Hong Kong Racing Tips: Kingman is a Savvy shout
WHEN in-form trainer Frankie Lor and last Sunday’s HK Derby winning hero Joao Moreira team up it always looks a recipe for success.
The partnership has a 22% strike rate season and over 50% have finished in the first three.
Lor and Moreira team-up with lightly raced but exciting SAVVY KINGMAN, who will be looking for his first win in the Lok Fu Handicap (11.45am).
This son of impressive stallion Kingman arrived from the UK in April of last year, and like most gallopers from the northern hemisphere, has taken time to acclimatise to conditions in Hong Kong.
After never catching the judge’s eye in three runs over inadequate trip early in his career, it was only when he stepped up to a mile and finished a close-up fourth at Sha Tin in February that his ability was finally put on display.
One had to feel sorry for former Australian champion jockey Blake Shinn when the partnership was subsequently caught ‘in no man’s land’ over the course and distance earlier this the month.
On that occasion from a double-figure draw, and suffering a three or four wide journey throughout, the four-year-old still stayed on strongly in the closing stages to finish second.
Unfortunately, like a lot of jockeys in the territory after circumstances go against them Shinn was swiftly discarded, and the ‘Magic Man’ given the ride.
In a race that won’t take much winning, it’s hard to see beyond Savvy Kingdom with only Zian Jiang Rocks the possible danger.
POINTERS
Savvy Kingman 11.45am Happy Valley