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

Golden Samurai
12.05 Sha Tin
2pts win

Helios Express
1.40 Sha Tin
2pts win

Maldives
2.15 Sha Tin
2pts win

Zac Purton is set to make history when he takes an attractive book of rides on the 11-race card at Sha Tin as the Hong Kong season enters its final stages.

With three racedays left, Purton is only one win away from Joao Moreira’s record 170 wins in a season and he is odds-on to sail past that total today, most likely on a couple of his major chances in the first half of the programme. 

But overall, the five-time champion’s best ride is the John Size-trained Helios Express, who looks outstanding in the Philip Chen Trophy, a Class 3 6f sprint (1.40), in which he should have too much class for his rivals. 

The three-year-old son of Toronado would need only to reproduce his last start performance, which was a three-length demolition of his opposition in weaker company over course and distance. 

Not surprisingly, he faces a 10lb rise in the ratings but that is unlikely to stop him as he continues his progress through the ranks. He won his only start in Australia easily on country track Benalla and his potential is untapped. Compassion Spirit is his danger. 

The Golden Sixty owner-trainer-jockey partnership of Stanley Chan, Francis Lui and Vincent Ho have unearthed another interesting talent in Golden Samurai, who is tipped to register his second win when tackling the Class 4 7f Stevenson Cup (12.05). 

Nobody is suggesting Golden Samurai is about to emulate his celebrated stablemate but there can be no doubting he is a useful type in the making. His 1-4 record is decent, and his last start second over 6f when running on well at the finish, indicates the extra furlong here is what he needs. 

Hugh Bowman partners the progressive Lost Child, a New Zealand-bred three-year-old, who will have benefited from a series of barrier trials to bring him on. The Michael Chang-trained gelding is the main threat to Golden Samurai. 

Sydney jockey Brenton Avdulla is set to continue his successful association with hardy campaigner Maldives, who comes back in distance attempting successive wins when lining up in the Class 3 7f handicap (2.15). He goes up 5lb for his recent Happy Valley win and represents each-way value in a tricky race.

Sha Tin Placepot perm

11.30
2 Sweet Briar
6 Raging Blizzard 

12.05
4 Golden Samurai
6 Lost Child 

12.35
2 Xponential
8 Ragnarr 

1.05
3 Flying Mojito
5 Prince Alex 

1.40
1 Helios Express
10 Compassion Spirit 

2.15
4 Maldives
8 Setanta 

2x2x2x2x2x2 = 64 lines

Bets can be placed into Sha Tin  pools with the Tote, Coral and Ladbrokes. The first race at Sha Tin on Sunday is at 9am.

Sha Tin Sunday card

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