Kung Hei Fat Choy! I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very successful and prosperous Year of the Monkey. I am certain many of you have enjoyed some great time with your family and friends over the past two days and I have certainly as well.
A highlight of these holidays is the International Chinese New Year Night Parade. The Club was taking full part, and this year its float was more spectacular than ever. Carrying the theme of "Progressing Together for an Auspicious Year," expressing the Club's commitment the future for Hong Kong, the centrepiece was (what else!) - a golden horse! Accompanying the float was one of our largest parade teams ever, featuring 160 performers and including 50 Chinese lions. It was quite a show. But if you missed it, don't worry - the float will be on display at Sha Tin Racecourse on Chinese New Year Raceday tomorrow!
Our Lunar New Year race meeting has been highly popular in recent season, as many joined us at Sha Tin to continue celebrating the festivity. Again we will arrange a host of New Year-themed activities and performances for our racegoers, including an opening performance that features Cantopop superstar Aaron Kwok and famous artist Adam Cheng. I hope you will join us earlier for the programme and the exciting races.
The Chinese New Year Cup is run as a 1400m Class 1 handicap for horses rated between 115 and 90. Among the 12 declared starters it has attracted three four-year-olds who test the ability against some battle proven older Class 1 horses.
The race is run on the C Course and with the pace expected to be good to slow, it should give a little bit of an advantage to horses racing closer to the pace. Secret Sham has had plenty of success over the course and distance and he has led all the way in each of them, so I expect he will go to the front again. Super Lifeline will likely stalk from a good spot, with Thewizardofoz just to his outside. I'm In Charge should be in mid pack with Apollo's Choice potentially getting a wide trip. Charles The Great should be a bit closer over this longer trip too.
Thewizardofoz is working very well and in his last run he was a little bit keen after being kept wide before he could get in and get some cover at the 1000m mark. Despite his clear run in the straight, he only ran on fairly. My impression is that the mile distance is not ideal for him at least at this time of his racing career. Going back to the more suitable distance of 1400m, plus being well placed in the race, it makes him my first choice. Super Lifeline has run credible races this season. With his best draw this season coming from gate 2, and Silvestre de Sousa on board, he is a place chance in my opinion. Apollo's Choice is going back from 1600m to 1400m which put a little question mark behind his chances. But on his good form being beaten by some good horses like Celestial Smile and Werther, one should consider him for a place.
I'm In Charge is stepping up to 1400m and is a place chance here too. All You Wish was disappointing in his last start on 29 November and did not run since then. But with the form of Dennis Yip stable picking up and running at his best distance, I would not leave him out for a place. Charles The Great has been running well in Group 1 races and his best distance is in my opinion 1200m. But with Ryan Moore on board, and his good track work of late, he may surprise coming with a strong late run.
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