RACING in Hong Kong features a nine-race all-weather card at Sha Tin today, highlighted by the competitive Choi Wan Handicap (3.50pm) over the extended mile.
Regular racegoers in the city would have left Sha Tin last weekend on good terms with themselves with eight favourites obliging on the 11-race card. The only blip came from their favourite jockey Zac Purton, who left the track empty-handed.
Unfortunately for serious-minded bettors, just when finding winners was looking easy, up pops an all-weather card, where with so many imponderables making a profit is sometimes likened to finding a winning lucky-dip ticket.
The best advice is to keep an eye on the first couple of races and see if there is a track bias favouring on-pace gallopers, or strong finishers coming down the centre of the track.
In the past the draw has favoured low gate numbers, but this has not been so pronounced recently and gallopers coming from double figure draws should not be dismissed.
Trainers Mark Newnham and Danny Shum have the best records on the dirt surface this season, with eight winners each, and both look capable of adding to their present tallies.
Shum, who bounced back to form with a winning four-timer at Happy Valley last week, is out in force again with a strong raiding party of seven who all boast sound claims.
With the stable having an eye-catching three wins from four runners over nine furlongs on dirt this season, it is notable that they rely on SHANGHAI STYLE to further improve on that record in the nine-furlong Ping Shek Handicap (1.45pm).
The five-year-old has yet to race over the distance but has won and been placed over the extended mile and gives plenty of encouragement he will stay further.
You can write off his recent forays over the course and distance where he was either held up at a crucial stage or caught wide for most of the journey.
Having dropped to one pound below his last winning mark, and with leading pilot Hugh Bowman back on board, he can strike top form again at likely attractive odds.
Trainer Mark Newnham is guaranteed to have given a whoop of delight when he saw the rivals that line-up against his stable hope TALENTS AMBITION in the Choi Wan Handicap over the extended mile.
The eye-catching grey and all-weather specialist has seen his rating dip a few points this season after his four races on dirt have all turned into sit and sprint contests.
Finally, with the likes of Voyage Samurai and Telecom Fighter always desperate to lead at all costs, and Loch Tay and So You Will confirmed on-pace gallopers, the speed of the contest is likely to be the fast tempo which Talents Ambition craves.
With an inside draw in stall five a plus, and Purton climbing aboard for the first time, everything looks in place for an overdue victory.
POINTERS
Shanghai Style 1.45pm Sha Tin
Talents Ambition 3.50pm Sha Tin
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