23/12/2025
TIPS FOR THE MERRY TUESMAS EVE HAPPY VALLEY RACE MEETING!
Wednesday night racing, even when it’s on a Tuesday like tonight at Happy Valley, over the past few years these race meetings are usually full of traps for a variety of reasons.
For example, it’s pretty well known that certain jockeys really don’t care if they win or lose as the chances of a Class 4 or 5 cellar dweller becoming a champion and racing in Group 1 races for enormous prize money are slim, whereas the professional betting syndicates outside of Hong Kong, look at taking on a couple of favourites to lose.
Sometimes, there’s a need to lose to win.
We, usually don’t bother with the first three races as they are dire affairs and one is often left to see who’s the best of the worst.
Looking at tonight’s card, trainer Caspar Fownes, who knows how to play to win at the city track, has some very good chances and should take home the night’s Trainers Challenge.
This might mean taking a three or four race Quinella/Place multi or just playing the last Treble and Double Trio of the night.
This is also the last night of the short stint in Hong Kong for Hollie Doyle and the somewhat longer time out here for David Probert, who, to be fair, has been starved of rides, let alone half way decent rides with even a modicum of chances of winning.
RACE 1
Poor things in Class 5 and sent around to stretch their legs. Not a betting race, but if deciding to take a Quartet or make this one of 2-3 Quinella place multis, we’ll make Sky Song (6) the banker with 1,3,11,12 as legs.
RACE 2
Time for the Tony Cruz yard to wake up from its siesta.
SELECTIONS: 12-1-2-6
RACE 3
SELECTIONS: 6-10-8-11
RACE 4
Might be karma, but the first leg of the 6 Up often sees the favourites flop like flat pancakes. Tread carefully.
SELECTIONS: 1-10-8-6
RACE 5
Open face sandwich looking race and suggest looking outside of the favourites. Absolutely no idea.
SELECTIONS:4-12-11-6-7
RACE 6
Though good to see a distance race for those horses in Class 3, these distance races are, at the best of times, muddling run affairs to figure out as there often appear to be a couple of riders who, for reasons, known only to them, decide to take off as if in a tremendous hurry to get to the “chee saw”.
Yes, yes, there’s this belief by some that certain jockeys have more experience riding staying races, but their experience usually amounts to nought when someone gets a firecracker up their bum, takes off as if riding Pride Of Jenni at Flemington and upsets the best laid plans. Anything can happen in this race-and probably will.
SELECTIONS:3-12-6-1
RACE 7
More open a race that some might think and it wouldn’t surprise if David Probert finally gets the chance to ride his first winner on the last day of his short term contract in Hong Kong.
TREPIDATIONS: 12-7-5-9-11
RACE 8
Watching Vincent Ho being interviewed about this race, it was interesting to hear him say that he had no idea how King Miles won his last race.
Vinnie then looked all girly and coy when asked about the presence in this race of one of his regular rides in Perfect Match and which he described as “the big danger”.
Drawn barrier 11, we don’t think he will be anywhere near the winner though trainer Caspar Fownes’ booking of Miracle Man Maxine Guyon for the ride makes one a bit cautious. King Miles should go close to winning again.
SELECTIONS: 2-7-11-3
RACE 9
Last start winner over 1800 metres Helene Feeling drops back in distance here and we don’t see him winning. He’s up in the weights and probably needs to drop in the ratings before racing again at 1800 metres.
It’s an open looking race to finish the night and could send many home in tears if either Regal Gem or Huge Wave don’t salute.
SELECTIONS:3-12-4-7
