Hong Kong Preview & Best Bets – 12/02/2024

Hong Kong Tips for Monday, February 12

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

 BEST BET 🏆

Race 9:  No.12  SILVER UP 

The Cody Mo-trained SILVER UP is three starts into this preparation and is now showing signs that he is ready to return to the winner’s circle. Last start, the American-bred gelding made it back-to-back podium finishes when he grabbed third prize in a Class 3 Hcp, here over 1400m. Settling mid-field, he travelled well throughout and was doing his best work late, which turned out to be too late in the end, beaten 1.5 lengths on the line. The stable have acted and put him in distance today where he has saluted previously over the mile when winning his maiden back in Australia. At his peak today, the galloping grey should appreciate the additional distance here and prove hard to hold out in this contest.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 11.  No.13  MAGNIFICENT NINE

Coming in on the limit here, the John Size-trained MAGNIFICENT NINE looks well placed at the weights to give this contest a real fright today. Last start, the Toronado gelding was second-up and showed plenty of improvement when he beat all but one home in a Class 3 Hcp, here over 1200m. With Zac Purton aboard, he settled mid-field (one off the fence) and gave his all in the run home, just unable to reel in the winner that day. That was just his second start on Hing Kong soil after transferring across from the Team Hawkes camp in Australia where he raced as Lispcani. He won his maiden by three lengths in Newcastle just before he left. He is now two starts back from a lengthy nine-month break and is already a winner when third-up. Purton sticks with him today (which is always a good sign), and steeping up in distance here looks ideal at this stage of his preparation. A trouble-free run today should see him make his mark on this event.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 10:  No.4  INVINCIBLE SAGE

David Hall saddles-up INVINCIBLE SAGE here who is in top-shelf form this time in and looks well placed here to give this contest a real shake at good odds today. Last start, the in-form galloper came off a hat-trick of wins where he wasn’t disgraced, finishing second in the Group 3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy, here over the 1000m sprint. Since arriving from Australia (Oct ’22), he hasn’t looked back, taking an immediate liking to the Sha Tin track, landing six podium finishes from seven starts here. Alex Badel was aboard for that mighty effort last start, and steers the ship again today. He is up in weight but drops sharply in grade here and with a clear run to the line, he looks a solid each-way chance of challenging for another victory today.