Hong Kong Preview & Best Bets – 01/05/2024

Hong Kong Tips for Wednesday, May 1

Our form expert provides Hong Kong tips for today’s horse racing at Happy Valley Racecourse and gives his best bets.

BEST BET 🏆

Race 7:  No.6  COPARTNER PRANCE

The Francis Lui-trained COPARTNER PRANCE is high-flying at the moment and looks a real chance of bringing up the hat-trick tonight. Last start, the Epaulette gelding made it two-straight when he took out a Class 4 Hcp, here over 1200m. carrying 61kgs and Zac Purton, he box-seated to the turn when he came off the leader’s heels and under his big weight, fought like a caged tiger and did best in the end, winning by more than a length on the line. He is up in class tonight but drops 5.5kgs in the process. Purton sticks with him after two wins from as many rides on the four-year-old. From gate six, he maps to be in the first four on settling and with the big weight relief, he looks every chance at going three-straight tonight.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 4:  No.3  DOUBLE BINGO 

Having his second race-start tonight, DOUBLE BINGO gets his chance to go one better here. On debut, the Charm Spirit gelding settled third-last, spotting the leader eight lengths. On straightening, Luke Ferraris asked the three-year-old for a final effort and weaving through traffic, he stormed home and missed by whisker, taking home second prize on the night. Ferraris sticks with him here and from gate four, gets the chance to settle a little closer to the speed. Fitter for that first-up run, if he is ‘in-touch’ with them on the turn, he should prove very hard to hold out tonight.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 8:  No.4  SIMPLY MAVERICK 

Ricky Yiu saddles-up SIMPLY MAVERICK here who has had just one hiccup in his past seven starts and looks set to go on his merry way in this contest. Two starts back, the Sebring gelding took on Open company at Sha Tin where he was outclassed on the day. Then last start, he dropped sharply in grade and returned to Happy Valley where he bounced back by beating all but one home in a Class 3 Hcp over 1650m (with Zac Purton aboard for the first time). Tonight, he jumps from gate seven and maps to settle just behind the speed with cover. Already a three-time winner at the track and trip, a clear run to the line should see him hard to hold out here.