Hong Kong: Selections for Sha Tin's HKIR card night of Dec. 13

First post is 11:25 p.m. ET Saturday night for a fantastic renewal of the Hong Kong International Races program at Sha Tin. Luke Middlebrook analyzes the 10-race card and provides selections.

Sha Tin selections

Race 1: #10 Rising Phoenix, #1 Endued, #8 Jubilation For All, #2 Thousand Spirit
Race 2: #8 Armour War Eagle, #1 Circuit Grand Slam, #3 Geneva, #6 Refusetobeenglish
Race 3: #6 Jubilant Star, #1 Majestic Valour, #2 Mabubu, #13 Speedy Smartie
Race 4: #2 Al Riffa, #5 Sosie, #3 Giavellotto, #1 Los Angeles
Race 5: #1 Ka Ying Rising, #4 Helios Express, #2 Satono Reve, #6 Fast Network
Race 6: #2 Gentlemen Legacy, #3 Pope Cody, #13 The Auspicious, #14 Supreme Mastermind
Race 7: #10 My Wish, #1 Soul Rush, #2 Voyage Bubble, #14 Embroidery
Race 8: #1 Romantic Warrior, #2 Bellagio Opera, #7 Quisisana, #5 Straight Arron
Race 9: #3 Star Rise, #2 Everyone’s Star, #1 Juneau Pride, #4 Charming Legend
Race 10: #12 Public Attention, #1 Beauty Eternal, #4 Dancing Code, #8 Aeris Nova

Race analysis

Race 1: FAIRY KING PRAWN HANDICAP

#10 Rising Phoenix finally gets the right set of conditions with a shift to Sha Tin and a rise to 1400 meters after two runs that read poorly but were far better than they looked. From an inside gate, with Zac Purton taking over, he is entitled to take a big step forward. #1 Endued is a fascinating runner fresh for the John Size stable. His form was trending upward when last seen, and although barrier 12 is no help, remaining in Class 4 gives him every chance to make an impact with the stable switch. #8 Jubilation For All is a sneaky improver. His first-up run was much better than the ninth placing suggests after he was hemmed up until late, and his encouraging trial since hints at a forward move at odds. #2 Thousand Spirit adapted well to the class drop, controlling the race last start before being collared late.

Race 2: SNOW FAIRY HANDICAP

#8 Armour War Eagle comes back to 1200 meters, which may look a query at first glance, but a truer tempo could be exactly what he needs after a sequence of luckless, better-than-it-reads efforts. Barrier 1 finally gives him the platform to work with. #1 Circuit Grand Slam caused a major upset on debut with a sweeping last-to-first win, and while he now needs to confirm it was no fluke, his trial since suggests it wasn’t. #3 Geneva resumes after a seven-month injury break (back surgery), but his trials have been consistently good, and he has always profiled as a horse with upside. #6 Refusetobeenglish is progressing well with more racing after a luckless sixth two back and a close fourth last start. A decent tick-over trial keeps him in the conversation as an improving type.

Race 3: SILENT WITNESS HANDICAP

#6 Jubilant Star looks set to break through fourth-up. He drew 13 last start, was dragged back to find cover, and launched late to finish third against the race shape. He draws wide in 11, but a stronger tempo should help, and James McDonald remaining aboard is a key pointer. #1 Majestic Valour maps well from barrier 7 and can look to replicate his debut win over Ever Luck, a performance backed up by a stack of handy trials that stamped him as a horse with ability. #2 Mabubu was an authoritative debut winner when leading throughout from barrier 1. The shift to barrier 12 now is the query, though he seems to have plenty of upside. #13 Speedy Smartie is thriving since joining Brett Crawford with two wins and two seconds in Class 5, and although this is deeper, the drop in weight keeps him in the conversation.

Race 4: THE LONGINES HONG KONG VASE (G1)

#2 Al Riffa was far from disgraced in the Melbourne Cup (G1), giving away plenty of ground under top weight yet still closing strongly for seventh. His Irish St Leger (G1) and Curragh Cup (G2) wins showcase his talent, and at 2400 meters, he owns a Grosser Preis von Berlin (G1) victory and a Hardwicke (G2) second to Rebel’s Romance. #5 Sosie profiles well after an excellent third to Daryz in the Arc (G1), having also shaped well behind Byzantine Dream in the Prix Foy (G2), and his Eclipse (G1) flop came when taken on in front. #3 Giavellotto is the defending Vase champion and looks on song again after a September S. (G3) win and a very good Arc fourth on ground softer than he prefers. #1 Los Angeles, the Irish Derby (G1) winner, hasn’t been at his peak lately but wasn’t disgraced in the Prix Foy before failing to handle Arc conditions.

Race 5: THE LONGINES HONG KONG SPRINT (G1)

#1 Ka Ying Rising aims to become the seventh dual winner of the Sprint and is in fearsome order. Fresh off his historic Everest (G1) victory in Australia, the world’s highest-rated sprinter returned to Sha Tin and unleashed arguably his most dazzling display yet in the Jockey Club Sprint (G2). #4 Helios Express took the expected step forward second-up when third in that same lead-up and shapes to replicate his runner-up finish in this race last year. #2 Satono Reve, third here 12 months ago, went on to win the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1), chased Ka Ying Rising home in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (G1), finished second at Royal Ascot to Lazzat, and arrives off a promising fourth in the Sprinters S. (G1). #6 Fast Network enhanced his profile in the Jockey Club Sprint, finishing a clear second to Ka Ying Rising in his strongest effort yet.

Race 6: JIM AND TONIC HANDICAP

#2 Gentlemen Legacy brings the right profile into this. His fourth over 2000 meters last start came after being forced into an energy-sapping mid-race move that left him vulnerable late, yet he still stuck on well. Reuniting with Purton is a positive, even if the drop back in distance isn’t. #3 Pope Cody has held his form since breaking through four starts ago. The race shape has been against him in his last two runs, but he has still produced strong efforts. #13 The Auspicious will drift back from barrier 10, but that is his usual pattern. Though untried at the trip, his swift turn of foot should put him in the finish. #14 Supreme Mastermind has been running well under big weights in Class 4, and now back up into Class 3 with a weight drop and his form trending the right way, he looks like a key player.

Race 7: THE LONGINES HONG KONG MILE (G1)

#10 My Wish gets his chance at Group 1 glory with an ideal set-up from barrier 2 to settle in the one-one position. He was beaten as the short favorite in the Jockey Club Mile (G2), but the hot tempo and his racing manners worked against him, yet he still stuck on and was only a length away. #1 Soul Rush returns after finishing second in this race last year, and while he again draws wide, his form this campaign has been rock solid, and he is clearly good enough to win this. #2 Voyage Bubble also draws wide as he looks to defend his title, but with Purton aboard, he should still get his chance. #14 Embroidery adds serious intrigue as Japan’s star filly taking on Sha Tin for the first time. A mile here is a very different contest from what she is used to, but her profile is hard to ignore.

Race 8: THE LONGINES HONG KONG CUP (G1)

#1 Romantic Warrior made history last year as the first horse to win three editions of this race, and he is well placed to extend that record in 2025 after his sensational injury-comeback victory in the Jockey Club Cup (G2). #2 Bellagio Opera brings proven top-level credentials, resuming from an Arima Kinen (G1) fourth to win the Osaka Hai (G1) back-to-back before a second in the Takarazuka Kinen (G1). #7 Quisisana was an authoritative Prix Jean Romanet (G1) winner before two credible efforts over further in the Arc and British Champions Fillies and Mares S. (G1), and the return to 2000 meters looks a strong plus. #5 Straight Arron continues to run well at the top level with honest runs in the Sha Tin Trophy (G2) and Jockey Club Cup, and finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 2023 and 2024 Hong Kong Cup keep him in the conversation.

Race 9: OUIJA BOARD HANDICAP

#3 Star Rise is ready to win. Fourth-up in Hong Kong, he arrives off a luckless fourth, where he was badly held up until after the 100-meter mark and only got clear once the race was over. Barrier 2 gives him an ideal map as he stretches to 1400 meters for the first time. #2 Everyone’s Star makes a very similar case, also ready to win after two strong runs from wide draws this campaign. Last start, he was third in a slowly run race, and being well proven at the trip may give him a slight edge. #1 Juneau Pride should be ready to peak third-up, though he again faces a wide draw in barrier 13. Ryan Moore can offset that. #4 Charming Legend resumes for the Caspar Fownes yard and looked like a horse with upside last season. He is not to be discounted.

Race 10: HIGHLAND REEL HANDICAP

#12 Public Attention can announce himself as a genuine Classic Series contender with a breakthrough win second-up in Hong Kong. He was an excellent debut second over 1200 meters, has trialed very well between runs, and the big weight drop rising into Class 2 stands him as the one to beat. #1 Beauty Eternal needs to find a sharp lift in form, but this is the weakest race he has contested for some time. His recent trial was easily one of his best pieces of work this season, which points to a rebound. #4 Dancing Code draws ideally in barrier 1, where he maps for a perfect run to suit his pattern. He is consistently around the finish, and the return to 1400 meters looks timely. #8 Aeris Nova likely drifts back from barrier 12, but his form is outstanding with consecutive placings to smart types Light Years Charm and Patch of Stars.