| What | Hong Kong Champions Day 2024 |
| Where | Sha Tin Racecourse – Tai Po Rd, Sha Tin District, Hong Kong |
| When | Sunday, April 28, 2024 |
| First Race | 12:45pm HKT (2:45pm AEST) |
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Hong Kong racing returns to Sha Tin on Sunday afternoon, where a bumper 10-race program awaits punters for Champions Day. Three mouth-watering Group 1’s share top billing for the meeting, with the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m), Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) and Group 1 QEII Cup (2000m) assembling quality gallopers from all over the globe.
The rail is in the A position for throughout the entire circuit, and although some heavy rain is forecast across the region, the excellent drainage should have the surface no worse than the Soft range. All the action for Champions Day is scheduled to get underway at 12:45pm local time.
Race 1: Class 4 Handicap (2000m)
The David Hall-trained Gold Tack is a 15-start maiden heading into the weekend, but his latest effort at Happy Valley on April 17 should have the son of Preferment set to peak. He launched late to miss by less than a length on that occasion, suggesting the five-year-old is ready for a step up in journey. The Sha Tin circuit should be ideal, and when asked for the ultimate effort by Alexis Badel, watch for Gold Tack to make strong inroads to give followers an early winner.
12
GOLD TACK
4
MISTER DAPPER
6
REACH GOAL
7
SHARPEN BRIGHT
Race 2: Class 3 Handicap (1600m)
Stunning Peach is an intriguing French import making his Hong Kong debut in Class 3 company and didn’t miss the frame in his five European starts. Since being acquired by the Tony Cruz barn the son of Wootton Basset has caught the eye in all three barrier trials, particularly his most recent piece of work, only being headed in the shadows of the post by Romantic Warrior in a 1600m jump-out at Sha Tin on April 9. He draws to get a soft run from stall two, and with leading hoop Zac Purton aboard, Stunning Peach has the class to get the job done first up.
1
STUNNING PEACH
7
VOYAGE SAMURAI
8
HELENE WARRIOR
3
STAR MAC
Next Best
Race 2 – #1 Stunning Peach (2)
3yo Colt | T: Tony Cruz | J: Zac Purton (61kg)
Bet with Neds
Race 3: Class 4 Handicap (1200m)
Lucy In The Sky hammered the line in his most recent start at this course and distance behind King Miles on April 14. He sustained a run down the centre of the course from near last, giving the impression that the son of No Nay Never is ready for a third-up assault. Karis Teetan will need to slot in for cover from barrier eight, but provided he can get an economical run, Lucy In The Sky can go one better in this Class 4 sprint.
3
LUCY IN THE SKY
1
DIVANO
14
GANGNAM STAR
2
LIFELINE EXPRESS
Race 4: Class 4 Handicap (1400m)
Rubylot gets out to the 1400m for the first time and should appreciate the step up in trip after chasing gallantly behind Full Credit last start on April 7. He was no match for the winner on that occasion, but finished best of the rest, hitting the line with vigour under Hugh Bowman. He should be able to take a closer sit behind the speed this time, and with James McDonald taking the reins, Rubylot appears perfectly placed to secure his second career victory.
1
RUBYLOT
4
CIRCUIT FIERY
13
LUCKY FIONN
5
GENEVA
Best Bet
Race 4 – #1 Rubylot (2)
3yo Gelding | T: David Hayes | J: James McDonald (61kg)
Bet with PlayUp
Race 5: Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m)
Victor The Winner returns to Hong Kong after a gritty performance in the Group 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) at Chukyo on March 24. He finished third on that occasion on yielding conditions, fading in the concluding stages. His previous win prior in the Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) was sensational when leading all the way to score, and with a return to his favoured course and distance a major positive, Victor The Winner will look the winner a long way out in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize.
3
VICTOR THE WINNER
6
HOWDEEPISYOURLOVE
5
INVINCIBLE SAGE
9
MUGEN
Chairman’s Sprint Prize
Race 5 – #3 Victor The Winner (2)
5yo Gelding | T: Danny Shum | J: Derek Leung (57kg)
Bet with Dabble
Race 6: Class 3 Handicap (1400m)
Formerly known as Pushy, Australian import Top Gun kicks off his Hong Kong campaign in this wide-open Class 3 Handicap. He appeared to have a stack of ability before being transferred to the Frankie Lor barn, with his career highlight to date a runner-up finish in the Listed Dulcify Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 30. His trials have set him up to be figuring first-up, and although he needs to overcome barrier 14, Top Gun might simply be too classy for this lot.
3
TOP GUN
11
KA YING VICTORY
13
SUNLIGHT POWER
7
NORTHERN BEACHES
Best Value
Race 6 – #3 Top Gun (14)
3yo Gelding | T: Frankie Lor | J: Karis Teetan (58.5kg)
Bet with Bet365
Race 7: Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m)
It could be the last time we see one of Hong Kong’s greatest step out, as Golden Sixty prepares to claim his fourth straight Champions Mile success. He was breathtaking when taking out the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) on December 10, with the eight-year-old destroying his rivals on his way to secure his tenth Group 1 victory. Age simply doesn’t seem to be wearing him down, and provided he can replicate his latest effort, Golden Sixty can continue to add to his historic resume.
1
GOLDEN SIXTY
- 2
VOYAGE BUBBLE
9
GALAXY PATCH
3
BEAUTY ETERNAL
Champions Mile
Race 7 – #1 Golden Sixty (7)
8yo Gelding | T: Francis Lui | J: Vincent Ho (57kg)
Bet with Neds
Race 8: Group 1 QEII Cup (2000m)
Although Romantic Warrior must be considered the one to beat, the Japanese raider Prognosis warrants plenty of respect. The son of Deep Impact was far from disgraced in a luckless effort in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m) on December 10, crowded for room at a crucial stage, still getting within a length of his key rival. He’s since picked up an easy kill at Chukyo in the Group 2 Kinko Sho (2000m) on March 10, clearing out to score by five lengths. It remains to be seen if he can turn the tables, but with the price available with online bookmakers, Prognosis gets the nod.
4
PROGNOSIS
1
ROMANTIC WARRIOR
11
MASSIVE SOVEREIGN
3
HISHI IGUAZU
QEII Cup
Race 8 – #4 Prognosis (5)
6yo Horse | T: Mitsumasa Nakauchida | J: Yuga Kawada (57kg)
Bet with PlayUp
Race 9: Class 2 Handicap (1400m)
Get the dartboard out for the penultimate because this one is wide-open. The David Hall-trained Atullibigeal was unsuited to the sit-and-sprint in his most recent outing at Sha Tin on April 14, finishing a modest fifth in the field of seven over 1200m, Getting back to his favoured 1400m journey should be ideal for the son of Street Boss, and with a genuine tempo expected throughout, watch for Atullibigeal to be launching over the top in the concluding stages.
3
ATULLIBIGEAL
9
OUTGATE
2
THE GOLDEN SCENERY
12
SUPREME LUCKY
Race 10: Class 3 Handicap (1200m)
The final race is a Class 3 for the sprinters, where the Francis Lui-trained Hasten Delight will be searching for back-to-back wins. The gelding by Star Turn showed a scintillating turn-of-foot, putting his rivals away with 200m left to travel. He appeared to have plenty left in the tank after extending under Hugh Bowman, and provided the lightly raced four-year-old has taken a step forward from that performance, Hasten Delight can send punters home with a winner.
1
HASTEN DELIGHT
6
GRACIOUS EXPRESS
4
GUSTOSISIMO
8
FULL CREDIT
Sha Tin free Sunday quaddie tips
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Sunday, April 28, 2024
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