Foreign Friday at Sha Tin: Tom’s Tips & Rich’s Ranks for Five Hong Kong Races
Foreign Friday heads back to Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong for another edition of Australian Insomnia Racing’s international cousin — five competitive handicaps where finding the right horse at the right price could make staying awake until nearly 4 a.m. worthwhile.
Hong Kong racing presents a different handicapping challenge. Deep betting pools, competitive class structures, familiar rivals and tactical race positioning mean small advantages can make a big difference. A favorable draw, improved second-up performance, class change or unexpected early-speed advantage could be the difference between winning and losing.
22-1 Tom is looking for improving horses, troubled trips, signs of life and runners whose recent finishes might disguise better performances. Rich’s Ranks focus on pace scenarios, distance records, improvement cycles, lightly raced horses and opportunities to find value beyond the obvious favorites.
Five consecutive races. Competitive handicaps. Plenty of potential longshots.
Foreign Friday goes to Hong Kong.
Race 2: Lukfook Jewellery Wedding Collection Handicap – 1:10 a.m. ET
22-1 Tom’s Tips
14 – Manythanksforever – he did something he had not done, and that broke his lead. It did not work for a win, but the race was at 1600m and he went off at 95-1. This race, he has a good post position, and he is my signs-of-life horse.
12 – Only U – ran okay last time on the all-weather and the time before, but not well enough for a placing. He has won only once in Hong Kong. In this race, he may just have a chance, and Zac rides again.
7 – Prestige Superior – like the first choice, he ran a much better race last time, finishing fourth. Has he got enough to get the job done today? Well, if he sits again on the rail early and runs on again nicely, he should run in the money.
Rich’s Ranks
13 – SUPREME WINNER – improving – faster last out – 3rd up
8 – THE CONCENTRATION – pressure horse that cuts back in distance
12 – ONLY U – Zac Purton – better in 2nd up?
14 – MANYTHANKS FOREVER – only speed horse – cuts back in distance
Race 3: Lukfook Jewellery Love Is Beauty Collection Handicap – 1:40 a.m. ET
22-1 Tom’s Tips
7 – Soo Koo – this is another horse who did something he had never done before. He ran third and pushed early to run with the leaders. He lacked room, a bit wide on the turn. Adding distance today is an interesting move by the trainer. After running eleventh three times, this was different.
4 – Cava Pioneer – The overall last race was a mess in the running, but he settled back of the field and, when that turn for the finish came, he ran evenly. He has two starts, and his first race was a bit better, and he ran greenly. Why pick? There are no superstars in this race, and adding distance will help. Zac had ridden another horse in the race but stuck with this horse. Makes one think, watch the odds.
3 – Absolute Awakened – ran fourth last time at 1400m and won the race before. If you look down the chart, he is much better than in the five races before the win. He appears to be in form and had issues early last time, including being tight on the turn.
Rich’s Ranks
2 – CIRCUIT FIERY – going to be out front and really a lot of the others just run in place
11 – POLAR PATCH – looking for 2nd up improvement
13 – AMAZING DUCK – 3rd up and should be involved from start to finish
8 – FLYING AMANI – 2 best races 1st up like today
Race 4: Lukfook Jewellery Miss Hong Kong Love Yourself Collection Handicap – 2:15 a.m. ET
22-1 Tom’s Tips
3 – Ka Ying Generation – He did not travel well in his first start at Happy Valley and returns to Shi Tin. He has two career wins, including one at this level. He has run against better horses in a few races and has run okay. Second up, he will do better at this track.
8 – Mighty Strength – he should be on the pace in this race. He won three starts back, running 1800m at this level. He has won at this distance. He needed the last start, his first of the season, and will run a good race today.
10 – Super Goldendragon – he is the best horse in the race at the 60-40 level. He won his last two races, including one at this distance. He is moving up in class after those successes and carries the least weight, which will help. My BUT is whether he can continue to move forward. Will see on Sunday.
Rich’s Ranks
6 – CALL ME MAGNIFIQUE – 2 for 2 at the distance 2/11 at any other
2 – WITHOUT COMPARE – most of his races are good enough
10 – SUPER GOLDENDRAGON – 5 high quality starts in a row
1 – SERAPH GABRIE – Zac Purton = must take in a wide open race
Race 5: Lukfook Jewellery Diabling Shimmering Gold Collection Handicap – 3:05 a.m. ET
22-1 Tom’s Tips
13 – Speedy Power – this horse finally drew a better post position than in his last five races. He closed from twelfth to run third last time and was bet down from previous races. Will he be taken back again for one run? Or will Zac place him more forwardly early and close at the end with an opening late?
5 – Copartner AI – he has finished third in his two career races. He drew the outside last time and was very wide for most of the race, but still ran well. I know he will continue to improve even from a twelfth post position.
6 – E Ho Ho – won the last start at 50-1, with no cover and outside the leaders. The trainer was questioned about the reversal in form. In his previous races, he showed some early pace but flattened out at the end. Has he finally turned the corner and started showing up? I hope so.
Rich’s Ranks
3 – CAVAMAZING – last race would be good enough – room for growth in 3d career start
9 – HANDSOME HERO – 3rd career start upside – faster last out – extra furlong could help
4 – LIGHT YEARS GLORY – best 6f time – but tends to fade late
6 – E HO HO – another that just needs to rerun his last – AON 17/3-0-0
Race 6: Lukfook Jewellery Night Banquet in Tang Palace Collection Handicap – 3:35 a.m. ET
22-1 Tom’s Tips
2 – Full Metal – first start in Hong Kong after some good races in Australia. All races were at Rosehill, and he won three times and was second twice in five starts. He has barrier trials on the all-weather and turf. He did both of those trials. He is ready to roll.
14 – Lahore – He has run nine races at 1000m and won two, finished second once, and fourth four times. He will sit midpack before making one run. This is his second start, and he has won both first up and second up. I just think my top selection is going to be a challenge to beat.
13 – Devas Twelve – his last two races are forgettable. One was at Happy Valley, and the other was on the all-weather; he finished eleventh in both races. He has speed, and a post eight will help dictate the pace. I am putting him in for third, but there are a couple of others to watch, as this is their first starts in Hong Kong.
Rich’s Ranks
6 – KA YING LIGHTNING – unbeaten in 2 with 2 different running styles
5 – DYNAMIC BROSE – won debut with a solid time – 2nd race upside
10 – TURBO GRANNY – dominated debut – been off since – another who can pop in 2nd start
14 – LAHORE – decent enough race last out – looking for more in 2nd up
Where Tom and Rich Agree — and Disagree
Race 2: Manythanks Forever and Only U
The opening race produces two shared selections, although neither handicapper puts them on top.
Tom sees Manythanksforever as a signs-of-life horse after a surprisingly different performance at huge odds. Rich identifies a possible tactical advantage: he may be the only true early-speed horse in the race.
Both also include Only U, with Zac Purton returning and the possibility of improvement.
Rich takes Supreme Winner on top, looking for continued improvement in his third start back.
Race 3: Two Completely Different Approaches
This is the one race where Tom and Rich don’t share a single selection.
Tom looks for horses whose recent performances suggest something better is coming. Soo Koo showed unexpected early involvement, Cava Pioneer has limited experience and potential upside, and Absolute Awakened appears to have found better form.
Rich takes the opposite approach, emphasizing race shape.
Circuit Fiery could control the early pace against rivals who may simply settle into their usual running positions.
Sometimes a disagreement between handicappers is as interesting as an agreement.
Race 4: Super Goldendragon
Both Tom and Rich include #10 Super Goldendragon.
Tom recognizes his two consecutive victories and weight advantage but questions whether he can keep improving after moving up in class.
Rich sees five consecutive quality performances and ranks him third.
Rich’s top choice, Call Me Magnifique, offers a particularly interesting distance angle: unbeaten in two starts at today’s trip compared with just two victories in eleven starts at other distances.
Race 5: Can E Ho Ho Do It Again?
The shared horse in Race 5 is E Ho Ho, whose last victory came at 50-1.
Tom questions whether that dramatic reversal in form was a genuine breakthrough or a one-race surprise.
Rich sees the same question from a statistical perspective.
His record of 17 starts, three wins and no seconds or thirds suggests a horse who either wins or finishes outside the placings.
If he repeats his last race, he belongs.
If not, this could be a very different outcome.
Race 6: Lahore
Tom and Rich both include #14 Lahore, but their top selections are very different.
Tom goes with Full Metal, making his Hong Kong debut after an impressive Australian record and preparatory barrier trials.
Rich prefers Ka Ying Lightning, unbeaten in two starts while demonstrating the ability to win using different running styles.
Both see some potential improvement from Lahore in his second start back.
Five Hong Kong Handicaps. Plenty of Ways to Find Value.
Foreign Friday at Sha Tin gives us a different challenge from the major stakes cards we’ve been covering in Australia and Europe.
These aren’t races dominated by internationally famous Group 1 horses.
They’re competitive handicaps where understanding the circumstances behind a horse’s recent performance can be just as important as the finishing position.
Tom is finding horses who may be turning the corner.
Rich is looking for tactical advantages, distance specialists and runners sitting on improvement.
And with the final race in our coverage scheduled for 3:35 a.m. Eastern, there’s no question this one qualifies as Insomnia Racing.
Five races. Five handicapping puzzles. Let’s find some prices in Hong Kong.
