Hong Kong Preview & Best Bets – Sunday December 11

Hong Kong Tips 11/12/2022

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 7:  No.1  GOLDEN SIXTY  ($1.75 with Unibet)

The race everyone will be keen to see is here, where Hong Kong’s pin-up galloper GLODEN SIXTY clashes (yet again) with front-running rival, California Spangle and (on paper at least), it looks like they have it between them. Last start, it was a case of déjà vu where Golden Sixty was first-up, coming off a win over California Spangle and he repeated the dose, in the Group 2 Jockey Club Mile on this track. That was the seven-year-old’s 22nd win from 25 starts here, a record that simply can’t be matched (by any of these). Regular rider, Vince Ho, has been with him for all 25 career-starts and is in pride-of-place today. Both gallopers have drawn near the fence which should lead to a fair and just contest. All eyes will be glued to the top of the home straight when the fireworks are expected to start. Already a three-time winner (and unbeaten) when third-up, he still looks to have the edge here and he will be the one storming home out wide today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 6:  No.3  SWEET ENCOUNTER  ($2 with bet365)

Yet to miss a top-two finish in four starts, SWEET ENCOUNTER ticks every box here and surely just bad luck prevents him from racking-up win number three today. After winning his first two at Class 4 level, he stepped up to Class 3 company and still beat all but one home in a 1400m contest. Then last start, the Toronado gelding met similar company when he stepped-up to the 1600m trip for the first time where he clobbered his rivals, putting two lengths on them over the line. He ran the trip out, 3.1 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best in this field. The runs are on the board, and Zac Purton remains in the saddle. He looks the one to beat.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 5:  No.1  WELLINGTON  ($4.40 with Palmerbet)

Track specialist WELLINGTON has a glowing resume when it comes to racing at Sha Tin and he looks well placed here to bounce back from his unplaced effort here last start. The All Too Hard gelding was second-up when he was ridden a treat by regular rider Alex Badel, but just ran out of steam in the final 200m, finishing sixth in the (15-strong) Group 2 Jockey Club Sprint. They ran that trip out in a blistering 1:07.5 which gave several well-fancied runners an excuse to miss a podium finish that day. Already a two-time winner when third-up, the six-year-old has 11 career wins on his rap-sheet, all of which have come on the Shat Tin track. He has had 14 starts here at the 1200m trip, winning nine of them. His arch rival, Lucky Sweynesse, appears to be his main danger here and they do look to have the race between them. Fitter today, he welcomes new rider Ryan Moore to the saddle (with Badel not riding today). Forget that last run, he strips even fitter here and looks the testing material.