Hong Kong Spot Plays: Champions, Chater Cup, and more

Sha Tin, in Hong Kong, boasts a jam-packed 11-race program late Saturday night into Sunday morning. If you’re up late and craving top-tier racing, it doesn’t get much better than this card, which includes the Champions and Chater Cup (G1).

That goes as race eight of 11, and recent winners include some of the best turf horses on the planet. Last year’s winner, Rebel’s Romance, added the Cup to his eclectic collection of G1 wins, a list that now includes eight such victories across Asia, Europe, and North America.

Let’s take a look at this year’s renewal and try to make some money!

Voyage Bubble looks to make history

The Champions and Chater Cup is headlined by #1 Voyage Bubble (AUS), who will attempt to take down Hong Kong’s Triple Crown following Stewards’ Cup and Gold Cup wins. Only one other horse in Hong Kong history has pulled this off (River Verdon, during the 1993-94 season), and if Voyage Bubble completes the sweep, he’ll do so at a short price.

There is, however, one burning question: Can Voyage Bubble stretch out to the 2,400-meter distance? Most of his best efforts have come at around 1,600 meters, including a pair of Group 1 scores in December and January. He did stretch out to 2,000 meters to take the Gold Cup two back, but adding another 400 meters is no simple task.

Furthermore, Voyage Bubble comes in off of a puzzling second as an odds-on favorite several weeks ago. He had dead aim on Red Lion in the straight, at his preferred distance, and couldn’t get by despite having the full length of the stretch to do it. Perhaps he had an off day, but it’s also possible he could be feeling the effects of a trying campaign.

For those reasons, I’ll look to go against the favorite, and do so with the runner to his outside.

Dubai Honour a major player

#2 Dubai Honour (IRE) is no stranger to Hong Kong. He came in for the circuit’s biggest day this past December and finished a good second in the Hong Kong Vase (G1). That race was contested at this very route of ground, and he’s since run well twice in Australia.

Unlike many of his rivals stretching out to an unfamiliar distance, Dubai Honour is proven going 2,400 meters, and he should have plenty of gas in the tank when the real running starts. Add in that he almost certainly will not be the betting favorite, and I think this is the best direction to go in from a value standpoint.

How to bet the Champions and Chater Cup

My action focuses on Dubai Honour, and if he winds up springing a mild upset, we’ll be in line to collect a nice chunk of change.

I’ll have a straight win bet on him, and I’ll also key him on top of smaller exactas. I’ll use Voyage Bubble underneath, and I’ll also throw in #10 Bundle Award (AUS), who overcame some trouble to win the Queen Mother Memorial Cuo (G3) last month. This is certainly a better field, but he’s shown he can go this far, and that’s incredibly valuable in a race with so many horses stretching out.

• Win: 2
• Exacta: 2 with 1,10

You’ll need to burn the midnight oil to watch this one live, as post time is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. Hong Kong time. That means a 4:10 a.m. Eastern start.

Join us on June 7 for a rematch that will shake the stands. Many top Kentucky Derby contenders return for the Belmont S. (G1) to fight for the finish, including probable contender Journalism, winner of Preakness 150, and Sovereignty, winner of Derby 151. Who will stand in the winner's circle for Belmont?

Stay with us throughout Belmont Day during stakes races as we bring you the latest horse racing news, live odds, expert picks, and more. It is sure to be an exciting day of racing!