Eagle Farm Preview & Best Bets - Wednesday, February 8
Hong Kong Preview & Best Bets – Wednesday February 8
Hong Kong Tips 08/02/2023
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.5 PACKING AWARD ($2.70 with Palmerbet)
The Peter Ho-trained PACKING AWARD covered himself in glory in the black-type January Cup here last start and if he can reproduce that effort here, he will be very hard to beat tonight. Last start, the Shamus Award gelding came off a very poor showing in Class 2 company and after a five-week lay-off, put on a super performance to beat all but one home in the Group 3 January Cup, here over 1800m. He that out, 9.5 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best here and a new personal best for him. Zac Purton returns for tonight’s assignment where he drops in class and is back at his pet distance as well. Eight starts (to date) at the track and trip have resulted in five wins and two runner-up finishes which is impressive on any resume. Perfectly drawn in gate, there’s no speed drawn inside him which may see him box-seating on settling. With that in mind and a trouble-free run here, he should prove mighty hard to hold-out tonight.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 8: No.5 REWARDING TOGETHER ($2.60 with bet365)
Frankie Lor saddles-up REWARDING TOGETHER here who found his mojo three starts back and hasn’t looked back since. Last start, the Pierro gelding was coming off back-to-back wins when he came within a neck of a hat-trick, finishing second behind Sight Success in the Group 3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy over 1000m at Sha Tin. He that trip out, 8 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best last-start effort in this line-up. Silvestre De Sousa was aboard that day and sticks with him for tonight’s assignment. Nicely drawn in gate six, he maps to settle better than mid-field with cover and with a record here that reads six wins and two runner-up finishes from ten starts at the track and distance, he looks the testing material in this contest.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 6: No.2 KING LAND ($13 with Ladbrokes)
The Benno Young-trained KING LAND is a much better horse than his recent form suggests and a chance of scenery here just might turn things around for him tonight. Last start, the Brazen Beau gelding couldn’t go with them in a Class 2 over 1400m at Sha Tin. Ridden the perfect race by Jerry Chau, he sat one out, one back and turning for home, ranged along side the leaders, seemingly with the jump on the front two runners. However, in the run home, the swoopers came from everywhere and left him lingering near mid-field as they crossed the line. He still managed to run a new personal best, covering the trip, 7.4 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best in this field. Three things to consider on his chances here; firstly, he drops back to Class 3 company tonight, secondly, he also drops back in distance where is already a two-time winner and thirdly, he is four starts back from a spell now and will at his peak here. He is well worth an each-way ticket tonight.
