Hong Kong Spot Plays: Betting a first-timer is an Excellent Proposal

Just five days of racing remain during the 2019-20 season in Hong Kong, including a rare afternoon of midweek racing at Sha Tin slated for Wednesday.

Ten races (a mixture of dirt and turf events) are on the agenda, with first post time scheduled for 1:00 a.m. ET. Unless you plan on pulling an all-nighter to follow the action, you’re advised to get your bets placed on Tuesday night in hopes of waking up a winner on Wednesday.

To help you get started, we’ve put together a couple of spot plays for this competitive card:

Race 7: The Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup (Class 3, 4:05 a.m. ET)

#1 Excellent Proposal looks ready to roll in his Hong Kong debut for reigning champion trainer John Size. Victorious in three of his four starts sprinting in Australia, Excellent Proposal has shown plenty of promise in five barrier trials since the end of April, most recently rallying to win a 1,200-meter test over the Sha Tin dirt on June 19.

Acclaimed jockey Joao Moreira was in the saddle for Excellent Proposal’s winning trial and will stay aboard for Wednesday’s 1,200-meter dash over the Sha Tin turf. The competition could be stiff, with #2 Mig Energy looming a particularly formidable threat after finishing second by a head over this course and distance on June 14. But if Excellent Proposal lives up to the potential he’s demonstrated so far, the rest might be running for second place.

Let’s bet Excellent Proposal to win and box him in the quinella and omni/swinger with Mig Energy:

• $10.40 to Win on #1 Excellent Proposal
• $5.20 Quinella: 1,2
• $10.40 Omni/Swinger: 1,2
• Total: $26

Race 10: Better Future 1000M Handicap (Class 3, 5:50 a.m. ET)

The finale has drawn a deep and competitive field, so we’ll take a chance with #2 Storm Warnings, who should offer an enticing price in the betting. Conditioned by Douglas Whyte, the son of Zoustar wasn’t disgraced in his debut over this course and distance on June 7, rallying after a very poor break to finish fifth by just 1 3/4 lengths.

Storm Warnings raced a bit greenly throughout, carrying his head high at times, and should benefit from having a race under his belt. He’ll run with a tongue tie this time around while retaining the services of jockey Jerry Chau, who rides with a 10-pound weight allowance. Even a small step forward could be sufficient to bring Storm Warnings home on top.

Let’s bet Storm Warnings to win and call it a day:

• $13 to Win on #2 Storm Warnings

Good luck!