By Wally Pyrah
SHA TIN hosts another exciting 10-race programme on Sunday, with six races on Turf and four on the All-Weather surface.
Although there are not too many stars on show, the racing – as per normal – is full of highly-competitive handicaps and is guaranteed to throw up one or two shocks.
Local bettors are in a quandary without their go-to jockey Zac Purton to turn to. The champ, who reached a century of wins for the eighth time in Hong Kong in mid-week, is on an enforced holiday for two meetings, following a ban.
With Purton side-lined, legendry pilot Hugh Bowman will probably take centre stage, with a number of his eight rides having major chances.
His best hope of success can be aboard last-start winner PERFETTO, who seeks to defy a hefty nine-pound penalty in the Kent Handicap (7.35pm) over a mile.
The David Hall-trained galloper, racing over a mile for the first time, could be named the winner a long way from home with Purton sitting motionless and winning with his head in his chest last month.
Bowman, who has an impressive 21 per cent win strike-rate for the stable, now gets the call-up and looks the ideal jockey to guide the four-year-old to another win.
Bowman is certain to fancy his chances, when he takes over from Luke Currie on the John Size-trained Beauty Inspire in the Suffolk Handicap (9.45am) over a mile.
The former Irish-trained galloper’s latest form can be ignored, as dictating the pace were never the orders, and Currie has paid the price.
His previous debut performance was encouraging, but he may find the concession of 14lbs to attractive light-weight CHING too much.
The four-year-old’s record should read better than one win from six starts, having been unlucky in at least another couple of races and he looks better than his handicap mark.
POINTERS
Perfetto 7.35am Sha Tin
Ching 9.45am Sha Tin
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