No racing on the weekend in Hong Kong due to the big typhoon that passed through on Sunday, just the eighth race meeting lost to weather in twelve years.
That meeting will be made up with a replacement at the end of next month but meanwhile everything is back to normal midweek, with Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
Zac Purton looks the jockey to follow with some excellent rides and, just as importantly with the rail in the C position, quite a few good draws.
He kicks off with course specialist Fortune Bravo for Ricky Yiu and the switch of Purton for apprentice Dicky Lui looks a key change. First-up this season, Fortune Bravo performed fairly for Lui but looked in need of a stronger rider and gets it this time.
Purton has chances in Carry The Zeal (race three) for David Hall, Hollwood Kiss (race four) for Derek Cruz and a promising sprinter Golden Harvest (race six) for Tony Millard in the night’s trophy race. Golden Harvest won impressively at the Valley in his two starts after a gelding operation last campaign, and appears perfectly placed to make it three straight.
Lovely Boy is another chance for Purton in the second, although his draw could have been kinder – he has blinkers for the first time and has run well all three starts since joining Caspar Fownes, who will also provide Purton with a chance in Grand Elite (race eight) as well as an interesting newcomer, Imperial Champion, in the seventh.
Imperial Champion raced as Urquidez in Sydney and hasn’t run since a close second to Rebel Dane in February. He looks to have some upside and had a very quiet trial recently for Purton, but hasn’t been missed by the handicapper with an opening rating of 90.
By Nathan Mody
