Lots of good local word for entrapment and Xtension. I struggle to see how entrapment can win on recent form. Xtension I think has a cracking chance if he doesn't mes about in the stalls.

Any updates from trainers in the 12f race ..

sounds it ELG

Just wanted to here how Vadamar has settle in. He is the only 3yo in the field and at this time of year, bearing in mind he is a 4yo not long from now, the weight advantage must be a right help. Trainer won this race 2years back with Daryakana.

I think thats what you wanted to hear imo.

Vadamar isn't 4 until March 16th, so although he'll be 4 in a couple of weeks in the eyes of racing, it'll be 3 and a bit months before he actually is.

Looking forward to tomorrows racing at Sha Tin. Apapane is the the only horse I've backed so far. I backed her a few weeks ago in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup when she got touched off by Snow Fairy, her stamina just faded in the last half furlong. The fact she is being dropped back in trip I think is a plus and her race record has been pretty consistent over the last two years beating Buena Vista and running Snow Fairy close twice makes the 20-1 look massive. The trainer and connections seem very confident that she will run a big race, her preparation has gone very smoothly from what it says on the HKJC website track notes.

The Vase looks another wide open race, there are a couple I like the look of but the one I think I will side with is Vadamar. This race has been the plan for a while from what I gather and De Royer-Dupre has had a very good record at Sha Tin over the years. De Royer-Dupre has expressed a number of times that Vadamar is a good ground horse so conditions should be perfect. Vallee Enchantee won the same race at Longchamp as Vadamar did in October before he won the Hong Kong Vase, so I hope the same happens again!

Lucky Nine is the one for me in the sprint, he looked a bit unlucky in Japan getting blocked on the rail when he was making his big move. Whether he can turn the form around with Curren Chan is another matter but I think he is worth a bet with a good draw and the fact he seems to break well from the gates, which could be critical tomorrow.

Cirrus Des Aigles looks nailed on for the Cup but the odds are a bit too skinny for me. His form this year has been sensational and he looks like he's getting better and better with age. If he brings his A game tomorrow he will be very hard to beat. The draw has worked out a treat for him this time so he should be able to sit close to the pace which he likes.

At EW odds Pure Champion could run a big race, he's not that far behind some of the home team and might improve again with another crack at 10f.

Good luck with all your bets tomorrow!

Alain de Royer Dupre, trainer, Vadamar (Vase)
Vadamar followed Byword on the turf track on Thursday morning with big race jockey Christophe Lemaire in the stirrups. A typically laid back Byword did not help the Alain de Royer Dupre grey colt to set record fractions but the French trainer was pleased all the same: “Our horse started far behind the other horse and would probably have passed him if Christophe did not restrain him a bit in the end. I don't mind at all though. Vadamar looks great, moves well and I have absolutely no reservation about his level of fitness for Sunday's race. The ground will suit him too.”

Personally I feel Dalakhani's normally prefer a bit of cut in the ground but watching Vadamar and his action he looks more of a good/fast ground horse.

gents are there markets available on here for this? Cheers

SINTONIAN, why is it that jockeys who ride regularly in Britain, tootle along at the back and EXPECT their horse to fly like PEGASUS against seasoned group one horses, MOORE and HUGHES.

Vadamar was very disappointing, didn't break well and never travelled. Lucky Nine ran a cracker, he came out the gates awkwardly but Brett Prebble didn't panic and got a perfect run down the straight and finished it off with strong sustained run. All the Japanese runners ran flat, maybe the travel problems they had getting to Hong Kong was the cause of their poor performance. The Cup was another one of those slow paced international races that seems to keep happening these days. I thought I had a chance with Pure Champion dictating the pace but he never picked up like he did in his last race and was one paced. Cirrus Des Aigles was disappointing again at Sha Tin, track doesn't seem to be his cup of tea!

Overall happy to come out of it with a profit but there were some very iffy rides to say the least.

In DUBAWI GOLD'S race the horse which raced in second place went and won the race, never more than 5 lengths off the pace.
RED CADEAUX had only 2 horses behind him until MOORE decided he needed to be closer after the home turn, meanwhile DUNADEN had been 4 lengths closer to the pace and had MUCH more in reserve for the finish, RED CADEAUX ACTUALLY got in front of DUNADEN but had shot his bolt in trying to make up ground after the home turn, two poor rides and if a horse is always ridden in such a way, isn't it time to try different tactics, especially 1 group one races?

fair point Bazzar.

Is there any way to bet on the HK tote from the UK?

Cityscape, the highest rated horse in the mile, was a nuts 32/1. I know he'd have preferred rain, but at those odds was surely a spot of value! Dubawi gold 102/1 and within a neck of 3rd.

In the sprint Bated breath 106/1, Sole Power 181/1, SocRoc 148/1. Good reasons why you wouldn't back them at UK bookies odds (sole power a 5f horse, Bated breath badly drawn) but those odds are temptingly inflated.

Sintronian, you did stipulate that "SOME" of the Australian jockeys were shocking, but overall "MOST" of them were excellent, 3 Australian jockeys produced 1st and 2nd in the VASE, 4 Australian jockeys produced 1st 2nd and 3rd in the SPRINT, 2 Australian jockeys produced the 3rd in the MILE and in the cup 2 Australian jockeys produced 2nd and 4th.
I am English so am not bragging for Australian jockeys, just wish "OUR" jockeys would try to improve any skills they MIGHT have and rid themselves of this complacency and get some PRIDE.
HUGHES, MOORE and several others can't be bothered to work out how to win and DEPEND on every other horse in GROUP ONES to fold and give up when challenged, but because of all the ground they have had to make(because of lack a daisical starts, especially with MOORE, watch him on PRESVIS it'll break your heart) up in getting into a position to challenge.