Hong Kong Preview & Best Bets – Wednesday March 8

 

Hong Kong Tips 08/03/2023

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

 

BEST BET 🏆

Race 3:  No.3  EIGHTEEN PALMS  ($2.05 with Unibet)

Danny Shum saddles-up EIGHTEEN PALMS here who is having jut his third race start tonight and from what we’ve seen so far, he could easily break through in this contest. Last start, the El Roca gelding showed improvement from his debut run when he beat all but one home in a Class 4 Hcp, here over the 1650m trip. Ridden a treat by Zac Purton, he box-seated to the turn, then gaining a rails run, moved up and was in the fight to the finish, only to be denied by a head, taking home second prize that night. He covered that trip, 1.8 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best in this field. With Purton in Australia at the moment, another Aussie rider (Hugh Bowman) takes the reins for tonight’s assignment. He will strip even fitter here as he takes on similar company over the mile trip again. With trouble-free run here, he looks well contention for the major prize.

 

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 8:  No.3  WINNING ICEY  ($2.25 with Palmerbet)

The Caspar Fownes-trained WINNING ICEY has missed the podium just once in his seven starts this campaign and looks well placed here to add another top-three finish to his resume tonight. Last start, the Hinchinbrook gelding was out of luck again when finishing third in a Class 3 Hcp, here over 1200m. Dropping back at the start, Luke Ferraris took the turn via the cape and on straightening, he was the widest of all, some eight horses off the fence. With his usual finishing dash, the four-year-old stormed home to finish less than half a length from victory. The extra ground covered being his downfall that night. He still ran his last 600m, 7 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best here by 2 lengths. He also posted the fastest final 800m, 600m and 400m sectionals for the race. Hugh Bowman is legged aboard for tonight’s effort and drawn ideally in gate four, he maps to settle back in the field but a little closer to the pace. If Bowman can keep him close to the fence and find clean air from there, he will be hard hold out tonight.

 

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 9:  No.10  ROCK YA HEART  ($3.80 with Ladbrokes)

The Francis Lui-trained ROCK YA HEART has been racing without luck this time in but that can all change here tonight. Last start, the I Am Invincible gelding was out of luck again when finishing third in a Class 2 Hcp over 1200m at Sha Tin. Box-seating to the turn, he was held up and couldn’t get clear and when the run did come, he had lost momentum, leaving Zac Purton to work overtime on him to find a final effort. He hit the line hard but was grabbed late by Toronado Phantom who found all the breaks and finished best to score on the line. They clash again here with Rock Ya Heart lining-up better at the weights and the gate. With a trouble-free run here, he can turn it all around tonight.