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

Son Pak Fu
12.10 Happy Valley
2pts win

Red Hare King
1.45 Happy Valley
2pts win

Copartner Ambition
2.15 Happy Valley
2pts win

The formidable combination of Son Pak Fu and apprentice Jerry Chau are set to hit the target again in the Class 1 6f handicap sprint (12.10) on an interesting nine-race card at Happy Valley today. 

The Benno Yung-trained Son Pak Fu, a five-year-old son of Australian sire Fighting Sun, has made remarkable progress, winning six races and going up 57 points in the ratings in the past 12 months, stamping him as one of the biggest improvers in Hong Kong. 

He has gone from the lowest rungs of Class 4 to Class 1, with his best performance coming last time out when he made up significant ground to take fourth behind Victor The Winner, Lucky With You and Wellington at level weights in the Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin. 

Despite that dazzling show on the bigger track, it is significant that all his six wins have been over course and distance, and all in the hands of Chau, who has been aboard the gelding in all 19 of his starts. 

Chau is joint-tenth in the jockeys' championship with 17 wins, and this is his chance to make hay while big names such as Zac Purton and Hugh Bowman are on the sidelines. The one to fear is the David Hayes-trained Tomodachi Kokoroe, who is another big improver and on 8st 3lb gets weight from all his rivals.

Red Hare King, another lightly-weighted contender with a similar profile, is the one to beat in the Class 3 handicap (1.45) over the extended mile.  The son of So You Think finished a good second to Derby contender Simply Maverick over course and distance last time out, which is good enough to win this. Lovero is his danger. 

Danny Shum has an abundance of good material in his stable at present, so it is encouraging to hear him praise Copartner Ambition, who has the form to take the Class 3 handicap sprint (2.15) from the talented mare Bon’s A Pearla. 

Copartner Ambition, a son of Starspangledbanner, has won four of his last five starts over course and distance and has gone up eight ratings points for his most recent success. From stall three, he should sit handy throughout before pouncing in the home straight. 

Bon’s A Pearla, once placed in the Group 1 Australian Guineas, has also drawn near the inside in stall one and has solid place prospects.

Happy Valley Placepot perm

12.10
3 Son Pak Fu
8 Tomodachi Kokoroe

12.40
4 Serangoon
6 Mr Aladdin

1.10
2 Win Win Fighter
7 Satirical Glory

1.45
9 Lovero
12 Red Hare King

2.15
3 Copartner Ambition
7 Bon’s A Pearla

2.50
5 Happy United
9 Atomic Energy

2x2x2x2x2x2 = 64 lines

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

Happy Valley card

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