Hong Kong: Selections for Sha Tin night of Sept. 6

The Hong Kong season kicks off late Saturday night with a first post time of 1 a.m. ET at Sha Tin. Luke Middlebrook offers selections for the entire card, featuring the return of the world’s top sprinter, Ka Ying Rising.

Sha Tin Selections

Race 1: #11 Super Elite, #4 Oriental Surprise, #9 Speedy Smartie, #2 Colonel
Race 2: #1 Smart Beauty, #10 Perfect Peach, #5 Draco, #8 Go Go Go
Race 3: #1 Ka Ying Rising, #4 Beauty Waves, #3 Lucky With You, #7 Raging Blizzard
Race 4: #2 Parents’ Love, #3 Super Strong Kid, #14 Ruby Sailing, #1 Carroll Street
Race 5: #2 Do Your Part, #12 Sight Dreamer, #10 Bull Attitude, #1 California Bay
Race 6: #3 Invincible Ibis, #8 Spicy Standard, #5 Awesome Treasure, #12 King Oberon
Race 7: #7 Ka Ying Resilience, #2 Fantastic Fun, #10 Colourful Winner, #11 Groovy Feeling
Race 8: #8 Markwin, #1 Fast Network, #2 Pray For Mir, #5 Healthy Happy
Race 9: #10 Akashvani, #11 Bulb General, #6 Jumbo Treasure, #3 Otokomae
Race 10: #9 Withallmyfaith, #1 Patch Of Stars, #5 Pope Cody, #11 Spirit Of Peace

Race Analysis

Race 1: GRASSY HILL HANDICAP

#11 Super Elite finished third in this race last season and looks set to go two places better, drawn ideally in barrier 2 and getting in light with Britney Wong’s 10-pound claim. #4 Oriental Surprise has had two sound trials to tune up for his return and is trending the right way after placing third in his first Class 5 start. #9 Speedy Smartie, first-season trainer Brett Crawford’s first runner, ended last season on a high with a win and was hard to fault in his lead up trial. #2 Colonel, with two trials under his belt and the drop in class, will give a good sight as he likes to do.

Race 2: KOWLOON PEAK HANDICAP

#1 Smart Beauty is well suited over this course and distance where he's a four-time winner and draws well in barrier 3. He can settle handy and gets every chance to notch another victory. #10 Perfect Peach had excuses last start when held up in the straight under Zac Purton, who sticks with him. With clearer running, he can improve on that effort. #5 Draco looked close to breaking through late last season and resumes off a good-looking trial that suggests he's forward enough to figure. #8 Go Go Go won this race last term, and from a low draw again, he maps to figure.

Race 3: THE HKSAR CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S CUP (HANDICAP)

#1 Ka Ying Rising can launch his campaign toward The Everest just as he did last season, with a commanding win in this same race where he became the only horse to salute carrying more than 130lbs. #4 Beauty Waves finished runner-up to Ka Ying Rising in this race last year. He has gone to another level since joining Tony Cruz, ending last term with back-to-back wins. #3 Lucky With You has a solid first-up record and trialed well leading in. He was third to Ka Ying Rising three starts back and shapes as a place chance again. #7 Raging Blizzard possesses a sharp turn of foot and, if the tempo is strong enough, can chime in late for minor money.

Race 4: LIN FA SHAN HANDICAP

#2 Parents’ Love is well placed back in Class 4 and maps to lead comfortably from stall 12. Cruz has a strong record early in the season, and this runner fits the profile to keep that trend going. #3 Super Strong Kid scored impressively second-up in March but bled and hasn’t been seen since. Purton is a notable booking for his return. #14 Ruby Sailing struggles to win in Class 4 but has pace and a light weight in his favor, so he could stick on for a placing. #1 Carroll Street is winless in over two years but returns to Class 4 with the tongue tie reapplied and the apprentice claim to assist. Both changes are positives and could see him improve.

Race 5: MOUNT PARKER HANDICAP

#2 Do Your Part stands out as the one to beat after closing last season with a win and two placings from his final three runs. He won a trial nicely in preparation for this and makes his own luck on the pace. #12 Sight Dreamer steps back up to Class 4 after breaking his maiden in Class 5. He doesn’t look finished in the ratings, and a soft draw adds to his claims. #10 Bull Attitude improved with racing last term and looks to have taken another step forward based on his trial win leading into this. #1 California Bay dropped into Class 4 to close the season and started favorite when finishing a one-length fourth. He’s open to further improvement this campaign.

Race 6: MA ON SHAN HANDICAP

#3 Invincible Ibis showed promise in two starts last season, posting back-to-back seconds. He looks a likely ratings riser for the Mark Newnham stable and can kick off his campaign on the right note. #8 Spicy Standard had wide gates and tough runs in both outings last term but resumes from a better draw, has trialed soundly, and can build on his last-start fourth. #5 Awesome Treasure will be hard to reel in from barrier 1 and with Wong’s 10-pound claim. #12 King Oberon slots in light, and his second to Bulb General to close last season brings him into calculations.

Race 7: MA ON SHAN HANDICAP

#7 Ka Ying Resilience has drawn awkwardly in barrier 10 but looks ready to pick up where he left off after closing the season with a maiden win. He’s had two trials to prepare and can overcome the gate. #2 Fantastic Fun has changed stables to Danny Shum, a trainer who often fires early in the season. He’s worth keeping safe on his second run in Class 4. #10 Colourful Winner was getting close to a win late last term and resumes with blinkers on for the first time. #11 Groovy Feeling has a tough draw in 12 and will get back, but with good speed on paper, look for him charging late under Purton.

Race 8: TAI MO SHAN HANDICAP

#8 Markwin will be the less fancied of Cody Mo’s two runners but is worth a play at the price. He showed plenty of talent last season before being sidelined in April due to a bleed, and while his trial was quiet, it looked encouraging. #1 Fast Network surged through the ratings last term with four wins. The step to 1400 meters first-up without the blinkers is intriguing, but his two trials without them suggest he’s come back in good order. #2 Pray For Mir is a tough on-pace performer who can roll forward, dictate terms and prove hard to run down. He’s trialed up with plenty to like and looks ready to fire. #5 Healthy Happy is down in the ratings, adds to the speed, and could stick on for a placing.

Race 9: LANTAU PEAK HANDICAP

#10 Akashvani had little luck with barriers last season yet still showed ability, closing out with a close third after covering ground. From a mid-draw, he can settle handy and shape as a winning chance. #11 Bulb General resumes 10 points higher after breaking through in a weak Class 4, but he’s a talent on the rise for Jamie Richards this term. #6 Jumbo Treasure showed grit with two all-the-way wins last season and gets every chance to repeat from gate 1. #3 Otokomae didn’t show much on debut but wasn’t beaten far into 10th and has trialed well since. Worth keeping safe at odds.

Race 10: SUNSET PEAK HANDICAP

#9 Withallmyfaith showed little in three runs last season, but his recent trial suggests he’s come on well during the break. Barrier 3 gives him the chance to settle closer and produce his best run yet. #1 Patch Of Stars will need plenty of luck from barrier 14 as he looks to rebound after his winning streak came to an end. #5 Pope Cody finally draws a gate after jumping from 10 or wider in all five local starts, and that alone can spark improvement given the glimpses of ability shown. #11 Spirit Of Peace won two starts ago when settling closer and ran on strongly into third last start after again getting too far back. He’s a key player if he can map handier this time.