Our Hong Kong expert Graham Cunningham takes a look at Saturday's Sha Tin card live on Sky Sports Racing.
Cummings flies in as jockeys prepare to jet out
One big name is moving in (eventually) and a good few more will be moving out (temporarily) as soon as Saturday’s Sha Tin meeting is over.
Aussie handler James Cummings – just 36 when he became the youngest trainer in Aussie racing history to saddle 50 Group 1 winners last year – was at Sha Tin in midweek to reveal that he will the HK training ranks for the start of the 2026-2027 season.
And the fact that there is no racing in HK for eight days after Saturday means some star riders will set a fierce gallop to the airport to make the most of a break caused by the spotlight shifting to World Pool action from Royal Ascot.
Must Go and Without Delay would be apt winners in the circumstances but the form book is generally a better guide to winner finding and three horses catch the eye on a marathon twilight card that’s live on Sky Sports Racing from 9am.
10.00: King Alloy
Nominating a horse who’s never finished better than eighth in his first four runs isn’t something to be undertaken lightly but the HKU Heritage Handicap looks a shallow affair by Class 4 standards.
Winning Diamond is of interest after catching the eye staying on well over the minimum trip on his debut and his morning trials and the booking of Zac Purton suggest he’s going to play a major role despite being drawn wide in gate 11.
Rainbow Seven and newcomer Aerovolanic also have plenty to recommend them, but KING ALLOY might just fly under the Tote radar here.
Jimmy Ting’s gelding got tired over course and distance on his latest start but the speed he showed in helping force a strong pace (a fiery 45.42s for the first 800m) marked him out as a potential improver under less challenging circumstances.
A low draw is very handy when the rail is out wide in the C+3 setting at Sha Tin, so gate 1 looks ideal, and King Alloy can give his followers a good spin at a decent price if Harry Bentley rides him with a bit more restraint here.
11.35: Raging Blizzard
We’ve reached that stage of the season when some valuable HK handicaps feature a clutch of horses who have met each other on numerous occasions and the catchily titled HKU Business School and Faculty of Engineering Handicap is a case in point.
Purton is bound to corner a fair slice of the market aboard the smart and speedy Bottomuptogether but Frankie Lor’s gelding will have plenty of company on the sharp end from Harmony N Blessed, Call Me Glorious and Whizz Kid.
It's hard to have major confidence in a race as tight as this but things might set up nicely for a finisher and a pace collapse would certainly work in favour of RAGING BLIZZARD.
True, John Size’s gelding will need to be at his very best to defy a lofty mark of 104 having been absent since February.
But Raging Blizzard has been trialling well during his break and a pair of course and distance scores in December and January showed that he can produce a potent finish when the leaders go a little too hard for their own good.
1.05: Liveandletlive
It’s hard to know what owner Connie Siu paid to buy Liveandletlive out of the Muir and Grassick stable but the Muharaar gelding – a Nottingham and Haydock winner early last summer – has already collected £320,000 for one win and two placings in his new home.
Now with Tony Cruz, the freewheeling four-year-old is well suited buy forcing tactics and lines up for the HKU Foundation Handicap after a thrilling defeat of Gold Master and an excellent second, clear of the remainder, to the same progressive horse three weeks ago.
Those runs came over 2000m but Liveandletlive will be fully effective back at this slightly shorter trip.
He still looks fairly treated having been raised 3lb for his latest effort and, although he’s in a typically tough Class 3, this likeable and willing gelding looks sure to give it a good go from the inside gate under Angus Chung.
Saturday’s Sha Tin Selections
10.00: King Alloy (EW)
11.35: Raging Blizzard (EW)
1.05: Liveandletlive
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