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[woodbinepmi]

Hong Kong Racing Recap
Date: February 18, 2018
Track: Sha Tin
Track Bias: None
Races that have become Key Races after today’s results: None

Notes for the day:
Race 1 (427): 88 Favourite Winning Controller (39) had no real excuse being outrun to the wire other than being forced three wide in the turn, he was in a little tight but still should have outrun the longshot winner Happy Beauty (36) who too also was wide in the turn. He did have a favourable advantage of 14 pounds with the bugboy Poon on him, Regency Honey (34) probably had the most excuses on not finishing better than he did, was rank early on then was forced to take up in the turn and was covered up with tiring front runners in his way.

Race 2 (428): +97 This lined up as a very weak field, there were probably better horses in the Class 5 first race than this event. The chalk Amazing Satchmo (48) had yet to run in the money with 6 tries and was 40-1 in his last start, he raced mid-pack on the rail and just wasn’t fast enough to catch the winner Vital Spring (48) who raced directly in front of him that got the jump on the front runner first. Beauty Day (58) who broke from the 12 hole was able to grab the lead soon after the start but went a little too fast in the turn and eventually cost him at the wire. Presidentialparamount (43) was a little slow out of the gate then bumped the outside rival, then in the turn became very rank, while Hinyuen Swiftness (52) was lacking room to run early on in the stretch.

Race 3 (429): 99 Another Class 4 race that was a little bit lower than an average race for this level, (the final speed figure came back quick for the class though) the slight favourite winner Ever Laugh (54) broke well out of the 13 hole and Purton put him in a decent position but unfortunately couldn’t find room to the rail, so was 3 wide fortunetly with cover in the turn. He had to outrun Hay Run (60) who was closing on him at the wire after racing a little too far back while saving ground on the rail, he did have to drift out to the middle of the track for running room but took the bit when he did and finished well to the line, but some reason Rawiller grabbed him as soon as they passed the line and didn’t allow him to properly gallop out. Desmios (58) was never asked to properly run by Doleuze due to being stuck behind a wall of runners who were giving no room for him to slip into, Let Us Win (60) who was dropping down in class was just outrun by the favourite and had an easier trip than the winner.

Race 4 (430): The post time favourite Exhilarating Time (52) thru a fit in the gate and tried to slip thru under the stall, he did manage to get himself out at commenced to run wild around the track for a while and was eventually scratched. The winner Silver Fig (57) received some late action in the windows (he looked fantastic when he came onto the track) after the chalk was scratched at the gate. He sat behind the front runners and missed all the fun at the top of the lane, drifted to an open part of the track and finished gamely, should be a nice runner also was the beginning of the magic day of Chad Schofield (4 winners). Magic Success (46) became very rank entering the turn then checked up at the 700 metre mark, moved to the 5 path entering the stretch and raced in between runners but never changed to his proper lead step and began to tire mid-stretch, was steadied again at the 70 metre mark after his race was already decided. At the top of the stretch Respect (45) who was beginning to feel the effects of the pace drifted out into Noble Star (46) who then knocked Nice Kick (59) sideways, he did recover the best out of the three involved, the other two pretty much wrapped up soon after the get together.

Race 5 (431): -95 First time starter Raging Storm (54) for John Size was bet like he was the second coming of Frankel at 1-2, unfortunately he was a little slow into the race and that usually is a bad sign in a 14 horse field for youngsters, after running in the rear of the field closed very well in the stretch and almost got up for the win. Winner Speedy King (63) a was little rank in the turn while sitting right off the front runners, moved to the four path entering the stretch and had to fight all the way to the wire with All You Need (61) who also was wide in the turn, both had to hold off the troubled favourite and a closing Have Fun Together (56). Split Of A Second (52) was very green in the lane and other than the chalk the runner who caught my eye was Fire And Gold (52) another first time starter was full of run in the final furlong and was blocked near the wire or may have finished in the money, look for him when he’s entered at 1,400 or 1,600.

Race 6 (432): 96 Favourite Baltic Whisper (80) really had no excuse after sitting right off of the eventual winner while he was waiting behind a three horse duel that eventually did in all those runners including Moreira on the second betting choice Master Albert (67) who was quickly pulled up soon after the wire. Dragon Master (76), Ace King (68) and Champion Pride (72) were all effected at the start, but the latter did finish up much better than the other two, he was bothered at the 380 metre mark when Hair trigger (74) moved outwardly looking for running room.

Race 7 (433): 101 The winner Happilababy (87) was able to save valuable ground after breaking from the rail, then found himself in a jam in the stretch but after waiting and waiting Mo finally found a hole to sneak thru and then exploded to the wire using the weight advantage that he got off the low ranking. He had to get by Rocketeer (91) who had a much tougher going, 4 wide in the first turn cost him the precious distance at the line, also another runner who had a bad out was Doyeni (93) what with breaking slowly out of the gate and then unable to get over in the first turn (he looks like he may need a break) was more than he could handle. It’s been a disappointing career so far Helene Charisma (96) and had no excuses here, the handicapping system is holding him down. Victory Boys (80) pretty much just plodded around the track.

Race 8 (434): +111 Racing Supernova (98) was in a perfect spot but after he refused to change leads in the stretch stopped badly, also after an easy lead Wah May Friend (106) didn’t put up much of a fight to the winner Dundonnell (111) who was perfectly ridden by Schofield, pulled up to the leader and didn’t muck around and went right by him then had fend off Jolly Banner (110) who might have gotten up but was bumped late in the stretch by Booming Delight (108) causing him switch back to his wrong lead step causing him lose his momentum briefly. Simply Invincible (90) should improve off this effort in his first race after a short rest, hopefully Hall will put him back into his proper class level next time out.

Race 9 (435): 110 Nothingilikemore (112) had his head turned at the start then threw a shoe, was forced to race in the rear of the field and was never able to make up the difference in the stretch, put a long thick line thru that race just like everybody in Hong Kong is going to. Taking advantage of the trouble that the favourite encountered was Singapore Sling (106), Exultant (102) just wasn’t fast enough while both Ruthven (91) and Rattan (88) were weighed, measured and were found wanting.

Race 10 (436): 99 Favourite winner Wishful Thinker(79) was pinched back at the break, but Schofield didn’t panic unlike the ride Poon gave on Victory Machine (67) Chad settled him in on the rail and waited for the race to come back to him in the stretch, he did encounter some traffic problems at the 170 metre mark but there was plenty of fire in the tank to split the front runners and fight his way to the line, very impressive, also gets to stay in Class 3 again. Lucky Hero (74) in his Hong Kong debut was well supported at the betting windows, and he did put in a very nice effort for not racing since November, but it was another runner’s day. Falcon Turbo (70) also another first timer in China and was involved in the bumping exchange with the winner at the start, while both Bulb Elite (70) and Fiama (71) closed late after racing too far back to make up the ground. For a horse that showed absolutely nothing in the race Flash Famous (71) with Moreira on didn’t want to pull up afterwards, very strange.

Race 11 (437): 103 Green Card (77) acted like a fool (as my mum would say) when he entered the track and threw his rider and ran off and was scratched by the judges. Betting favourite son of Frankel Simply Brilliant (88) has finally figured it out, settled mid-pack moved to the middle of the track entering the stretch and at that moment everybody else was racing for second place, he exploded to the front and didn’t wait for others, should be able to handle Class 2 next time out. Sacred Ibis (67) did put in a very game effort late but he was way too far back to catch a bear like this winner. Both Regency Bo Bo (80) and Dukedom (67) didn’t take the turn all too well and Sir Redalot (80) had a slight incident in the turn behind the winner.

Horses to watch for next out list:
Race 5 (431) #10 Raging Storm (54): First time starter for the John Size barn was bet down to the prohibited 1-2 favourite, was a little slow in the going at the break putting him in a bad situation for a first time starter with 13 other runners around him. Then was forced back half-way down the backside, then became to climb when he entered the turn, closed well in the stretch after getting caught up in the wash early in the stretch after the slow pace that was set. He galloped out past the first three finishers soon after the wire full of run.

Race 6 (432) #5 Champion Pride (72): In his second race in Hong Kong where he ran at the city track now was in a straight away at Sha Tin, threw a fit right before the gates opened leaving him flat footed and the pinched back when Peace N Prosperity drifted out in to his path, then was forced out when Berry on Hair Trigger came out at the 380 metre mark looking for room causing him to lose his action temporarily. He flattened out nearing the 70 metre mark while never being any danger to the eventual winner Mr Lumieres (76), hopefully he’ll be sent back to the longer distances soon.

Race 11 (437): #11 Sacred Ibis (67): Was put on the list two races back but he’s had the unlucky draw of catching a couple nice runners, today he caught the impressive son of Frankel Simply Brilliant (88). Was bumped at the start but with his running style it wasn’t that big of a deal, raced 10 lengths from the leader and 6 behind the eventual winner, moved to the 5 path entering the stretch but instead of continuing outwardly and losing more ground Teetan kept him underneath a rival and he continued closing in the lane, was the only runner who made up any ground on the big winner and beat the next finisher by 2.

Horses to avoid next out:
Race 5 (431) #3 Speedy King (63): Won a slower than par Class 4 race after being rank early in the race and was all out to the line all the while the chalk was getting into all kinds of trouble.

*Speed figures length equalizations:
1,000 – 2.8
1,200 – 2.3
1,400 – 1.9
1,600 – 1.7
1,650 – 1.6
1,800 – 1.5
2,000 – 1.3
2,200 – 1.2
2,400 – 1

Pars :
Graded Stakes – 110
Class 1 – 107
Class 2 – 104
Class 3 – 100
Class 4 – 96
Class 5 – 92
Griffin – 85

*Speed figure notations:
Before the number:
+ - Race had an extremely fast early pace.
-- - Race had an extremely slow early pace.
After the number:
# - Figure was adjusted due to abnormal fast or slow final time.
? – Figure was not adjusted but may be out of line for their normal performance for the class.