mile Championship (1600m) at Kyoto on November 19, sitting wide on a hectic tempo. It allowed the likes of key rivals Namur and Soul Rush to power over the top late, leaving Serifos waning in the closing stages. He’s all but guaranteed a soft run in transit from barrier four to turn the tables, and with Japanese superstar Yuga Kawada making the trip to Hong Kong, Serifos warrants an each-way ticket.
4
SERIFOS
7
BEAUTY ETERNAL
1
GOLDEN SIXTY
- 13
NAMUR
Hong Kong Mile
Race 7 – #4 Serifos (4)
5yo Horse | T: Mitsumasa Nakauchida | J: Yuga Kawada (57kg)
Bet with Boombet
Race 8: Group 1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m)
How much has a trip to Australia taken out of Romantic Warrior? That’s the question on everyone’s mind and we’re willing to take on trust the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) winner is still ready to fire on Sunday. The Danny Shum barn know this guy so well now and have only sent him to the barrier trials once since getting off the float. He won the jump-out stylishly racing alongside one of the Hong Kong greats Golden Sixty and doesn’t seem to have missed the trick. This mount is why James McDonald has elected to have a stint in Hong Kong to end the year, and provided Romantic Warrior can maintain his brilliant best, he must be considered the one to beat.
2
ROMANTIC WARRIOR
3
PROGNOSIS
11
HORIZON DORE
1
LUXEMBOURG
Hong Kong Cup
Race 8 – #2 Romantic Warrior (7)
6yo Gelding | T: Danny Shum | J: James McDonald (57kg)
Bet with Playup
Race 9: Class 3 Handicap (1200m)
The penultimate race sets up a mouth-watering clash between some very progressive types, none more so than Raging Blizzard. The son of Per Incanto returned to score impressively at this course and distance on November 19 in Class 4 company and should be suited dropping 4.5kgs heading up in grade for the first time. Andrea Atzeni gets the nod from the John Size barn and had a hit-out aboard the four-year-old at the barrier trials. This is a wide-open affair, so you may even get a good price about Raging Blizzard when markets open.
14
RAGING BLIZZARD
1
GALAXY PATCH
4
THE HEIR
9
SWEET BRIAR
Race 10: Class 2 Handicap (1400m)
Elliptical has been transferred to the Caspar Fownes barn and is set to make his Hong Kong debut in the final race of the program. His career highlight to date came in the Group 3 CS Hayes (1400m) at Flemington on February 18, where the Dundeel gelding produced a stunning turn of foot to get the nose down on the wire. His trials have been acceptable heading into this first-up contest, and although Elliptical may have bigger fish to fry with sights on the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, we can’t see why this guy can’t be competitive here along the way.
13
ELLIPTICAL
7
HELLIOS EXPRESS
8
ATULLIBIGEAL
12
TAJ DRAGON
Best Value
Race 10 – #13 Elliptical (10)
4yo Gelding | T: Caspar Fownes | J: Keith Yeung (52kg)
Bet with Picklebet
Sha Tin quaddie tips – HKIR Day 2023
Sha Tin quadrella selections
Sunday, December 10, 2023
- 1-4-5-7-13
- 1-2-3-11
- 1-4-5-9-14
- 7-8-10-12-13
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