Placepot advice for Wednesday's card at Happy Valley

A former Irish galloper, winless in 39 starts in Hong Kong, may hold the key to taking out Wednesday's Placepot at Happy Valley.

Travel Datuk, who runs in a division of the 6f Class 4 handicap (1.45), raced as Rockaway Valley for Jessica Harrington, finishing runner-up behind Air Force Blue in a maiden and also recording seconds in the Railway Stakes and the Round Tower Stakes as a juvenile in 2015.

While he is yet to win in five seasons in Hong Kong, he rarely runs a bad race. He has finished in the placings on eight of his 15 starts over the last two years as he has dropped through Class 4 and his last two runs have him primed to produce a big effort once again.

Others who look leading players and potential Placepot bankers are Diamond Brilliant (2.45), who is drawn well for leading rider Zac Purton, and the speedy Californiadeepshot (3.50), who should run well again for Purton's main rival Joao Moreira.

In the first leg, the other division of the 6f Class 4 handicap (1.15), include the consistent Super Alliances for John Size and Karis Teetan as well as the David Hall-trained Lucky Missile at longer odds.

The third leg, the first division of the 1m½f Class 3 handicao (2.15), sees Flash Famous stand out on paper, but if he misses a place, it could be the leg in which to capitalise.

It's worth including the former South African Graceandmercy, as well Reynolds, who placed in novices at Newbury and on the Newmarket July course for Eve Johnson Houghton last year. Both Graceandmercy and Reynolds are owned by the influential Ng family.

For the penultimate leg, the second division of the 1m½f Class 3 handicap (3.15), Purton and Moreira are aboard the two inclusions, Cinquante Cinq and Heavenly Thought.

TOTE PLACEPOT

Race 4 (1st leg): 6, 11
Race 5 (2nd leg): 8
Race 6 (3rd leg): 1, 6, 11
Race 7 (4th leg): 9
Race 8 (5th leg): 1, 5
Race 9 (6th leg): 1

Happy Valley card

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