Hong Kong Spot Plays: Many large fields ensures excitement

We’ll begin with a heads-up: Action from Sha Tin in Hong Kong comes a day earlier than usual this week. They’ll go postward late Friday night on the west coast and early Saturday morning Eastern time, and with that, we’ll use this space to offer spot plays throughout the card.

The program is a good one, with 10 races on tap. Most of the events boast large fields, too, which means having a very good night is possible even if you’re only right once or twice. Let’s dive in, shall we?

Race #5: #3 Lucky Fionn

This event closes the first of two Pick Three sequences on the card (the early one covers races three through five, while the late one covers races eight through 10). It hits me as a two-horse race, but while I respect #1 Patch Of Stars, who ran very well to get the money last time out, Lucky Fionn hits me as a major player, too.

Lucky Fionn disappointed last time out when finishing a one-paced seventh, but I’m drawing a line through that clunker. The 1,600-meter distance is probably a bit too far for him anyway, and he may have bounced off a two-back score (one where he overcame some trouble). Earlier this season, he chased a pair of nice horses, Another World and Juneau Pride, in back-to-back races.

Patch Of Stars may be favored off of a very good last-out win. He ran down heavy favorite Super Express and retains the services of Zac Purton here. Patch Of Stars could absolutely win, but at their likely prices, I think Lucky Fionn provides much more value.

Race #6: #7 Pejibaye

Pejibaye is one of a few runners who exited a race at this level and a route a bit more than a month ago. He was sixth that day, but it was his career debut. He encountered a fair bit of trouble and was left with much to do after racing 11th of 14 in the early stages. Even after all of that, he was beaten just 2 1/4 lengths.

It’s often tough for first-time starters to get the hang of things right away. That’s especially true in Hong Kong, where the rating system means well-regarded first-time starters may be running against solid opposition right away. Pejibaye, however, did plenty of running in his unveiling while also being put in a position to learn quite a bit.

Brenton Avdulla sees fit to ride back, and I’m anticipating some improvement with a start under his belt. Add in that I think we’ll get a pretty square price, and I’m very intrigued. I think he’s a valid each-way proposition, and he’s got a chance to spring an upset if very logical circumstances present themselves.

Race #10: #1 Fast Network

We finish off the night with my best bet of the entire program. This is a salty Class 2 event, but while many of these have run up against solid horses, the likely favorite hits me as an impossible one to go against.

It’s rare to see romps in Hong Kong for a few reasons, but Fast Network crushed a good field last time out. He closed from pretty far back to win by four lengths, making him 2-for-2 since cutting back to this 1,200-meter route of ground. They tried him at 1,600 meters against the best four-year-olds on the circuit three back, and while he was a decent fourth, he’s shown that that’s not his best game.

Fast Network wants to sprint, and he wants speed in front of him to run down. Here, he gets to do exactly what he wants, in a race with plenty of zip on paper. Anything close to his last-out effort would, I think, make him very tough to beat.