Forever Red will take some beating

RACE 1 (1,650M)

3 MY BLESSING has turned a corner in his last two starts should be competitive. The booking of Zac Purton is a plus.

2 KING'S STEED has just won one race from 35 starts but he is always around the mark in Class 5. From a good draw, he should be near the speed and proving competitive at some point.

1 FANTASTICLIFE returns to Happy Valley for the first time with Caspar Fownes as his trainer. The five-year-old has been looking as good this season, but he is yet to prove that the 1,650m is what he is really after. Still, in his current form, he must go in.

RACE 2 (1,000M)

3 FOREVER RED is consistent. He has his first run since July here but looks to have been well-tuned for this with five solid trials. Joao Moreira jumps aboard and, from gate 6, he should trail the speed and then pounce at the top of the straight. He will take some beating.

7 MOMENT OF POWER was a good last-start winner to make it three wins from six starts. He is the likely favourite but every time he has won, he has been on speed, so he will be hoping that the expected pressure does not eventuate.

5 E-SUPER is working his way back to form and was quite good last time out, battling on well.

RACE 3 (1,200M)

11 CIRCUIT KING could be the horse to cause something of a surprise with his return to Happy Valley. The horse won here at the end of last season, but has been somewhat disappointing this season up in Class 3. He wasn't hopeless last time, though, and he could press forward and prove hard to catch from the inside gate.

3 LOVE SHOCK is the likely favourite and a horse who looks like he will be heading far higher than his current mark of 75. He has been somewhat flat in two runs this season, but gets the blinkers, so is likely to be more switched on. He might be too short a quote and may be worth taking on at his first try at Happy Valley and over a distance that still looks short of his best.

6 ROUNDABOUT ran on strongly last start and is likely to be hitting the line well again.

RACE 4 (1,000M)

4 PREMIERE has jumped out and led in three starts to date, but has knocked up all three times to finish second, fourth and second. The switch to Happy Valley looks interesting as he makes his first start around a bend, but sometimes speed can carry over this track and, if Hugh Bowman can give him an easy run out in front, he is a major contender.

7 POWERMAX has only had one start, flying home from last to run third to last Sunday's impressive winner D B Pin. The stable is not in the best form, but the horse can likely settle closer from the inside gate.

2 TOP BONUS is having just his third run for Derek Cruz. He improved dramatically last time when back into Class 4 and, from gate 3, he's in the mix.

RACE 5 (1,650M)

6 GIANT TURTLE looks to be peaking for this. Ryan Moore jumps aboard and he has drawn a plum gate in 2. He maps perfectly and this looks his best chance to break his Hong Kong maiden.

4 SPARKLING SWORD is a very easy horse to ride - just go forward, lead at an even tempo and the horse does the rest. He has run third in his last three under apprentice Kei Chiong, and this could set up a very lucrative night for Florent Geroux if he can get into the placings.

8 TRUE COMMENT and 5 HAPPY AND HEALTHY dead-heated in this race last year, and both look to be rounding into form at the right time. True Comment gets the benefit of Zac Purton and looks to be racing well, while Happy And Healthy gets last year's IJC winner Gavin Lerena and appears ready to break through again.

RACE 6 (1,200M)

1 WONDERFUL FIGHTER has just his second run here this season after returning with a strong second to D B Pin. He had an injury-impacted season last year which restricted his campaign to three runs, but he is looking well again and, if he is finally right, he is a horse who looks more than capable of breaking into Class 3.

3 COUR VALANT is a frustrating horse. He has been looking a winner-in-waiting at numerous times over the last three seasons, but it is nearing three years since he last got his nose in front at the winning post. He was beaten by just a neck last time out and looks a sure winner at some point down in Class 4.

6 KIROV is racing well and goes in well.

RACE 7 (1,650M)

2 WORKS OF ART has always looked to have talent, but he has improved at a rate of knots this season. He was a disappointing 13th fresh, but improved to run third at big odds two starts back before winning comfortably last time out. He rises significantly in weight and will have to carry nine pounds (4.09kg) more for Happy Valley novice Florent Geroux, but he should jump out and race handily and, if he continues to improve as he has done already this season, he should break through into Class 3 here.

1 KIRAM finished second last time to Works Of Art at his first run ever in Class 4. The significant weight swing in Kiram's favour makes him a strong chance, as does the good draw in barrier two. He's the one to beat for Hugh Bowman.

8 GRACEFUL KINGDOM has a few quirks but, if he can jump out and race handily, he's a chance for reigning IJC champion Gavin Lerena.

RACE 8 (1,650M)

6 SUPER FLUKE has been in strong form for most of the calendar year, despite winning only once. He's honest, he should race near the speed from gate 4 and Bowman's style should be well suited to the son of Thewayyouare.

3 BEAUTY PRINCE has placed in his last two after opening his season with a win. He is another who has drawn well and he is able to lay up anywhere, so as long as Ryan Moore can have him comfortable from gate 6, he'll be in the mix.

Veteran 12 ROYAL PARTNER has been racing honestly this season and should be suited from a better draw with a drop back to 1,650m under Florent Geroux.

RACE 9 (1,800M)

7 DYNAMISM is one of the best-looking horses in Hong Kong, but the flashy chestnut's win record doesn't match with only one victory from 18 starts. The former German galloper has been in good recent form though, save for one poor effort at Sha Tin. He seems to appreciate the way races are run at Happy Valley. He has drawn awkwardly in 11, but if he can somehow get into a nice position, he may be the play here.

2 WINNIE'S HONEY couldn't have been more impressive last time out, racing away for an effortless victory and showing a deft turn of foot too. He goes up plenty in the ratings but deservedly so and, with a soft draw, he looks the one to beat again.

4 SOLAR HEI HEI is very honest, consistent and he might be nearing his ratings peak.

- COMMENTS BY ANDREW HAWKINS, COURTESY OF THE HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB