It’s a Magic-free zone at Sha Tin this weekend, with Joao Moreira missing and the likes of Zac Purton and Douglas Whyte looking to make inroads into the Brazilian’s sensational start to the season.
Moreira scored 15 wins in the first seven meetings, before missing last Wednesday as the first of three days of suspension.
Whyte sits in second on nine wins and Purton shares third with Vincent Ho on eight and they would be thinking it a good start to the new season if Moreira hadn’t been slamming the winners in so regularly.
Purton in particular has great prospects on Sunday, with one of the most interesting the former Gai Waterhouse-trained Divine Calling.
Almost a year to the day since his Caulfield Guineas placing, Divine Calling runs for Tony Millard, who looks to have given the gelding a very good grounding with several nice trials. Millard and Purton have not combined for over a year following a falling out, but the South African has decided Purton is a safe pair of hands for the high profile import’s debut.
Purton has good rides all day but the standouts look Sparkling Sword (race two), Star Track (race four), Dual Happy (race five) and Mark Two (race six). Star Track was second in his only race last season, is held in high esteem by trainer Paul O’Sullivan and being mentioned as a potential Derby horse this campaign.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong fans are waiting with bated breath for the re-opening of Happy Valley for racing on October 19.
The circuit has been out of action for four months due to government works beneath the track but the Jockey Club staged barrier trials at Happy Valley on Friday night to test the surface and the new floodlighting and jockeys and trainers gave it the thumbs up.
By Nathan Mody
