Brett Davis provides exclusive Review of Sha Tin races.

Race 1 – Panasonic Air-Conditioner Handicap, HK $875,000,

Class 5 – Turf - Distance 1800m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:47.33 Standard Time: 1:48.45 Course/Class record: 1:47.37 Incredible

ON THE LASH (NZ 5yo g Savabeel – Candelabra) picked up his maiden win at start 16 in an impressive performance under Luke Ferraris. He jumped on terms from a wide barrier and after assessing the situation, Ferraris rolled forward to avoid being caught wide and without cover. He gradually improved his position down the long back straight to get across prior to the first turn, taking the lead but being kept off the fence with Fung kicking up on his inside. He travelled well around the turn with the field packing up behind the leading pair, before On The Lash sprinted quickly on straightening to try and shake off his opponents. Celestial Harmony came out to challenge early in the straight, but the gelding kicked under Ferraris with 150m to go to shake off that challenge. He went on to score by a length on the line in a very strong performance. COOL BLUE got well back from barrier one and found himself in a sticky position as they turned off the back straight. Richard Kingscote needed plenty of luck as he was locked up along the fence and in the second half of the field coming to the turn, but with runners fanning wider it allowed him a narrow passage to improve. He then found trouble again midway down the straight, with Kingscote having to stop riding momentarily near the 200m point. Once he finally got clear, Cool Blue rocketed home to finish in second position, but it's a case of 'what could have been'. CELESTIAL HARMONY sat on the speed throughout the run and loomed as a winning chance early in the straight. He couldn't match On The Lash in the final 150m when he began to feel the pinch, holding on for third in a tight finish for the minor placings.

Race 2 – Panasonic TV Handicap, HK $1,170,000,

Class 4 (Restricted) – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:08.84 Standard Time: 1:09.35 Course/Class record: 1:08.36 Jubilant Winner

EVER LUCK (AUS 3yo g Capitalist – Mining Tycoon) tried to throw the race away but showed he has plenty of ability to rally back and get the job done. The gelding showed good early speed from barrier 14, rolling across under the Australian jockey to lead the field as they turned off the back straight. He set a strong tempo up front in the early stages and was leading comfortably passing the 600m point, but he was very green and ran off the track on the point of the home turn. Orman did well to straighten the gelding out at the top of the straight, going from leading by 1-1/2 lengths to being 2 lengths behind the leader at the 400m point. Once he straightened up he set his sights on the leader, eating into the margin and in a terrific performance, taking the lead with around 100m remaining. He didn't stop there, running away from his rivals in the closing stages to win by 1-3/4 lengths in an amazing race. GEORGIAN SIGMA was on the outside of the leader when he ran off the track, being pushed right off the course under Zac Purton who did well to contain the situation. He too was very impressive once he balanced up in the straight, finishing off strongly down the outside to run into second position. MOTOR was the beneficiary of Ever Luck's inexperience, railing through to take the lead at the top of the straight. It was short-lived however as he was caught with 100m to run and eventually crossed the line in third position, finishing 2 lengths adrift.

Race 3 – Panashop Handicap, HK $1,170,000,

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:08.77 Standard Time: 1:09.35 Course/Class record: 1:08.36 Jubilant Winner

GOLDENTRONICMIGHTY (AUS 5yo g Harry Angel – Dubrovnik) got the job done on his seasonal return, getting his nose down right where it mattered most. After jumping well from barrier seven, Keith Yeung had to ease back out of the speed battle, landing midfield and three-wide as they turned off the back, it was a bit of a messy race up front, with Yeung able to improve onto the back of a rival through the middle stages, getting a nice tow into the race. Yeung peeled wider at the top of the stretch to make his challenge, sprinting quickly and looming large in the straight. He had his nose in front at the 100m point, but it was the runners wider out that were the larger threat. It was a tight call to the naked eye, with Goldentronicmighty getting the nod in a photo finish, just bobbing at the right time. SUNNY Q was away only fairly out of barrier six and ended up in the back half of the field between horses. Andrea Atzeni was able to work his way into a good spot around the turn, getting onto the back of Goldentronicmighty and coming off his back to launch an attack in the straight. He couldn't sprint with the winner, but he picked up strongly late in the race to hit the line locked together. He just missed with a bob of the head in a strong performance. DO YOUR PART stuck on strongly as the race favourite to finish in third place.

Race 4 – Panasonic Smart Lock Handicap, HK $1,170,000,

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1600m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:33.88 Standard Time: 1:34.90 Course/Class record: 1:33.28 Bright Inheritance 

A day of good racing continued with TIME TO FIRE (NZ 4yo g Time Test – Glinda Goodwitch) storming home to snatch the victory as a $68 chance. The gelding was a little slow into stride from barrier 12 and was shifted behind runners in the early stages with Matthew Poon crossing down to the inside rail. He was able to improve his position through the early stages with a strong tempo on offer, before the field bunched turning off he back straight. Poon was able to weave his way through the traffic coming to the home turn, getting to the outside with plenty of time and space to make his challenge. He just kept coming down the middle of the track, looming large with 100m to run and eventually getting his nose in front in the final couple of strides. He upstaged his more fancied rivals, sealed with a salute from Poon after the post. BRIGHT INHERITANCE was a little slow into stride and needed to be roused along to hold a position in the run, landing in the second half of the field under Luke Ferraris. He was racing comfortably between horses, before moving into the three-wide train which was building into the race nicely by the 600m point. This allowed Ferraris to get off heels and into the clear with the gelding letting down strongly, taking the lead with 150m to run. Time To Fire was bearing down on him though and despite Ferraris' best efforts, he was claimed late. INNO SUPER was a long way back in the run but closed off nicely to finish in third position.

Race 5 – Panasonic Rice Cooker Handicap, HK $1,170,000,

Class 4 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:21.18 Standard Time: 1:22.00 Course/Class record: 1:20.76 Top Dragon

BRIGHT DAY (AUS 6yo g Starcraft – Don't Tell Chang) shed his maiden tag at start 13 with James Orman bringing up a winning double on the day. The gelding jumped well from barrier five and landed in a midfield position under the Australian hoop with a good tempo being set up front. He wasn't far off the pace as they turned off the back straight, racing between horses by the 600m point and peeling into the clear on straightening to mount his challenge. He was under heavy pressure at the top of the straight and was just grinding away down the outside, though he was chipping into the margin with every stride. It wasn't until the 150m point where you thought he was a winning chance, showing plenty of late strength to get over the top and score by three quarters of a length on the line. CALIFORNIA BANNER led home a close go for the minor placings. He had jumped well from gate seven and rolled across to plonk himself in the one-out-one-back position for Matthew Chadwick, enjoying a lovely run in transit. He had every chance if he was good enough in the run, never being obstructed down the straight and taking the lead momentarily with 100m to run. He was best of the horses who sat on the speed, but he couldn't fend off Bright Day. GALLANT EPOCH stuck on gamely after sitting on the back of the leader under Keagan De Melo to round out the placings.

Race 6 – The Panasonic Cup (Handicap), HK $3,120,000,

Class 2 – Turf - Distance 1600m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:33.03 Standard Time: 1:34.25 Course/Class record: 1:32.96 Not Usual Talent

SAGACIOUS LIFE (BRZ 4yo g Put It Back – Quatro Islas) made a statement in his Hong Kong debut, storming over the top to win in near course/class record time. The Brazilian hadn't raced in almost a year but jumped well and put himself just off the speed under Britney Wong. With no weight on his back, Wong looked to stalk the speed which was quite strong through the early and middle stages, with the apprentice hoop just niggling at her mount to keep him within striking distance through the middle stages. She had a wall of horses in front of her on straightening, but luckily a couple sprinted quickly which opened a massive gap for the Brazilian gelding to improve through, but he was still some five lengths off the leader with 200m remaining. He kicked into overdrive from that point however, storming home to take the win in the Panasonic Cup in impressive fashion, winning by a short head on the line as a $33 chance. STEPS AHEAD had the perfect run in transit under Jerry Chau, tracking into the race beautifully on the back of the favourite, though he may have been forced to make his move earlier than he wanted to. With Massive Sovereign whipping around his outside, Chau had to make a move prior to the home turn to avoid being boxed in, with the gelding letting down impressively on straightening. He looked home for all money at the 100m point, until Sagacious Life burst out of the pack to steal the victory away.

Race 7 – Panasonic Vitalift Handicap, HK $2,050,000,

Class 3 – Turf - Distance 2000m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:59.77 Standard Time: 2:01.90 Course/Class record: 2:00.37 Champion Supreme

We'd seen some good finishes and racing today, but WINNING WING (NZ 5yo g Preferment – Stand Firm) was something spectacular for Dylan Mo and Francis Lui. Despite jumping on terms, Dylan Mo eased the gelding back from barrier 11 to be a clear last in the early stages, with the gap only increasing through the first turn and into the back straight. After being 14-1/4 lengths away at the mile marker, He ended up a whopping 17 lengths off the leader with 1200m remaining with a strong tempo being set by the leaders up front. He was barely in the camera shot as they travelled down the back, racing all along by the 1000m point where the cameraman zoomed in on the main bunch of horses. He came back into camera shot with around 700m remaining, building into the race with Mo keeping his momentum up around the home turn and swinging him down the middle of the track. He loomed up at the 200m point and stuck his nose in front inside the final 150m, holding off Bravehearts in the run to the line for a jaw-dropping victory. BRAVEHEARTS was also well back in the run but he was still in the main body of the field throughout. Matthew Poon swung wide into the straight in a race that was set up for the backmarkers, hitting the front with 200m to run. He fought hard to the line under Poon but couldn't wrestle back the lead and was forced to settle for second position. MONEY CATCHER returned to form today in what looked like a suitable race on paper. He kept on well to finish in third place.

Race 8 – The Premier Bowl (Handicap), HK $5,350,000,

Group Two – Turf - Distance 1200m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:07.39 Standard Time: 1:08.15 Course/Class record: 1:07.20 Ka Ying Rising

David Hayes may train the World's Best Sprinter right now, but he's got another handy one in TOMODACHI KOKOROE (AUS 7yo g Written Tycoon – Rainbeam) who has raised the bar this time in work. After going winless from February 2024 to September 2025, the gelding has now put together a hat-trick of wins, knocking over The Premier Bowl in very good time. Tomodachi Kokoroe was the first one out of the barriers, but with a hot tempo on offer, Harry Bentley was happy to take a sit just off the speed. He was perfectly placed by Bentley by the 600m point as he remained away from the fence and the gelding cruised into the race strongly out wide on straightening. He let rip when Bentley asked for maximum effort, taking the lead and racing away to score by 1-1/4 lengths. RAGING BLIZZARD finished off strongly out wide under Brenton Avdulla but never loomed as a winning chance. He was a mile back in the run and had 6-1/4 lengths to make up on straightening as the Australian hoop got him to the outside. He finished off nicely but he was no match for the winner. PACKING HERMOD jumped the race favourite and was on the back of Tomodachi Kokoroe on straightening, but he couldn't match the winner's sprint in the straight. He stuck on well to ran third under Zac Purton, but the winner was in a league of his own.

Race 9 – Technics Headphones Handicap, HK $1,860,000,

Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1000m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 56.37 Standard Time: 56.45 Course/Class record: 54.89 Voyage Warrior

Hong Kong debutant ALPHA STRIKE (AUS 4yo g I Am Immortal – Mutual Admiration) was superb down the Sha Tin straight, running up to his trial performances to get the job done on debut. From barrier nine, the gelding jumped well and showed good speed to be racing up front as they sorted their order out. Vincent Ho gradually moved over to the grandstand rail and began to feel for the gelding as the approached the 400m point. The response was immediate, and he kicked again when Ho went full bore, fending off his nearest rival right down to the wire. He was inching away late in the race to win by a neck on the line in an impressive debut performance. SPARKLING FELLOW was bumped around at the start and ended up near the tail of the field in the run. Alexis Badel remained out near the middle of the circuit and as they passed the halfway point of the race, the Frenchman continued to work towards to the middle of the circuit. He finished off nicely to steal second position in a photo finish. CASA OF HONOR was right there with Alpha Strike throughout the race with those two neck-and-neck right down to the final 50m. Casa Of Honor tired close to home, just missing out on second place in a photo finish.

Race 10 – Panasonic Washer Dryer Handicap, HK $1,860,000,

Class 3 – Turf - Distance 1400m – Track Good to Firm

Time: 1:21.32 Standard Time: 1:21.65 Course/Class record: 1:20.62 Preciousship

Zac Purton ended the day on a winning note as he guided TOP DRAGON (AUS 4yo g Pierata – Mica Lil) to a commanding win for the Chris So stable. Was a little awkward out of the barriers and ended up in the back half of the field as they sorted their order out. The pace was even up front and as they turned off the back straight, Purton moved into the three-wide running line as the race began to take shape. He was pushed wider on the turn, but the gelding looked to have plenty to offer as he cruised up to the leaders early in the straight. Purton finally asked for an effort and the gelding responded impressively, taking the lead with 100m to run and getting away from his rivals to score by 1-1/4 lengths in very good fashion. ANODE jumped well and rolled forward to sit on the back of the leader on settling down. He enjoyed a lovely run throughout the race, before getting off the fence and making his move three-wide from the 600m point. He was challenged at the top of the straight, but he fought off that galloper before Top Dragon chimed in. He was no match for the winner, though he was still very good in defeat as a $20 chance. KA YING ATTACK finished off strongly from the back of the pack to finish in third position, 2-1/4 lengths off the leader.