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Winning Ovation
12.05 Sha Tin
2pts win
Nautical Force
1.15 Sha Tin
2pts win
Red Maestro
2.25 Sha Tin
2pts win
John Size might have faded out of contention in the fight for the trainers’ title but the 13-time champion has plenty of ammunition left for the remaining eight meetings of the season which concludes on July 15.
Heading his list of hopefuls for a late flourish is the Irish import Nautical Force, who gets his chance for a second win in Hong Kong in the Group 3 Premier Plate (1.15), over 1m1f at Sha Tin, in which he is running from 8lb out of the handicap.
That said, the nervy son of Ghaiyyath has loads of stamina and is suited by a return to the distance at which he made a striking impression on his local debut in April, coming from near last on the turn and winning with a little in hand at odds of 14-1.
He heads into this race off the back of a fourth in the Group 3 1m4f Queen Mother Memorial Cup, in which Matthew Poon cleverly dictated the tempo on Romantic Thor, slowing it early and gradually increasing the pace from halfway.
This didn’t suit Nautical Force, who refused to settle and was left with too much ground to make up when they sprinted. To further complicate matters, he was held up for a run near the home bend and returned with blood in his trachea. Put a line through it.
The four-year-old won two races in Ireland and finished a creditable fourth in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot 12 months ago when trained by Johnny Murtagh.
He has several interesting rivals here, notably last year’s Hong Kong Derby winner Cap Ferrat, as well a trio of Tony Cruz-trained staying types, headed by Beauty Joy, who will be ridden by Joao Moreira for the first time, though the Francis Lui-trained Chancheng Glory, with Ethan Brown aboard, could be better value in the forecast.
Size is also fancied to land the finale, the Class 3 7f handicap (2.25), with Red Maestro, an untapped four-year-old who won a Dundalk maiden on the all-weather on his sole start in Ireland when trained by Joseph O’Brien. His three local runs have been promising.
The other feature on Sunday’s 11-race card is an intriguing Group 3 Premier Cup (12.05), over 7f, in which Moreira will be aboard the Cruz-trained Winning Ovation, another climbing rapidly through the ranks after starting his career with a novice win at Salisbury for Michael Bell.
Sha Tin Placepot
11.30
2 Tin Fook
3 Come Fast Fay Fay
12.05
1 Galaxy Patch
9 Winning Ovation
12.40
3 Winning Dragon
11 Shamus Storm
1.15
4 Chancheng Glory
10 Nautical Force
1.50
1 Crossborderpegasus
13 Packing King
2.25
3 Cool Boy
11 Red Maestro
2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 64 lines
Bets can be placed into Hong Kong pools with the Tote. The first race at Sha Tin on Sunday is at 9.00am
Read more tipping here:
Pontefract Placepot tips: Tom Segal with his selections for the £50,000 guaranteed pool
Tom Segal’s play of the day at Pontefract
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