Hong Kong Preview & Best Bets – 21/02/2024

Hong Kong Tips for Wednesday, February 21

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

BEST BET 🏆

Race 2:  No.2  HAPPY TOGETHER 

The Frankie Lor-trained HAPPY TOGETHER is in career-best form this campaign and looks well placed here to remain unbeaten on this track. Last start, the Irish-bred galloper was on track for a hat-trick of wins when he stumbled at the final hurdle, finishing unplaced at Sha Tin over behind Nimble Nimbus in the Group 3 Centenary Vase (1800m). Not disgraced, he ended up mid-field, beaten just three lengths on the line after never seeing daylight in the run home, held up by traffic all the way to the line. Dropping in grade here and back to his comfort zone of Happy Valley, Alex Badel retains the ride as he shoots for his sixth win on the five-year-old. Ideally drawn in gate three, he should avoid that problem here with the field only half the size of that black-type challenge. He looks set to seek revenge tonight.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 9:  No.10  MA COMET 

Jamie Richards saddles-up stablemates here who could very easily quinella this contest where we are running with MA COMET as the better value in the race. Last start, the Capitalist entire had his first start after 12 months off the scene when he made his Hong Kong debut and wasn’t disgraced when finishing mid-field, just over two lengths from the winner. He faced Class 3 company over 1000m at Sha Tin that day and did it tough from gate 11 (of 14). He is a model of consistency boasting seven-straight podium finishes (from as many starts) in his last preparation in Australia where he raced as Capital Theatre for Team Hawkes. Lyle Hewitson is the new pilot here and with a trouble-free run tonight, he can worry this field at juicy odds.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 7:  No.10  GLORIOUS JOURNEY

Another from the Frankie Lor stable is GLORIOUS JOURNEY who is second-up tonight and looking a tad over the odds here. Last start, the Sacred Falls gelding came off a six-month absence (as he arrived in Hong Kong, transferring from Australia) and having his first start at the Happy Valley track, finished mid-field in a Class 3 Hcp over 1200m. Matt Chadwick sticks with him here and from gate six, he has the opportunity to settle better than mid-field with cover. He won his maiden when second-up last preparation at Bendigo, racing as Top Torrent. Fitter for that first-up run and now having seen the Happy Valley circuit, the double figures on offer from the bagmen tonight seem very generous and will be gladfully accepted on an each-way basis.