Sunday's Hong Kong (Sha Tin) form analysis

Mr Stunning for chairman's sprint

Last December's Longines Hong Kong Sprint winner Mr Stunning (left) should prove hard to beat in tomorrow's Group 1 Chairman's Sprint Prize.
Last December's Longines Hong Kong Sprint winner Mr Stunning (left) should prove hard to beat in tomorrow's Group 1 Chairman's Sprint Prize. PHOTO: HKJC

RACE 1 (1,800M)

2 Great Joy's season has been a tale of hard-luck stories, of missed opportunities, of narrow misses. He returns to Sha Tin with Joao Moreira astride again, and surely - finally - this is his chance to get his first win.

3 Bullish Glory is finally acclimatising. If he can be anywhere within striking range, he is a chance.

5 Ever Laugh and 6 Garlic Yeah are racing well enough to get into the finish with even luck.

RACE 2 (1,400M)

7 Multi Facets has disappointed in two runs for Michael Freedman and he has changed stables to the Tony Cruz yard since his last run in mid-March and he has trialled well enough since.

12 Royal Mojito keeps finding the line but just can't quite do enough to break through. It's going to fall into place one of these days, and it could be here.

14 Starship is another who is likely to be finishing off well, although he might be best-suited dropping back into Class 4 now. Still, he's a chance down in the weights.

13 Intrepic ran well last time out.

RACE 3 (1,600M)

13 General Dino is well-rated now and should be able to break through on his current mark, especially with a nice midfield run from gate 1.

3 Shamport has run well in both Hong Kong starts. The only way is up for him and he is likely to break through shortly.

5 Famous Warrior found the line nicely last time out behind the impressive Harmony Hero. He only needs to run to that form to be hard to beat.

2 New Elegance has disappointed since winning in December, but he gets blinkers on and deserves another chance.

RACE 4 (1,400M)

10 What Else But You's Class 2 win earlier this month was facile and he gets into this with no weight. He's a big player.

1 Winner's Way has to carry plenty of weight but this is probably his optimal trip. It won't take much for him to get into the finish.

4 Jolly Banner was tried over further distance last start and it simply didn't work. Back to the 1,400m trip, he should be right in contention.

9 Racing Supernova is rarely far away, although he finds it tough to win these days.

RACE 5 (1,200M)

11 Top Beautiful deserves one final chance in this grade though with blinkers going on. If that doesn't spark a better effort, it's worth waiting until he gets back to Class 4.

5 Solar Patch produced a tough effort to win first-up in Hong Kong. If he can reproduce that effort, he's a legitimate contender.

1 Jing Jing Win has plenty of talent but he's also an enigma. Back into Class 3, he's the testing material.

6 Mission Tycoon disappointed as favourite at his first Hong Kong run. He'll come on for that and can't be dismissed.

RACE 6 (1,600M) G1 CHAMPIONS MILE

1 Beauty Generation has already won four of his seven starts this season, including Group 1 wins in the Hong Kong Mile and the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup. On paper, this race looks ideal for him.

3 Seasons Bloom performs best fresh and enters this off a two-month lay-off. He has trialled well and looks a picture of health in the mornings. He is hard to beat.

6 Blizzard has not been tried over 1,600m since finishing third to Sun Jewellery and Werther in the 2016 Classic Mile. As an older horse, perhaps the trip might prove more suitable now.

9 Singapore Sling is the sole four-year-old in the race and should be in the mix, even if he will still be better again next season.

RACE 7 (1,200M) G1 CHAIRMAN'S SPRINT PRIZE

1 Mr Stunning is the benchmark sprinter in Hong Kong this season. His three wins in the autumn were tremendous, culminating in his first Group 1 score in the Longines Hong Kong Sprint, and he has produced two solid efforts since. The five-year-old is uncomplicated and should prove hard to beat.

9 Ivictory won so impressively in track record time at Happy Valley last start to go six from seven starts. He looks the likely leader. He is likely to be winning a Group 1 at some point. With luck, it could be here.

3 Lucky Bubbles, the winner last year, resumes from a break. He's not had the best season but he usually performs fresh.

2 Beat The Clock will be rattling home late.

RACE 8 (2,000M) G1 AUDEMARS PIGUET QEII CUP

1 Time Warp has been the standard bearer over 2,000m this season, leading throughout to win the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup in December before becoming the first horse to break two minutes over the Sha Tin 2,000m in the Group 1 Hong Kong Gold Cup in February. The question now is, can he produce a third peak performance to win this race?

5 Ping Hai Star was phenomenal in the BMW Hong Kong Derby last start, coming from last. He is likely to be a long way off Time Warp this time and might have to produce an impossible sectional to reel him in.

4 Danburite is likely to be the stalker, tracking Time Warp everywhere he goes, and can stay on for a placing.

3 Pakistan Star has all the talent in the world but remains an unreliable betting proposition - he could win by 10 lengths, he could finish a distant last or he could refuse to jump. Nothing would shock.

RACE 9 (1,200M)

1 Hot King Prawn has to shoulder plenty of weight, but his recent trial with Lucky Bubbles was superb. Expect him to win this as he heads towards Group company - and a possible Chairman's Sprint Prize berth next year.

9 Eptimum and 6 Summer Passage deserve inclusion in this spot. Eptimum looks less exposed than Summer Passage, so he gets the nod of the two. Both have trialled well and have drawn to take advantage.

14 Wishful Thinker steps up to Class 2 but has no weight. He'll be finishing off powerfully.

RACE 10 (1,600M)

9 Rise High has talent and looks suited in this spot. He'll be in the finish with even luck.

5 Doctor Geoff did go to the Derby, performing above expectations in sixth. He's better suited over a mile and should enjoy a very easy run in transit here. He's the main danger.

2 Easy Go Easy Win has performed well for a three-year-old in Class 2. This is no easier but he should be around the mark.

13 Patriot Hero is worth including at odds.

•Comments by Andrew Hawkins, courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 28, 2018, with the headline Mr Stunning for chairman's sprint. Subscribe