Man's flyer looks set to land a hat-trick

Luke Middlebrook

Hong Kong racing continues on Saturday (16 April) with a 10-race fixture at Sha Tin Racecourse, with six turf races and four all-weather races are slated for the day.

Trainer Manfred Man’s promising three-year-old colt FLYING SEASON looks all set to land a hat-trick of wins in the Class 3 1000m Handicap (race 7).

FLYING SEASON stormed home for a brilliant second place when on debut at this track and distance in early February, after he lost ground at the start but came from ninth at the 400m to miss by a nose on the wire.

Proving that run no fluke as he was sent out at a starting price of 37/1 that day, the Exosphere colt drew away by 1.75 lengths second-up while Man applied the blinkers that time round.

FLYING SEASON then took to Class 3 third-up but took to it with consummate ease, saluting by four lengths as the well-backed $1.6 market elect.

Though meeting a bigger field this week and needing to defy a 12-point hike in the handicap, the majority of FLYING SEASON’S opposition are only in moderate form at best.

On the all-weather, promising sprinter LIGHTNING BOLT can go one place better when he contests the Class 3 1200m Handicap (race 9).

LIGHTNING BOLT has raced four times in Hong Kong so far and was ultra-impressive when shedding his local maiden tag at this track and distance two starts ago.

The two-time winner from three in the UK was far from disgraced when runner-up next time out, having barrier 11 to overcome but only missing by a head on the wire to LIKE THAT ridden by Joao Moreira on that occasion.

Moreira jumps ship on Saturday and rides LIGHTNING BOLT for the first time, while coming into barrier 5 will be a big advantage. With seemingly plenty of speed engaged, LIGHTNING BOLT will prove hard to hold out en route to a second local success.

Luke Middlebrook’s Selections:

R1: 3-10-4-5

R2: 3-8-2-7

R3: 13-1-9-3

R4: 1-5-3-2

R5: 7-2-4-5

R6: 4-1-5-7

R7: 1-10-2-6

R8: 9-12-4-11

R9: 7-8-1-4

R10: 3-1-4-7

Betting Strategy:

R3: 3 Each-Way

R7: 1 Win

R9: 7 Win