Newnham’s Resolve can keep him in championship race

HONG Kong racegoers arriving for an 11-race programme, including a couple of contests on the all-weather surface at Sha Tin on Saturday, will need to be armed with their umbrellas again.

Rain and possible thunderstorms are forecast to hit the city over the weekend, resulting in probable testing conditions for gallopers on show during the action.

The main event on the card, the Peacock Handicap (12.35pm) over a mile, features several smart handicappers with little to choose between them on their best form.

The Francis Lui-trained Packing Angel is likely to head the betting after a couple of recent strong performances at Happy Valley, including an impressive win there last month.

The five-year-old has tested his trainer’s patience with keeping him sound, following several health issues last season, but he was still capable of finishing third in the BMW Hong Kong Derby.

With Zac Purton in the saddle, he will be an obvious choice for many but with his odds likely to be on the short side, it may pay to look elsewhere.

New stable transfer Sagacious Life has joined Caspar Fownes after proving a bitter disappointment in the Four-Year-Old Classic Series for trainer Pierre Ng.

The former Brazilian import was reckoned the real deal earlier in the year but never fired in the three-race Classic Series and consequently was sent for a change of scenery to Fownes.

Having been freshened up with a near three-month break, work watchers have been impressed with his track gallops in the past six weeks, and a recent trial was eye-catching.

Trainer in form Mark Newnham saddles two in the contest including progressive handicapper Max Que, whose four wins this season have seen his rating rise sharply by 32 points, and most notably INFINITE RESOLVE.

The latter, whose only try over a mile resulted in him chasing home Little Paradise in the Four-Year-Old Classic Mile in February has failed to trouble the judge in subsequent efforts, but there were lots to like about his recent performance.

On that occasion, he recorded the fastest closing sectional times in the contest when finishing strongly behind smart galloper Six Pack over seven furlongs three weeks ago.

With his handicap mark close to his last win, he is likely to improve again and could cause a surprise.

POINTERS

Infinite Resolve e/w         12.35pm           Sha Tin