R3 JOHNSTON HANDICAP

R3 JOHNSTON HANDICAP

-

Happy Valley (M52) - Wednesday, 6 March 2019

20:15 HK TIME

Best Bets HH Live Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5 Race 6 Race 7 Race 8

summary

I made GIFT OF LIFELINE (SID) one to follow after his last outing when third to E Master with a slashing run over 1,000m that caught the eye with him posting some very fast closing sections. Gift Of Lifeline is a lightly-raced progressive galloper that has struck a very winnable race. JOLLY BOUNTIFUL will be popular with the punters once again, especially with Zac Purton on board, and he does warrant respect but not as much as the market is likely to give him. WONDERFUL JOURNEY takes a drop in grade here and he does have a win and placing from 3 starts in this grade. And the key is that he is a far better at the city course. VERY SWEET ORANGE will have 49kg on his back and find a prominent position easily from gate 1, so he might be a hard one to keep out.

From Sweet In Defeat (SID):

GIFT OF LIFELINE

selections

9 GIFT OF LIFELINE

(rp – $3.20)

1st @ $5.20 & $1.85

1 JOLLY BOUNTIFUL

(rp – $5.00)

5th

2 WONDERFUL JOURNEY

(rp – $6.50)

6th

12 VERY SWEET ORANGE

(rp – $7.00)

2nd @ $1.35p (quinella with 9 @ $8.70)

strategy

9 GIFT OF LIFELINE

WIN (5 units)

speed

VERY SWEET ORANGE can set a GOOD tempo overall with other competition for the lead potentially coming from YOUNG EMPIRE and FLYING MONKEY. WONDERFUL JOURNEY and SHINEALOT should be suited buy this race shape and position well behind the leading horses.