Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath with three selections at Happy Valley on Wednesday

Harmony Galaxy
1.10 Happy Valley
2pts win

Moments In Time
1.45 Happy Valley
2pts win

Toy Soltero
2.50 Happy Valley
2pts win

There’s a South American theme running through the nine-race card at Happy Valley, where an ex-Chilean star Moments In Time can enjoy his biggest Hong Kong success in the Group 3 January Cup (1.45), over 1m1f.

Hugh Bowman is confident he has worked out the best way to ride the five-year-old, whose biggest win in his native country came in the Group 1 Nacional Ricardo Lyon, over 1m2f at Hipico, in late 2022.

Bowman has ridden the Danny Shum-trained gelding four times for two seconds and two unplaced runs but reckons that dropping him out is preferable, as seen when he flew home from last to finish a neck second to stablemate Chill Chibi on his latest start.

Moments In Time had run creditably when attempting to make all in good company, but Bowman’s prowess on horses coming from behind is renowned and is expected to do the trick in the only Group race run at the city track each year.

Frankie Lor has three runners in the race, with talented Flamingo Trillion preferred to last year’s winner Happy Together and Money Catcher, who won the race in 2023. Derek Leung is back on Flamingo Trillion, whom he has partnered to all five of his wins.

Bowman rides another South American with an excellent chance, Harmony Galaxy, also trained by Shum, in the Class 4 handicap (1.10) over 1m½f. He is still a maiden — 0-9 locally and 0-6 in Brazil — but his form is better than it appears.

He was twice third in Group 1s there and should be up to shouldering topweight in this considering his last-start effort in finishing third, beaten two short heads, over course and distance. The danger is Firefoot, ridden by record-seeking Zac Purton for Chris So, whose horses are running well.

Purton also partners the other South American destined for honours today, the Michael Chang-trained Toy Soltero in the finale, the Class 3 1m1f handicap (2.50). In a hot contest, his chief rivals are Californiatotality and Super Unicorn.

Toy Soltero was unbeaten in four starts in his native Chile and recently showed a first glimpse of form locally when third over course and distance.  This will suit perfectly and with Purton aboard for the first time, he should go in.

Happy Valley Placepot perm

12.10
1 Beauty Light
7 Lucky Generations

12.40
4 Happy Park
8 Spirit Of Peace

1.10
1 Harmony Galaxy
10 Firefoot

1.45
6 Moments In Time
10 Flamingo Trillion

2.15
2 Super Joy N Fun
8 Spicy Gold

2.50
4 Californiatotality
10 Toy Soltero

2x2x2x2x2x2 = 64 lines

Bets can be placed into Hong Kong pools with the Tote. The first race at Happy Valley on Wednesday is 10.40am

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