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

Family Jewel
7.25 Sha Tin
2pts win

Antino
8.00 Sha Tin
2pts win

Romantic Warrior
8.40 Sha Tin
2pts win

When a jockey grabs the mic at a press conference and reminds the media he has four great rides coming up, it tells you two things – he is in demand (which means he must be in form) and he is brimming with confidence.

And that perfectly sums up James McDonald, who rode a treble at Happy Valley on Wednesday and has a cracking book of nine rides on the Hong Kong International Races card at Sha Tin on Sunday morning.

It will be hard to make money out of Romantic Warrior, J-Mac’s plum ride in the 1m2f Hong Kong Cup (8.40), although the champ should be included in all-up win doubles and trebles on an attractive card that oozes quality.

Drawn in gate one, Romantic Warrior can hold his place on the inside in the run to the first turn and either drop into the box seat behind the leader or carry on leading if there's no obvious pace.

Spirit Dancer, the dual Bahrain International Trophy winner, is selected for forecast purposes, although Japanese contender Liberty Island is being touted. A much-improved run is expected from this talented filly.

Better value can be found with the J-Mac mount Family Jewel in the Class 3 1m1f handicap (7.25), in which Zac Purton’s mount Sunstrider also has claims. Many here will be taken out of their comfort zone, particularly if there's an injection of early speed.

But the trip will present no challenge to Family Jewel, who came from second-last when just failing by a neck over 1m2f last time. The Caspar Fownes-trained gelding is by Time Test but out of a High Chaparral mare, who provides the stamina.

J-Mac also has good chances with the Dennis Yip-trained Run Run Timing (4.25) and the unbeaten Charming Legend (9.20), who will have Johannes Brahms to beat.

Possibly the best HKIR value will be found in the Hong Kong Mile (8.00) by backing the Queenslander Antino, who is to be partnered by Blake Shinn, a jockey always popular with Hong Kong punters on his fleeting visits.  This is a classy miler, who should have the measure of Galaxy Patch, who has drawn wide.

Sha Tin Placepot perm

6.50
1 Ka Ying Rising
9 Satono Reve

7.25
8 Family Jewel
11 Sunstrider

8.00
3 Antino
6 Galaxy Patch

8.40
1 Romantic Warrior
2 Spirit Dancer

9.20
3 Johannes Brahms
6 Charming Legend

10.00
4 Drombeg Banner
10 Packing Hermod

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 Sunday is at 4.25am

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