Hong Kong Preview & Best Bets – 03/04/2024

Hong Kong Tips for Wednesday, April 3

Our form expert provides Hong Kong tips for tonight’s horse racing at Sha Tin Racecourse and gives his best bets.

BEST BET 🏆

Race 6:  No.5  SING DRAGON 

Mark Newnham saddles-up SING DRAGON here who is fourth-up and looks a solid chance of going back-to-back tonight. Formerly with Chris Waller (and racing as Operative in Australia), the Written Tycoon gelding finished unplaced in his first two starts on Hong Kong soil (at Happy Valley on the turf track). Then last start, he was third-up and raced here, on the all-weather track, where he clobbered his rivals in a Class 3 Hcp over 1200m. He scorched the dirt track, running 1:07.9 for the 1200m, winning by almost two lengths on the line with Karis Teetan aboard. Teetan steers the ship again tonight where the four-year-old maps to settle mid-field from gate six. Despite carrying 3.5kgs more for this assignment, at his peak here, he still looks the best on the program.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 8:  No.4  ADEFILL

The Ricky Yiu-trained ADEFILL has won two of his past four and looks well placed here to bounce back tonight. Last start, the Deep Field gelding jumped with them but found himself third-last passing the post for the first time. From there, he continued to lose ground until they turned for home where he could see them all and was the widest runner and spotting the leader ten lengths. Despite being no chance of winning from there, he still hit the line well, doing his best work over the final 200m. He crossed the line in seventh place, beaten just over two lengths on the line. Hugh Bowman returns for his second ride on the gelding (after finishing runner-up with him three starts back) and boasting all five career-wins here, he can claim track specialist status. With a trouble-free run tonight, he has the opportunity to return to the winner’s circle in this contest.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 3:  No.5  VANTASTIC CHOICE 

The Dennis Yip-trained VANTASTIC CHOICE has found his mojo this time in and looks set to bring up career-win number three tonight. Last start, the Choisir gelding had no luck when finishing unplaced in a Class 4 Hcp, here over 1400m. Jumping from gate 12 (of 14), he couldn’t cross early and had to use up plenty of juice to eventually find the lead after 400m of torrid running. He fought like a tiger in the run home and it was only the final 100m that found him out, beaten just over three lengths in the end. A different story tonight as he gets the gun-run from gate and new rider Ellis Wong brings a 4.5kg claim with him, seeing the five-year-old carrying just 49.5kgs for this assignment, 6kgs less than last start. He looks well worth an each-way ticket tonight.