Hong Kong Preview & Best Bets – 18/02/2024

Hong Kong Tips for Sunday, February 18

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 8:  No.11  GLOBAL HARMONY

The David Hayes-trained GLOBAL HARMONY comes off a false start and despite his bad manners at the barrier, still lines up here looking the best of the day. Last start, he refused to load and they jumped without him, and just prior to that, he was on his best behaviour and took out a Class 3 Hcp, here over 1400m with Lyle Hewitson at the helm. He was ordered to trial after that last incident and finished second in both trials, the most recent behind the talented California Spangle. Zac Purton has had no success with him in two previous rides but returns for a third crack in this assignment. If he loads and jumps with him today, he will surely take beating.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 5:  No.7  MISSION BRAVO

The Mark Newnham-trained MISSION BRAVO is an all-weather-track specialist and on the dust and dirt in this event today, he looks the one to beat. Last start, he nearly pulled off a minor miracle when he missed the start by two lengths and on settling, was spotting the front runners 15 lengths. Regular rider Luke Ferraris pushed forward from the 700m mark and took the home turn, the widest of the 14-strong field. Showing plenty of fight, he passed all but the leader in the run to the line, beaten just half a length on the line. That was a super performance and now four starts in, he should be at his peak for this contest. All three (Hong Kong) victories have been on the all-weather surface and much better drawn today (in gate six), if he jumps with them here, he should prove very hard to hold out.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 9:  No.3  WOODFIRE BRO

Michael Chang saddles-up WOODFIRE BRO here who is in great touch this time in and looks set to bring up his first win for this campaign. Last start, the Echoes Of Heaven gelding made it a hat-trick of minor-money finishes when he took home third prize in a Class 2 Hcp, here over 2000m. Ridden a real treat by Derek Leung, he box-seated to the turn, and soon after took over where he looked set to win, but was grabbed late by two swoopers, where less than a length separated the three of them on the line. He drops back to Class 3 company today and back to the 1800m as well where he is already a winner and a four-time winner at Sha Tin as well. Leung is the regular rider of the five-year-old, already saluting four times with the galloper. Ideally drawn today in gate three, he maps to be box-seating again and up against easier opposition here, he looks the one to beat.