2020 Heather Handicap & Free Picks at Happy Valley in Hong Kong

#6 Kwai Chung Elite is winless. Although this is the case he might now be down his level and the booking of Zac Purton commands respect.

#2 Aurora Steed gets the services of the in-form Chad Schofield who is fresh of a Sunday treble. He has drawn to get the gun run and if he can use the good gate to his advantage, then he has a winning chance.

#11 Show Mission mixes his form but has gone close on a number of occasions. He's competitive in this grade and it won't be too long before he adds another win to his tally.

#7 Fire And Gold won well three starts ago. He has drawn well for Antoine Hamelin who has struck early in his contract with four wins.

#8 Happy Tango is lightly raced but has shown glimpses of ability across his short four-start career. He put in a solid performance last start and with further improvement on top of that run, he can take this out.

#11 Oversubscribed is becoming a costly conveyance consistently going under as a single figure chance. Still, he's holding his condition well and with no weight on his back he is a leading player yet again.

#2 Speedy Luck is winless, but, on his side is the fact that he has had 10 starts in Hong Kong and gets a good gate this time around.

#5 Hero Time gets Zac Purton up. He's a two-time course and distance winner who is capable of adding a third.

#6 London Hall is shooting for a hat-trick of wins which he is capable of securing here. He has gone to a new level now getting up over longer trips and the step up to 2200m is of no concern.

#8 Above is another who has gone to a new level stretching out over further. He has found another suitable race here and although he faces Class 3 for the first time, he does get a handy draw to offset this.

#7 Vincy The rain affected ground clearly brought out the best in him last start and if he's come out of that run well, then he's going to be at his competitive best once again.

#4 Stimulation is capable, he just needs to offset the awkward gate.

#9 Electric Lightning turned his form around to grab second last start. He can go one better with that performance under his belt, especially from the inside gate.

#5 Charity Grand comes into this with three runs under his belt. He's an ever-improving galloper who with further improvement can test this bunch.

#7 Invaluable is still searching for his first win. He may find himself a bit far back with plenty of work to do but still, if he gets a race run to suit then he's going in the finish.

#2 Star Majestic is the veteran of the field. He has drawn to get the right run.

#9 Farm Bumper is racing in career-best form. He won well two starts ago and last start ran gamely to finish a narrow second, beaten by a head. He has drawn well and this contest looks more than suitable.

#1 Mehboob is consistent. He has yet to finish outside of the top three this term which does include one win and he's a leading chance here if he can put his best foot forward.

#5 Winning Ways took a while to finally breakthrough. He lines up again here and ins his favor is the retention of Zac Purton, who takes the reins again here.

#11 Look Eras gets in light and if he gets his own way in the lead then he's capable of clinging on for some prize money.

#7 Snow Airjet narrowly missed last start and if he manages to put that run in again he could go on with it. He's winless and although this is the case, he appears to get favors to suit here and with even luck he's the one to beat.

#2 Tangmere finally got his win last start. He might have finally figured it all out and with Zac Purton sticking aboard he rates as the main danger, especially as he remains in the same class following that success.

#1 Charity Wings is another last-start winner. He's getting up in the ratings and has to carry top-weight but still, should be competitive.

#6 Blooming Spirit is looking for his third win from his last four starts. He's well weighted and bears close watching.

#8 Regency Poet has shown glimpses of ability. The draw is slightly awkward but he's more than likely not going to settle worse than midfield and with a clean run in the straight, he should be able to have the last crack at them.

#4 Lucky Quality gets Zac Purton up for the first time. He rattled home for a close-up defeat last start and he's expected to perform well here.

#6 Flying Godspell is racing well. He has had seven runs this term including one win, so he should be fit and ready to run a bold race once again.

#2 Happy Good Guys fought gamely last start. He can bounce back with the right run from gate two.

#1 Dancing Fighter struggled from the wide gate last start, fading to finish a lackluster eighth. Still, he can put that performance behind as his form prior his far superior to that and if he manages to run up to his best here, he is the one to beat.

#2 Golden Dash has soundness issues throughout his entire career. He's a three-time winner who returns for his first run back this campaign. He has looked sound in his trials and bears close watching here.

#3 Beauty Amigo is fairly limited but he has shown that it's only a matter of time before he goes on with this.

#7 Amazing Kiwi is next best.

#7 Classic Unicorn was undefeated across two outings last season, however, has returned this for two defeats. Still, he clearly has ability and he be might worth taking a chance on here, especially if he is to use the inside gate to jump, run and try and pinch this.

#3 Allied Agility is capable and is already a two-time winner this campaign. He can continue his rise through the grades.

#4 Larson got off the mark nicely last start. He's on the up and deserves respect.

#8 Explosive Witness is next best.

Hong Kong Jockey Club: Chad Schofield aims to keep rolling at the Valley

BY DECLAN SCHUSTER

Chad Schofield is a man in form and in demand and he heads into Wednesday morning's nine-race card at Happy Valley as one of the only two jockeys with a full book of rides.

Schofield has bagged 11 wins from the last eight race meetings and currently sits only four victories away from equaling his personal best tally of 38 wins in a season. With 24 meetings left in the season, a new personal best is within sight.

"It's been flowing along nicely--I have felt I've been getting better rides and better support and from that comes winners and from winners comes confidence," Schofield said.

The remarkable stat though, is that of the jockeys ranked within the top nine, Schofield has had the least amount of rides, 330 in fact, but finds himself in fifth position in the jockeys' championship, 13 wins clear of sixth place.

"We're going well and hopefully it can continue right through to the end of the season," Schofield said.

The highlight of his midweek book is his renewed association with the John Moore-trained Above (120 lbs) in the Class 3 Heather Handicap (2200m). With championship leading jockey Joao Moreira sidelined due to suspension, Moore will utilize the red-hot Schofield and the pair will break from gate four in a field of 10.

The Tavistock gelding cruised to a six-length win last start at Sha Tin over 2000m and will look for his second course and distance score at the Valley on Wednesday morning.

"His last win was super impressive - he's a horse who seems to have taken a bit of time to hit his straps and mature and he looks like he's in very good form off his last start win," Schofield said.

A four-time winner now from 19 starts, the New Zealand-bred took 11 runs to break his Hong Kong maiden, but Moore credits his consistency this term to his development.

"He's getting better with age, which is typical of the Tavistock breed. He's doing everything right going into the race and staying is his game," Moore said.

The Privately Purchased Griffin arrived in Hong Kong rated 52 but struggled to a career-low 33, but maturity has seen him kick on to a mark of 68.

"He started in Class 5 and in the beginning we thought we might have a few issues in respect to talent but that wasn't to be, especially as you have to give the Tavistock breed time and with time he got better and better," Moore said.

"He's looking promising especially for the development of a nice stayer for the future because I think he will hold his own in a higher class than this."

Following his 12-point rating rise win last start, the 4-year-old now faces Class 3 for the first time.

"He's into Class 3 now which is always tough but 2200 (meters) is his distance, the further the better and with a nice galloping weight and off his last win you'd think he'd be hard to beat again," Schofield said.

Against Above is stablemate Beauty Happy (119 lbs), but he also faces another stayer on the rise, the David Hall-trained London Hall (122 lbs) who is looking to notch a hat-trick of wins and his first score at the city circuit.

Matthew Chadwick will partner the five-year-old again and the pair will break from gate one.

"Hopefully the firmer ground will help us instead of Above but I don't think Happy Valley will be a problem," Chadwick said.

"We've drawn gate one, so it's a nice gate to draw at Happy Valley and we'll ride him accordingly--wherever he is happy and comfortable."

The He's Remarkable gelding is a four-time winner at Sha Tin.

"I'm not sure how the pace will unfold but it could be interesting--he's a very easy going horse, so whatever happens shouldn't really bother him," Chadwick said.

Also on the card is the Caspar Fownes-trained Dancing Fighter who is looking to bounce back in the Class 3 Crocus Handicap (1200m). The Zoustar gelding struggled to eighth last time after missing the break, but this time will start from gate two in the field of 11.

"He gets his chance to jump and lead or sit behind from the draw, it doesn't matter, but he's well and I think he gets his chance - hopefully we can win," Fownes said.

"He's a Class 2 horse - he's definitely got some points in hand so hopefully we can just keep climbing the ratings slowly, he'll carry a big weight (133 lbs) but from gate two he's going to get his chance."

Wednesday morning's nine-race card at Happy Valley kicks off at 6:45 a.m. ET / 3:45 a.m. PT with the Class 5 Tulip Handicap (1200m).