Ivictory Will Try To Make All in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize
8.20 Sha Tin, Champions Mile
Seasons Bloom and Beauty Generation are the best two milers in Hong Kong and while the UK bookies make Seasons Bloom the favourite, it is the other way around in Hong Kong. I would just give Beauty Generation the edge with his two group 1 wins and the 3/1 with William Hill is the bet here.
Recommended bet
Beauty Generation, 3/1
9.00 Sha Tin, Chairman’s Sprint Prize
Godolphin’s Blue Point and their Japanese trained raider Fine Needle take on the best of Hong Kong’s sprinters in their own back yard. There has been very little between the John Size trained Mr Stunning and Beat The Clock in recent running’s and while Beat The Clock just prevailed by a neck last time, Mr Stunning should reverse placing’s being race fit and 5lb’s better off.
While Mr Stunning is a deserved favourite at 9/4 with the UK bookies it could be worth siding with another of John Size’s other runners in Ivictory. He is an improving sprinter that has won 6 of his 7 career starts in handicap company. He broke the Happy Valley track record last time out over 6 furlongs and then followed that up with the fastest barrier trial of the season over the dirt track at Sha Tin, where both Mr Stunning and Beat The Clock were easily contained. This step up to group 1 company is going to be a big class rise and he doesn’t have a great draw in 7, but he has so much natural speed from the front he could be up to the task.
Recommended bet
Ivictory, 8/1
9.40 Sha Tin, Audemars Piguet QEII Cup
Ping Hai Star was an impressive winner of the Hong Kong Derby last time out under Ryan Moore and he now takes on older top flight horses for the first time. As impressive as he was it’s hard to know how the classic generation form is going to stack up against proven group 1 horses, though Singapore Sling who he beat in to second in the Derby does take on his elders in the Champions Mile, so that would be a pointer to his chances.
If Pakistan Stars turns up in the right frame of mind he could be capable, having found only Neorealism too good in this race last year, beaten just a neck in to second. The safer option would be to side with Time Warp, who is an out-and-out 10 furlong horse. He won the Hong Kong Gold Cup, setting a new track record in the process and was also the winner of last year’s Hong Kong Cup, both over 10 furlongs.
Recommended bet
Time Warp, 5/2
