Hong Kong racing tips: Jim McGrath with three selections at Sha Tin on Saturday

Lucky Touch
11.35 Sha Tin
2pts win

The Winnabe
1.10 Sha Tin
2pts win

Lo Pan Spirit
1.45 Sha Tin
2pts win

It may be late in the season but never too late for trainer John Size to start moulding a star of the future and that description fits The Winnabe, who bids to extend his unbeaten record in the Class 3 7f handicap (1.10) at Sha Tin.

The son of Caravaggio was led out of the sales ring unsold as a yearling but apparent lack of interest then has not been reflected in performance as he has won both his starts with something in hand.

He made a winning debut over 6f in May, justifying his prominence in the market, and followed up in a similar race three weeks later as 1-5 favourite. His rating has risen 15 points but the ceiling hasn’t been reached yet.

This time The Winnabe is being stretched out in distance to 7f, but from an attractive draw in stall five there's every reason to think he'll see the trip out well in the hands of in-form Hugh Bowman.

Andrea Atzeni sticks with last-time-out course-and-distance winner Greenwich, who should be capable of handling this step up in grade. He has a solid chance for Pierre Ng, who is clinging to a two-win advantage over Francis Lui with three meetings left in their battle for the trainers’ championship.

At the other end of the scale, Jimmy Ting desperately needs two winners to avoid a black mark on his record, which in the long term affects his chances of keeping his training licence. In this context, Lo Pan Spirit in the Class 3 6f handicap (1.45) is a crucial runner for Ting.

The three-year-old made all to trounce his rivals by three and a quarter lengths last time and paid the price when raised ten ratings points and given a class promotion. But such is the promise he displays, it may not be enough to stop him. Full Credit is his danger.

Ting also saddles the equally promising Thunder Blink, who will be hard to beat in the Class 3 7f handicap (12.05) following wins in restricted races for newcomers. Sunlight Power has claims but Fantastic Fun looks better value for the forecast.

Zac Purton, with his seventh jockeys’ title in the bag, has several good chances as ever. The best of them is arguably Lucky Touch in the Class 4 mile handicap (11.35), although the champion will have to navigate an adventurous path from his tricky outside draw in stall 14.

Sha Tin Placepot perm

11.00
1 Top Scorer
4 Courier Aladdin

11.35
3 Laugh Tale
6 Lucky Touch

12.05
8 Fantastic Fun
12 Thunder Blink

12.35
1 Enjoy Golf
2 Chateauneuf

1.10
5 The Winnabe
12 Greenwich

1.45
3 Full Credit
5 Lo Pan Spirit

2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 64 lines

Bets can be placed into Hong Kong pools with the Tote. The first race at Sha Tin on Saturday is at 9.00am

Sha Tin card

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