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

Panda
8.00 Sha Tin
2pts win

Turin Starspangled
8.50 Sha Tin
2pts win

Wunderbar
10.25 Sha Tin
2pts win

On the day Golden Sixty is given an official farewell to mark his retirement, multiple champion John Size saddles potential superstar Wunderbar to kick off his campaign in the Class 3 6f handicap sprint (10.25) at Sha Tin.

Nobody is suggesting Wunderbar will emulate the greatest horse to have raced in Hong Kong, who won a record ten Group 1s locally and more than £16 million, but his record of 4-5 is indicative of an untapped talent destined for the top.

Zac Purton, who looks set for another big day, takes over from James McDonald, no doubt looking in with envy from Sydney. Size gave Wunderbar two barrier trials at Conghua recently and he looks ready to go in first time under his 9st 8lb top weight.

A measure of the four-year-old’s ability is that he twice beat cracking sprinter Ka Ying Rising over course and distance last season, by a nose and a short head, which leaves him attractively placed at the top of Class 3 despite a 7lb rise. Lucy In The Sky is next best.

Purton’s vast experience should be put to good use on Panda in the Class 4 5f sprint (8.00), in which the lightly raced gelding starts from an awkward stall five draw. The high numbers on the stands' rail usually hold an advantage.

Trainer Dennis Yip sent Panda for two trials at Conghua for a win and a second, which will have him primed for this. Fortunately for him, his chief danger, the speedy Cheval Valiant, is drawn beside in stall six and will be ridden by new apprentice Britney Wong, who claims 10lb.

You can expect Cheval Valiant and Wong to blaze an early trail, with Panda poised behind them on the outside getting a nice drag into the race. Metro Warrior (drawn nine) is a straight track specialist and will be prominent for a long way.

Purton can also look forward to the Pierre Ng-trained Turin Starspangled, who is set to break the ice locally at the fifth time of asking in the Class 3 mile handicap (8.50). The gelding won a Naas maiden and was previously runner-up in a Group 2 at Leopardstown for Donnacha O’Brien.  West Australian Derby winner Awesome Fluke is second pick.

The featured 7f Celebration Cup (9.20), the first Group race of the season, should go the way of Packing Treadmill, although the promising Chiu Chow Spirit is also in the mix with his light weight. In the finale, the Class 2 6f handicap (11.00), Size produces the exciting Young Champion, who should oblige.

Sha Tin Placepot perm

8.00
2 Cheval Valiant
4 Panda

8.50
1 Awesome Fluke
8 Turin Starspangled

9.20
4 Packing Treadmill
6 Chiu Chow Spirit

9.50
3 Ballistic Win
7 Master Mastermind

10.25
1 Wunderbar
5 Lucy In The Sky

11.00
2 Copartner Prance
6 Young Champion

2x2x2x2x2x2 = 64 lines

Bets can be placed into Hong Kong pools with the Tote. The first race at Sha Tin on Sunday is at 6.00am

Sha Tin card

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