| What | Happy Valley Races |
| Where | Happy Valley Racecourse – Wong Nai Chung Rd, Happy Valley, Hong Kong |
| When | Wednesday, January 4, 2023 |
| First Race | 6:45pm HKT (9:45pm AEDT) |
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Visit Ladbrokes |
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Hong Kong racing heads back to the city circuit on Wednesday night as Happy Valley provides us with a nine-race program to sink our teeth into. Vincent Ho is ready to bounce off a four-timer at Sha Tin on Sunday, while Karis Teetan will be looking to replicate his feat of three winners at Happy Valley last week. As always Zac Purton has another strong book of rides and looks on track to continue his dominance in the 22/23 Hong Kong racing jockey challenge for the season.
We’re racing on a Good to Firm deck on Wednesday night and the rail goes back into the A position the entire circuit, so look for the inside running rail to be hot, and times be swift throughout the meeting. The first race is set to get us underway at 6:45pm HKT (9:45pm AEDT)
Best Bet at Happy Valley: Villa Fionn
The third race on the program sees the class drop of Villa Fionn and looks ready to find another win as Class 4 seems his best opportunity to score this preparation. The now eight-year-old by Sebring has always performed well at this level and his last win back on February 16 in 2022 came over this very track and distance. His form looks well rated here dropping back in grade after a strong effort behind Encountered in Class 3 as they clocked fast time running 1:39:13 and Villia Fionn posted some of the fastest closing sectionals of the race. He draws barrier seven now and the 4.5kg claim of apprentice Angus Chung will come in very handy dropping down to 56.5kg at this level, he’s in extremely well at the weights and provides a class edge on his rivals. So long as Chung can find cover somewhere mid-field turning for home, we think he’s very hard to hold out in this company.
Best Bet
Race 3 – 
#1 Villa Fionn (7)
8yo Gelding | T: Ricky Yiu | J: Angus Chung (a4.5) (61kg)
Top Odds with Bet365
Next Best at Happy Valley: Juneau Flash
Race seven is for the 1000m sprinters in Class 4 and Juneau Flash for the Zac Purton and John Size combination looks another nice bet for the evening. His run behind race rival Faribault last start over this track and distance on December 21 was outstanding as he flew home to miss by a half-length on the line. He was one of the only horses able to make ground in that effort and looks to find another race with plenty of speed to suit. From barrier five Purton will look to find some cover mid-field and stalk the hot tempo in this sprinter affair. Juneau Flash gets a nice swing in the weights as well on Faribault and the race shape here looks much better than last time when he was defeated. Provided he gets the run we think he will in transit, he looks the one to beat and should be a maiden no longer after Wednesday night.
Next Best
Race 7 – 
#4 Juneau Flash (5)
4yo Gelding | T: John Size | J: Zac Purton (58.5kg)
Bet with Ladbrokes
Next Best Again at Happy Valley: Beauty Mission
Beauty Mission has been consistent this preparation and finds a nice Class 4 1200m contest on Wednesday night. He’s a long-standing maiden galloper who in his 13 starts has found the minor money on four occasions including last start at Happy Valley on IJC night running into an on the rise Gold Gold Baby on December 7. He was outmatched that evening and now finds himself well drawn in a race where most of the other market elects have drawn outside gates, so this looks a nice opportunity for Hugh Bowman to be a little more positive than he was last time out. This is Beauty Mission’s second time at Happy Valley and his fourth start now in Class 4, so if he doesn’t perform in this race on Wednesday night it’s hard to see where his maiden win comes from, so this looks like the best time to be backing this son of Pluck.
Next Best Again
Race 5 – 
#2 Beauty Mission (2)
5yo Gelding | T: Frankie Lor | J: Hugh Bowman (60kg)
Bet with Unibet
Best Value at Happy Valley: All Beauty
All Beauty was one of the clear forgive performances on IJC night, as Jamie Kah was too far back on this All Too Hard gelding to have any chance on December 7 behind Winning Dragon. He was beaten just three-lengths on that occasion and just pretend it was a barrier trial cause that’s essentially all it was, as he never got clear at any stage before finding the line well. Going back through his form at Sha Tin reads well for this 1650m Class 3 affair as his times and rating suggest he’s not far away from a win. It’s one of the more open races on the nine-race program and we believe you’ll be getting a nice each-way price when markets open with online bookmakers. Vincent Ho is flying after an incredible four-timer at Sha Tin on Sunday and suspect he can keep his form going on Wednesday night as All Beauty is a better chance than what the market may suggest.
Best Value
Race 8 – 
#5 All Beauty (2)
5yo Gelding | T: Frankie Lor | J: Vincent Ho (56kg)
Bet with Neds
Wednesday quaddie tips for Happy Valley
Happy Valley quadrella selections
Wednesday, January 3, 2023
- 1-5-6-9-12
- 1-4-7
- 3-4-5-8-12
- 1-3-9
Investment: $225 for 100%
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