Hong Kong Racing Tips: Hayes and Shinn to keep Fire burning
IT WAS good to see former Hong Kong champion and Melbourne Cup-winning trainer David Hayes and Australian compatriot jockey Blake Shinn team up with a welcome winner in Harmony N Blessed at Sha Tin last Sunday.
The pair have found it tough going since the beginning of the season, with Hayes only having trained six winners and Shinn recording just his fifth victory aboard Harmony N Blessed.
Both, however, have had three winners in the past fortnight and are capable of extending their run of good fortune when they team up again with FEARLESS FIRE, who seeks to follow-up a recent track and trip win in the Tsing Lung Tau Handicap (1.45pm) over the extended mile.
This son of Acclamation suffered a desperate journey in that contest 10 days ago, but still managed to out-battle his rivals in the closing stages, including the likes of All You Know, King Dragon and Big Bang Bong – all of whom are in opposition again.
A five-pound penalty is fair considering the extra distance he covered during the race, while a more favourable draw maps him for an ideal journey with his finishing kick likely to count again in the closing stages.
The obvious threat will be the all-conquering Joao Moreira and Caspar Fownes combination, who team up with consistent Royal Racer.
He was given too much to do last start and still looks fairly handicapped.
POINTERS
Fearless Fire (e/w) 1.45pm Happy Valley