Hong Kong racing expert Luke Middlebrook provides race-by-race analysis for the Sha Tin race meeting on Sunday, May 24.
Race Meeting: 24/05/2026 Sha Tin - Turf "A" Course
Class 5 (40–0 rating)
12:30 | 1600m | HKD $875,000
#1 Flying Amani drops into Class 5 for the first time, gets blinkers on for the first time and maps for a sweet run from barrier 4 with Purton back in the saddle. #6 Soaring Bronco has been racing consistently since joining Mark Newnham’s stable, winning straight away and finishing in the placings in two subsequent runs. #7 General Smart also maps for a good run from the inside draw after things went wrong in the run last start. That is a run to forgive and his chances improve today. #2 Young Horizon is capable. Fresh since early February, he has trialed well for his return and is well placed back in Class 5, where he is a four-time winner.
Class 4 (60–40 rating)
13:00 | 1400m | HKD $1,170,000
#14 Come Fast Fay Fay piques interest as Zac Purton rides for Jimmy Ting for the first time since December last year, aside from the Little Paradise rides. It is a meaningful booking for a horse still looking for a touch more luck in his races. #2 Nyx Gluck will map for every chance from barrier 1. He is always around the mark and comes off a narrow second. #8 Happy Promise turned in a promising fourth on debut despite not getting the best trip. He has since trialed well and barrier 4 sets him up to take another step forward. #1 Packing Glory needs to overcome barrier 14, but he drops back into Class 4 off good runs at the bottom of Class 3 and enters this in good form. There is not much speed on paper, giving him the chance to come across with ease.
Class 4 (60–40 rating)
13:30 | 1200m | HKD $1,170,000
#14 Same To You has been running well in races that have not suited, including last time from barrier 12. Barrier 3 is the upgrade he has been looking for and he can be more prominent in the run. #12 Riding High gets Nichola Yuen’s 10-pound claim, which should see them try for the lead. The horse arrives in good form off back-to-back seconds, with his latest effort carrying merit after trouble in the straight. #4 Grouper made a promising start to his career with a close-up second. Barrier 4 and James McDonald in the saddle set him up to play a part in the finish again. #5 Mega Captain backed up a good trial between his debut run and second start with a second-place finish on the all-weather. He switches to turf now, gets barrier 1 and keeps Hugh Bowman aboard.
Class 4 (60–40 rating)
14:00 | 1200m | HKD $1,170,000
#8 Leading Dragon maps to lead comfortably here and barrier 3 should allow him to get there without much pressure. The three-year-old comes off two good placings at the track and distance since the tongue tie went on, and today he looks ready to break through. #3 Packing King resumed and landed a decent betting move to win by a neck over Lucrative Eight, who has since performed well. His trial since was sound and remaining in Class 4 helps. #10 Jubilant Star comes off a series of unlucky runs from wide barriers, while last start he never got into the race after being crowded early. Blinkers go on for the first time today and, from a middle draw, he can be competitive. #14 Sunny Q remains a chance off his last-start third.
Class 4 (60–40 rating)
14:30 | 1600m | HKD $1,170,000
#2 Big Return has found peak form at the track and distance with back-to-back wins, giving him a perfect two-from-two record over this course and trip. He arrives in form and looks capable of completing the hat-trick. #9 Best World was promising on debut with a fifth-place finish over 1,400m. Zac Purton now takes the ride and he can be even better second-up with that run under the belt. #1 Lucky Twin Stars slides back into Class 4, where he is one from two, and draws well in barrier 2 for a good run. The 1,600m is the query. #7 Jolly Brilliant needs luck from the widest gate but is bursting to win. The three-year-old arrives off back-to-back placings, missing by a neck to Big Return last start, so he has the right form to win with a good trip.
Class 4 (60–40 rating)
15:00 | 1400m | HKD $1,170,000
#3 Harold Win is back into Class 4 for the first time this season after 11 runs in Class 3, where he has generally found it too tough despite running well. He is much better placed in this grade, while barrier 3 and the reunion with Jerry Chau are positives. #14 View All Thinks keeps Purton in the saddle after his dominant two-length win in Class 5 last start. His form has genuinely improved since the stable switch to Cody Mo. #1 Eighty Light Years looks likely to lead from barrier 2 under Nichola Yuen and should give a good sight. #4 Matzden is knocking on the door now he has reached Class 4, having run his best race yet last time when second to Northern Fire Ball.
Class 3 (85–60 rating)
15:30 | 1800m | HKD $2,050,000
#11 The Golden Knight had no luck last start when racing very wide and without cover throughout. It was simply a run to forget. Before that, he strung together back-to-back wins at the mile. The 1,800m is a fresh test, but he gets a better run today and is worth another look. #7 Enthusium is a nice horse in the making, winning his first local race at start four last time. If the rain sticks around, it only enhances his chances. #2 Aerodynamics beat Enthusium two starts ago before placing second to him last start. He is still untapped and looks to be hitting top form now. #4 Seraph Gabriel had no luck last start when seventh at this track and trip. His run of wide draws continues from barrier 14 today, but a win does not look far away.
16:05 | 2400m | HKD $13,000,000
#1 Romantic Warrior chases history as he tries to become only the third horse to complete the Triple Crown, and it will take a serious performance to beat him. His last defeat on home soil came in this race in 2023, when he was a much younger horse. He led that day and has not done so since, and barrier 4 should allow him to get the perfect run off stablemate Romantic Thor and Numbers. #2 Deep Monster is a genuine stayer from Japan, a dual Group 2 winner still chasing a Group 1, and arrives in fine form. Wet ground would be a concern. #4 Rousham Park brings good overseas form, and finished fifth in this season’s Hong Kong Cup before a third in the Group 2 Nikkei Sho. Bowman in the saddle helps. #7 Winning Wing placed third to Romantic Warrior three runs ago over 2,000m and last start placed third in a slowly run 2,400m handicap.
Class 2 (100–80 rating)
16:45 | 1400m | HKD $2,840,000
#4 Beauty Bolt has been trialing very well since his failure in the Derby. The drop back in distance is key to his chances, with both of his wins coming over 1,400m, and Purton returning to the saddle is another positive. #9 Galactic Voyage did not handle the all-weather last start, so switching back to turf helps his cause. This is his first look at 1,400m, but his previous 1,200m turf form gives him strong claims. #5 Six Pack keeps running well without winning, placing in four of his last five runs since breaking through six starts ago. #8 Mighty Masts won ultra-impressively two starts ago, coming from a long way back and putting more than three lengths on his nearest rival. He passed his first Class 2 test with flying colors when third in the same race as Six Pack.
Class 3 (80–60 rating)
17:20 | 1200m | HKD $1,860,000
#13 Almighty Lightning failed on a rain-affected track last start when well backed into favorite in a race of this nature. He gets another chance today. #5 My Mars is a nice horse in the making. He is only a three-year-old who won straight up in Hong Kong, which is no easy feat, then backed it up with a close-up second. #2 Mickley is not an easy horse to catch, but the booking of Purton today catches the eye and there has been merit to his recent form. #7 Star Rise is nearing a win, having placed twice from six starts, including a last-start third to Hot Delight. He has been freshened since and trialed well for his return.
Class 3 (80–60 rating)
17:55 | 1400m | HKD $1,860,000
#4 Without Compare is first-up since his first Hong Kong win, when he was given an excellent ride by Jerry Chau from barrier 12 at Happy Valley. James McDonald takes over today from barrier 2 and the untapped four-year-old can pick up where he left off. #5 Fit For Beauty has been a model of consistency for John Size all season, with three wins and as many placings from 10 starts, and he can be in the finish again. #7 Baby Sakura maps for every chance to go back-to-back from barrier 1 after relishing the step to 1,400m last time and winning by two and a half lengths. That was his second win from four starts and the three-year-old does not look done yet. #6 The Red Hare should get a better run today from barrier 3 after racing wide last time under the apprentice.
Race 1: 1, 6, 7, 2
Race 2: 14, 2, 8, 1
Race 3: 14, 12, 4, 5
Race 4: 8, 3, 10, 14
Race 5: 2, 9, 1, 7
Race 6: 3, 14, 1, 4
Race 7: 11, 7, 2, 4
Race 8: 1, 2, 4, 7
Race 9: 4, 9, 5, 8
Race 10: 13, 5, 2, 7
Race 11: 4, 5, 7, 6
A jackpot of HK$2,000,000 will be carried forward to the Triple Trio;
A jackpot of HK$1,000,000 will be topped-up to the Quartet & First Four Merged Pool for Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup.
Please note the Club's announcement regarding the jackpot arrangement.
