Hong Kong form expert Luke Middlebrook provides his thoughts on every race at the Hong Kong meeting at Happy Valley on Wednesday 8 July.
3 Happy United ticks plenty of boxes as he tries to snap a 903-day run without a win, dropping into Class 5 for the first time with barrier 1 and Zac Purton aboard. Purton has not ridden him since a third in January last year, and this looks the right set-up for him to break through.
Selections: 3-8-2-1
2 Charming Legend put the writing on the wall when dropping into Class 4 last start, leading and giving a good sight before holding on for second. He draws barrier 1 today and Moreira should have tactical options from there.
Selections: 2-1-8-6
4 Beauty Show is improving with racing and the three-year-old should only get better with time. This looks a suitable race for him to break through, with the map in his favour and a nice trial between runs suggesting he is ready to peak.
Selections: 4-1-11-9
1 Forza Toro resumes after trialling impressively and looks one of Caspar Fownes’ stronger remaining chances to tighten his grip on the trainers’ championship. Moreira gets barrier 1 and every chance to deliver the four-year-old’s first win.
Selections: 1-5-4-6
10 Ace Power has not been with Mark Newnham long and resumes after a forgettable run up in trip. Two starts ago at the track and distance, he never had a clear crack at them late, so there was merit in his sixth. He has trialled well for his return and barrier 4 looks ideal.
Selections: 10-3-4-6
4 Leading Agility looks hard to beat from barrier 3 after an impressive trial since his last-start third, when he had no luck in the run before getting out late. The switch to Purton is timely and he gets his chance to put them away.
Selections: 4-3-1-9
11 Robot Lucky Star ran a slashing fifth at his first start for the Mark Newnham stable, when drawn wide and ridden cold, out the back and conceding too much ground. His map gets a big boost today from barrier 3, and he can take a big step forward.
Selections: 11-3-5-8
5 Joy Of Spring gets back to his pet track and distance, where he is two from three, and his mark has come back far enough to put him within striking range again. The race should set up nicely for him and he will be hard to hold out.
Selections: 5-3-6-2
4 Target Audience chases back-to-back wins after scoring comfortably at his first look at the track and distance last start. That was only his second win from eight local starts and there looks to be more in store.
Selections: 4-1-11-7