Pay Attention to Crawford’s Public at Sha Tin

SERIOUS minded bettors in Hong Kong will need to keep a close-watch on the weather again, as racing gets underway at the later time of 9.00am for an 11-race programme at Sha Tin on Sunday.

There have plenty of thunderstorms and heavy showers circling the city over the last few days, and it is anyone’s guess what surface conditions will be like when the action gets underway.

The feature race on the card, the six-furlong Class Two Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarships Handicap (1.40pm) brings together an assortment of up-and-coming talent against some genuine and smart local sprinters.

Victor The Winner turned back the clock with a shock win at Happy Valley last month, his first since running away from opposition in the Group One Centenary Sprint Cup in January 2024.

Once rated 124 in his hay day, he never returned to form after a trip to Japan following his Centenary Sprint Cup win, and his rating has now plummeted 90.

Nevertheless, there was plenty to like about his recent front-running success and champion jockey Zac Purton must have been suitably impressed to jump aboard the seven-year-old.

Rival and ultra-consistent Rising Force chased home Victor The Winner on that occasion, and with a five-pound swing in the weights and inside gate two to emerge from, he will be fancied to gain his revenge.

Hot Delight had his aura of invincibility broken over the course and distance last month when having no excuses and only fourth behind Patch Of Stars.

The son of Too Darn Hot was already being talked about as one of the leading lights for next season’s Hong Kong Classic Series and will probably need to win to keep his reputation intact.

The lightly raced PUBLIC ATTENTION, a recent stable transfer to Brett Crawford from the David Hayes yard, made an immediate impression for the stable when, despite a chequered passage in the closing stages, finishing third to Patch Of Stars and one place in front of Hot Delight.

That form reads well, with the winner subsequently winning again last Sunday.

The Crawford runner exits from an ideal gate in three, so is likely to get a dream journey throughout and should be capable of scoring his first victory in the city.

POINTERS

Public Attention          1.40pm            Sha Tin