Hong Kong Preview & Best Bets – 10/01/2024

Hong Kong Tips for Wednesday, January 10

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 5:  No.4  GALLANT VALOUR  ($4.20 with bet365)

The Jamie Richards-trained GALLANT VALOUR has found his mojo after three starts back and looks ideally placed for back-to-back victories here. Last start, the Heroic Valour gelding made sure that three times proves it when he proved too good for them in a Class 4 Hcp, here over tonight’s 1200m trip. Ridden the perfect race by James McDonald, he had the gelding box-seating on settling and as they straightened, pulled out and soon after took over and went on to win by half a length on the line. Drawn to box-seat again in gate two, Brenton Avdulla is the pilot tonight (due to the unavailability of J.Mac) who rode him into second place two starts back. High flying and rock-hard fit with those three runs behind him, he will take beating again.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 6:  No.7  HELENE FEELING  ($3.80 with bet365)

Danny Shum saddles-up HELENE FEELING here who boasts a glowing resume and looks poised for back-to-back victories here. Last start, the Sioux Nation gelding brought up career win number six when he proved too good for a Class 2 field, here over the 1800m. Again, J.Mac was the pilot for that contest and his place tis taken by local rider Vince Ho for this assignment. He is drawn out tonight (in gate nine) which may see Ho look for a sit near mid-field with cover. This is a little harder than his last conquest (and is for many of them) but goes into the race, rock-hard fit after four runs back and is a track specialist with three wins and two minor placings coming from his six starts here. Given a trouble-free run here, he can give this a real shake tonight.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 7:  No.6  LEAN HERO  ($5 with Bet Right)

The David Hayes-trained LEAN HERO ticks enough boxes here to be more than just interested in his chances of victory tonight. Last start, the Maurice galloper came off an impressive Class 3 win, here over this distance when he finished a gallant fifth against similar company over the same track and trip. They set a solid pace in that race and on straightening, he looked gone but Derek Leung kept him going and the four-year-old raised another effort and was doing his best work over the final 100m, where he took ground off those in front of him. He gets the gun-run tonight in gate one as Leung sticks with him for this assignment. All four career wins have been celebrated on this track and with a clear run to line, he can bounce back tonight.