Classic Emperor returns to regroup at Sha Tin after Dubai
Clint Hutchison
– The Victoria Racing Club Trophy is the main event on the eight race all-weather card at Sha Tin today and the return of Classic Emperor following a failed stint in Dubai during their World Cup Carnival might be the right play in looking for the winner.
His efforts in Hong Kong prior to going to the UAE were rocksolid, and ultimately, the deeper and vastly different dirt surface proved too much for him.
Hong Kong
Locally, he is two from two on this surface and is often a gelding who races well on the fresh side. He should be reasonable odds as well, with the market no doubt going to lean toward the John Size-trained Calculation who steps back up to 1600m on this surface on which he has performed so well.
Calculation is competitively weighted and should find a handy position easily in this event, and it is hard to knock his form. However there could be some nice Eachway value for Classic Emperor. And as a little insurance, the reverse a boxed Exacta with Calculation is also worthwhile bet.
Size holds a strong hand in Race 6 with his dirt specialist Remarkable who is two from two on this surface.
He simply never fired on his last outing on the turf but if one is willing to forgive that run, his form prior was excellent and left the impression he is going to rise higher in the handicap. It is a typical Class 4 event, with the usual suspects, and being drawn a touch high might actually be a good thing as this back marker can make a wide run when Joao Moreira needs to. He appeals as a straight Win bet.
There could be some value in the last race with Winning Supreme. He has a proven record Sha Tin (HK) Wednesday Race 1: 13:15 on this surface and his latest run in defeat was rather exceptional when settling handy on a suicidal pace.
On that occasion, he hung on for third, but switching to this surface and a touch easier tempo, could take a lot of catching and can be backed Eachway against the likely short-priced favourite in Elite Boy.
SUGGESTED BETS: RACE 4: NO 2 EACHWAY, 2-6 BOXED EXACTA RACE 6: NO 3 WIN RACE 8: 11 EACHWAY