Sydney expat John Size saddles-up the gun favourite in Hong Kong Sprint 2017 betting this Sunday with Mr Stunning tipped to salute in the Group 1 classic held as part of Sha Tin’s Hong Kong International Raceday.
Aussie expat Nash Rawiller has plenty of recent form aboard 2017 Hong Kong Sprint favourite Mr Stunning. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.
The lucrative The Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) field features 14 smart short-distance specialists including the Australian-bred Exceed And Excel entire Mr Stunning.
The five-year-old comes off back-to-back victories at Sha Tin with Aussie hoop Nash Rawiller in the saddle, the latest of which was the Group 2 Jockey Club Sprint on November 19.
His top lead-up form has Mr Stunning paying a short $2.75 in the latest Hong Kong Sprint odds at Ladbrokes.com.au to make it three on the trot.
Nine-time champion trainer Size has a strangle-hold over the Hong Kong Sprint field numbers-wise this summer saddling-up three other stablemates to the favourite with Thewizardofoz, Amazing Kids and D B Pin.
All are considered a genuine place chance by the bookies with six-year-old Amazing Kids ($10) the longest price of the contingent out to improve on his lead-up second to Mr Stunning in the Jockey Club Sprint.
That race is tipped as the form line to follow into Saturday’s Group 1 major and Size enjoyed the trifecta that day also preparing third past the post D B Pin.
In the rematch this weekend, Darci Brahma five-year-old D B Pin pays $8 in Hong Kong Sprint betting.
That is the same quote as Thewizardofoz who is out to improve on a fifth in the Jockey Club Sprint.
Redoute’s Choice six-year-old Thewizardofoz has won over HK$9 million in total career stakes, but is after his first victory since the Group 3 The Premier Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin back in late June.
Size has had only five previous runners in the Hong Kong Sprint over the years with his best result being the photo-finish second of Entrapment behind Lucky Nine back in 2011.
“It seemed to work out well in the Jockey Club Sprint, so I’m pretty happy having numbers when all the horses are all well and in-form and, by their handicap ratings, are good enough to win,” Size told the South China Morning Post this week.
“D B Pin is off a local rating of 120, which is quite a significant, yet the others are higher, so there is real quality among them.
“Mr Stunning has the highest rating and keeps turning up and running well.
“Thewizardofoz looked special winning the 1,400m race at the end of last season with a true pace but we’ve been having very stop-start sprints this season and that hasn’t suited him quite as well.
“If we get pace on Sunday, we know he’s going to be very strong.
“Amazing Kids has had a good prep, he is stronger and healthier than when he ran fourth last year in this race.
“D B Pin is the lowest-rated but he has always had a good win rate and showed last run that he was right up to running well in this company. I’m pretty comfortable with them as a group.”
Rounding out the single-figure hopes in Hong Kong Sprint betting for 2017 at $4 meanwhile is Group 1 champion Lucky Bubbles who Aussie Hugh Bowman, of Winx fame, rode to victory back in May’s The Chairman’s Sprint Prize.
Check out the latest Hong Kong Sprint 2017 odds online now through Ladbrokes.com.au.
