RACE 1 (1,200M)
7 Fantastic Way has caught the eye for his debut with several smart trials. He looks forward enough to score first-up.
12 Vukan has ability. He should have benefited from his first-up run. With even luck, he rates as the main danger.
14 Fire Ball is racing well and gets no weight on his back.
2 Xponential makes the step-down to Class 4. He will relish this drop in grade and gets the added bonus of apprentice Jerry Chau’s 7lb (3.18kg) claim.
RACE 2 (1,400M)
12 Golden Mission gets his chance to break through from the good draw with the in-form Antoine Hamelin astride.
3 City Legend is a perennial non-winner with 10 runner-up efforts from 30 starts. Still, he gets a handy 7lb claim and the favourable inside draw.
2 Winwin Thirtythree has drawn well. He won his last run in Class 5. He bears close watching again.
1 Destin rarely runs a bad race. He gets the services of champion jockey Zac Purton again.
RACE 3 (1,200M)
4 Striking Mr C is capable. He was a three-time course-and-distance winner last season. He can turn around his first-up struggles.
5 Resolute grabbed a close-up second last start. He has drawn well and gets his chance.
1 Lucky Fun got off the mark impressively last time at only his second start. He just needs to handle the dirt track.
8 Demons Rock is looking for back-to-back wins.
RACE 4 (1,600M)
6 Winning Steed gets the blinkers first time to sharpen him up, after struggling at his latest outing. His previous form was solid. If he can recapture that, he is capable of winning from the good gate.
2 Cheerful Days is doing everything right apart from winning. He is racing well and has gone close a number of times. But, once again, he just could not draw a good gate.
8 Country Boy kept on strongly for a close-up fifth last start. He is open to improvement and should run well.
4 Donc Je Suis is next best. He is steadily improving.
RACE 5 (1,200M)
9 Super Alliances is a three-time course-and-distance winner. With even luck from the good draw, he is the one to beat.
3 All For South won well from the front last time. Chances are he will try the same tactic again and he will look the winner for a long way.
5 Sunset Watch makes the switch to the dirt for the first time this season. He has performed well on the surface previously and he is a leading player with that form.
6 Gunnar is a consistent on-pacer who gets his chance.
RACE 6 (1,400M)
1 Band of Brothers narrowly missed in this grade two starts ago. Although he has drawn awkwardly, he rates as the one to beat, especially with Purton atop again.
3 Ballistic King does not win out of turn but he rarely runs a bad race. He has drawn well and gets his opportunity.
2 Not Usual Talent won in style last start. He has drawn well and gets Chau’s handy 7lb relief.
10 Highly Proactive is next best on his form from early last season.
RACE 7 (1,800M) G3 CENTENARY VASE HANDICAP
2 Furore won consecutive Pattern races before finishing a competitive fifth in last month’s Group 1 Hong Kong Cup over 2,000m. Trainer Tony Cruz has this horse racing with confidence. He rates as the one to beat.
3 Columbus County finished third in last month’s Group 1 Hong Kong Vase over 2,400m. He gets a handy weight relief and warrants respect as a two-time winner over this course and distance.
7 Savvy Nine is looking for back-to-back wins at Group 3 level over 1,800m. This is a step-up though, with the likes of Exultant and Furore taking part. But his last success is hard to discount.
1 Exultant rarely runs a bad race but might just need a bit further as he gets older.
RACE 8 (1,400M)
4 Seaweed Fortune is better than his last-start suggests. He can bounce back to his best from the good gate.
9 Wins All is consistent. He is looking to snap three consecutive runner-up efforts. He gets his chance from Gate 1.
11 Ultra Express is steadily improving. He is worth including, down in the weights and from Gate 3.
3 More Than Enough is in form. He needs only to overcome the wide gate. He gets Christophe Soumillon, who rode a double on Wednesday night.
RACE 9 (1,600M)
10 Casimiro is consistent. He should finish strongly with the fast tempo, with a number of on-pace runners in the race.
5 Looking Great grabbed a creditable fifth over 1,400m on debut. He is open to improvement and the extra 200m should suit.
7 Beauty Day is one who will roll forward. He will get his chance to be around at the finish.
3 Perfect To Great mixes his form but has shown glimpses of talent. Do not rule him out.
RACE 10 (1,200M)
11 Guy Dragon was very unlucky last start. With a clean run, perhaps he could have won. He gets his chance to atone for that luckless effort.
3 Beauty Applause is looking for back-to-back victories. He is a classy on-pace galloper who needs only to overcome the awkward draw.
2 Duke Wai is in reasonably good form and appears to have found his mark with Chau’s 7lb claim.
9 Handsome Bo Bo is next best, off the back of two wins at the city circuit this season.
- Comments courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club