Hong Kong Cup betting guide, market, form and free tips

THE Hong Kong Cup is a 2000m feature held on the International Meeting at Sha Tin this Sunday and we have a runner-by-runner betting guide with form and free tips.

Two Japanese runners have made headlines in the betting market with both Maurice and A Shin Hikari carrying a lot of support for the 2016 Hong Kong Cup, but there are 10 other horses which all have a winning chance.

It’s a race which has been won by champion thoroughbreds across the world and our guide will help find the next big winner.

Place your Hong Kong Cup bet with CrownBet.com.au and if your horse runs second, CrownBet will give up to $25 in rewards points.

2016 Hong Kong Cup market

1. A Shin Hikari – $4.40
2. Maurice – $1.95
3. Designs On Rome – $11
4. Blazing Speed – $15
5. Staphanos – $14
6. Lovely Day – $13
7. Gun Pit – $101
8. Secret Weapon – $10
9. Elliptique – $51
10. Horse Of Fortune – $51
11. Helene Super Star – $101
12. Queens Ring – $11

Most of the punters money has come for Japanese champion Maurice. It opened at $2.30 and that price was quickly snapped up as it’s now into $1.95.

There has also been support for A Shin Hikari which opened at $4.80, dropped into $4, but has since settled back out at $4.40.

Local chance Designs On Rome has been easy out to $11 and Queens Ring is attracting attention at a double-figure price of $11.

Hong Kong Cup betting guide

1. A Shin Hikari – $4.40

Trainer: Masanori Sakaguchi
Jockey: Yutaka Take
Form: 1x16x0
Barrier: 1

The son of Deep Impact was rated one of the world’s best racehorses after it won the Hong Kong Cup last year which was followed up with a win in France, but its last two starts have been anything but amazing.

The five-year-old Japanese star finished sixth in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Ascot before running 12th in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) last time out.

It looked a shadow of its former self, but trainer Masanori Sakaguchi said it is in good form and its biggest threat comes from the four other Japanese entrants.

“Very good draw. Actually four to five was my ideal,” Sakaguchi said.

“He is in very good form and I am happy with his gallop this morning. The track looks better than last year. I think his big opponent will be the other Japanese horses.

“I just wish he could set the pace and lead the field until the finish.”

If it does find a soft lead it will kick strongly, but we’ve lost a little faith in A Shin Hikari.

2. Maurice – $1.95

Trainer: Kazumi Yoshida
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Form: 1×1221
Barrier: 8

Maurice deserves to be the short favourite in what can only be described as a stellar career to date.

The five-year-old is coming off a win in the Group 1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) where it defeated a tough group of Japanese stayers and its form prior included five consecutive victories.

During that winning streak it was able to win the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile last year and it followed that up with a Group 1 Champions Mile win on this track.

It will be ridden by champion jockey Ryan Moore who said Maurice will enjoy Sha Tin more than it did at Tokyo last start.

“I think that 2000m at Tokyo is far more challenging than the course in the Hong Kong Cup, it will not be an issue,” Moore said.

The tactics haven’t been released yet, but we’re picking Maurice will be ridden quietly from barrier eight before making its run around the home turn.

Take the $1.95 at Sportsbet.com.au and watch a star in action.

3. Designs On Rome – $11

Trainer: John Moore
Jockey: Joao Moreira
Form: 354×19
Barrier: 6

Just when you think the Hong Kong gelding is back to its best, it runs a disappointing ninth in the Group 2 Jockey Club Cup.

The John Moore-trained gelding has been an enigmatic type over the past couple of seasons, but it returned to its best when winning the Group 2 Sha Tin Trophy in October when beating Blazing Speed and Beauty Only. Unfortunately it was able to back that up, which is making it tough to follow.

The Group 1 Hong Kong Gold Cup winner can win on any given day and it would be foolish to rule it out, but trust is a big part of racing and it’s not a reliable bet this season.

We won’t rule it out, especially with Moreira in the saddle, and punters are getting a fair price.

4. Blazing Speed – $15

Trainer: Tony Cruz
Jockey: Neil Callan
Form: 631×25
Barrier: 4

Trainer Tony Cruz is extremely confident about his seven-year-old which has looked brilliant at times throughout 2016.

The son of Dylan Thomas won the Group 1 Champions & Chater Cup in May before running two solid races in key lead-in events this season. Despite a big weight last start it battled on well and Cruz was happy with that performance.

“Blazing Speed is in his best form right now. His last run was very good even though he had to carry five pounds more than most of the others,” Cruz said.

“I’m very happy with his condition right now. His final gallop this morning was very good.

“The Japanese are the horses to beat though, it’s going to be very tough.”

Blazing Speed looks a good local chance at $15 and it could give place punters a good sight at $3.80 with CrownBet.com.au.

5. Staphanos – $14

Trainer: Hideaki Fujiwara
Jockey: Christophe Soumillon
Form: 25×53
Barrier: 7

This son of Deep Impact hasn’t won since 2014 when it took out the Group 3 Fuji Stakes, but its last start third in the Tenno Sho behind Maurice was a nice effort.

The five-year-old is having its first start outside of Japan which is a concern and punters are shying away from it in the betting.

After opening far too short at $9, Staphanos has since drifted to a more respected price of $14.

It’s unlikely to be good enough to turn the tables on the likes of Maurice and we’re expecting its odds to drift even more.

6. Lovely Day – $13

Trainer: Yasutoshi Ikee
Jockey: Hugh Bowman
Form: 444×39
Barrier: 2

Lovely Day is another runner from the powerful Ikee stables which looks a winning chance despite some moderate form this season.

The six-year-old finished ninth in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) which was only its second run this preparation and it should be fitter for that outing. Its form prior included three consecutive fourths with one coming at Sha Tin, but its form in 2015 stands out.

It strung four consecutive wins together which included the Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen and the Group 1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) where it finished in front of Staphanos.

Ikee is confident the inside barrier draw will do the job on Sunday.

“Good draw. The condition of the turf on the inside looks good and he will be able to race well on the good surface,” Ikee said.

“He looked well and relaxed in his gallop this morning. I think all is under control so far.”

Lovely Day is worth a play at $13 with Sportsbet and it could run in the money.

7. Gun Pit – $101

Trainer: Caspar Fownes
Jockey: Karis Teetan
Form: 764×78
Barrier: 5

Gun Pit is a six-year-old gelding which hasn’t finished better than fourth at its last six starts.

Caspar Fownes might be taking a stab in the dark here, but its biggest win came in a Class 1 Handicap in 2015 and finishing seventh in the Group 1 Champions Mile isn’t going to cut it.

Good on them for having a go, but we wouldn’t suggest wasting your money backing Gun Pit.

8. Secret Weapon – $10

Trainer: Dennis Yip
Jockey: Zac Purton
Form: 33×841
Barrier: 3

The six-year-old son of Choisir comes into this having won the Group 2 Jockey Club Cup and that is the best form of the local runners.

It is having its 11th this year so fitness won’t be an issue and it has found form at the right part of the season. It defeated the likes of Flame Hero and Military Attack when winning last start so it should be considered in win bets here.

It has stayed steady in the market at $10 throughout the week and Australia’s Zac Purton is a good jockey to have in the saddle.

It will get a good run from barrier three and it could win with a repeat performance of last start.

9. Elliptique – $51

Trainer: Andre Fabre
Jockey: Pierre Boudot
Form: 1×2133
Barrier: 9

Quality trainer Andre Fabre lines up this New Approach five-year-old which brings in a different form line to the other runners.

It finished third in the Group 3 Premio Roma in Italy last start and although it’s hard to line up that form, it also finished third behind Silverwave which lines up in the Hong Kong Vase earlier on the card.

It has won a Group one this year and although its odds suggest it won’t be a contender, it could sneak into the minor money.

Stable representative Richard Lambert is giving Elliptique quiet work in preparation for the Hong Kong Cup.

“That was very easy, just a hack-canter today. He will canter tomorrow and Saturday and then just a hack-canter on Sunday morning,” Lambert said.

10. Horse Of Fortune – $51

Trainer: Tony Millard
Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa
Form: 10×961
Barrier: 10

Horse Of Fortune makes the step up in distance having won the Group 3 Ladies Purse over 1800m last start.

The capable gelding defeated quality types Helene Paragon and Eastern Express which line up earlier in the night and if it can continue to improve with more distance, it could produce the upset.

Its form prior all came at shorter distances which clearly doesn’t suit the five-year-old and it’s not the worst chance to produce another surprise victory.

Faces its toughest career test here however.

11. Helene Super Star – $101

Trainer: Tony Cruz
Jockey: Gerard Mosse
Form: 00408
Barrier: 12

Helene Super Star is not living up to its name considering it hasn’t won or placed at its last 13 starts since winning in May of 2015.

The Tony Cruz-trained gelding produced its best finish since that win when running fourth in a Class 1 Handicap at Happy Valley, but the form out of that race is poor and we can’t see it running in the first half of the field.

One of the worst runners in the field and the odds represent that.

12. Queens Ring – $11

Trainer: Keiji Yoshimura
Jockey: Mirco Demuro
Form: 182×11
Barrier: 11

Strong Japanese runner which comes into this having won the Group 2 Fuchu Himba Stakes followed by the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Kyoto last start.

The smart four-year-old filly gets the weight advantage over the rest of the field which is warranted and it will have to find a few lengths to compete with the boys.

There’s no knocking its ability and it comes into this in career-best form, but drawing barrier 11 makes it tough. Trainer Keiji Yoshimura is leaving tactics in the hands of Mirco Demuro.

“Of course I wanted to draw inside, but Mirco Demuro has been riding in Hong Kong and he has lots of experience,” Yoshimura said.

“He knows the racing here, so I trust him a lot and will leave the strategy to him. She raced well from the outside draw in Japan, so I am hopeful.”

2016 Hong Kong Cup tips

1st – Maurice
2nd – A Shin Hikari
3rd – Blazing Speed
4th – Designs On Rome
Include in multiples – Lovely Day ($3.40 to place) at Sportsbet

Maurice is the clear top pick and we would be surprised if it doesn’t produce its absolute best.

The Japanese star romped home in the Tenno Sho against a quality field and whilst many of its opposition have already run their best races, Maurice has plenty more to come.

A Shin Hikari is too good to leave out despite its poor recent form, but its connections are confident and there has been market support.

Local runners Blazing Speed and Designs On Rome are capable of pulling off the upset and Lovely Day is a value runner.

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