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

Glory Cloud
1.45 Happy Valley
2pts win

Romantic Son
2.50 Happy Valley
2pts win

The promising Romantic Son can exact his revenge on another useful type in Young Emperor in the closing Class 3 6f handicap (2.50) at Happy Valley.

The two imports clashed 17 days ago, with Young Emperor finishing with a late flourish to win decisively after going back early from a wide draw, while Romantic Son battled on for second, having travelled on the inside throughout.

The pair were making their respective debuts in Hong Kong, and while each had previously won in another country, the experience over course and distance will prove useful. They appear well ahead of the opposition here.

Romantic Son, carrying the same name as a decent sprinter trained by David Hayes’s father Colin 50 years ago, meets his rival on 5lb better terms for a half-length defeat and can come out on top, with Zac Purton sure to be keen to build up the revs on his mount a little earlier this time.

Hayes is third in the trainers’ championship with 14 wins following a bright start to the season, while Caspar Fownes has taken second (16) behind Pierre Ng (18), and this is a good opportunity for Fownes to edge even closer to the leader.

He has several excellent chances, the best being the nine-start maiden Glory Cloud in the Class 4 6f handicap (1.45), in which he comes up against the Frankie Lor-trained Triumphant More, who beat him by a short head two weeks ago.

The stewards accepted Hugh Bowman’s explanation that he allowed rival Triumphant More to go around him early as Glory Cloud was racing keenly and his intention was to drop in behind and get some cover.

The five-year-old has been consistent without winning – he has two seconds and two thirds to his name – and this looks ideal for him. Triumphant More is again the danger, while Spicy So Smart is worth inclusion in multiples for a little value.

Fownes is also tipped to win with the lightly raced Silver Spurs, who will be partnered by Vincent Ho in the Class 4 5f handicap (12.10). The Charm Spirit gelding showed his first bit of form when third behind Victorythirtythree in a similar contest last month.