Free betting tips for Sha Tin on Saturday

Title talk takes second place once health issues surface and Joao Moreira’s championship battle is on hold after he suffered chest pains in midweek.

The Magic Man was stood down after one ride at Happy Valley on Wednesday and will also miss Saturday’s Sha Tin card pending the results of further tests.

Doctors feel Moreira’s flare-up could have been caused by anxiety, dehydration and high-intensity exercise – and the 38-year-old concedes that his body is in need of a break after a long spell doing light weights – but the Brazilian remains one ahead of Zac Purton at the top of the table and is intending to be back in the fray at the Valley next Tuesday.

Gibson calls for Zac after Navas gets left out on the wing

Meanwhile, John Gosden isn’t the only big trainer digging out a star jockey out after Richard Gibson slated Alexis Badel for his ride on Navas Two at Sha Tin three weeks ago.

“I don’t think Alexis (Badel) will be looking back on that race with any pride” was Gibson’s pointed summation of a troubled trip which saw NAVAS TWO miss the break from stall one before circling the entire field only to fail by short head to catch the smart Lucky Sweynesse.

Purton takes over for Saturday’s £240,000 feature at 10.10 and canny Aussie will be well are that Navas Two – with fiery closing splits of 22.04s and 21.98s on his last two starts – can deliver a powerful finish.

The Gibson gelding looks very much the one to beat from stall 4 but Navas Two wasn’t the only horse to cover ground in that Lucky Sweynesse race and THE GOLDEN SCENERY – a fine third having been forced wide from stall 11 – is also worth noting as a saver option.

Rocket ready to launch again from perfect draw

The fact that Frankie Lor has booked Purton to partner Ready To Win in Saturday’s finale at 10.45 won’t go unnoticed in the market and the five-year-old has been knocking on the door for a while over 1200m.

Purton’s subtle skills might do the trick but Ready To Win hasn’t looked the most enthusiastic off the bridle and it’s tempting to take him on with Maldives and Private Rocket. MALDIVES has been frustrating this season, going close without winning several times, but there doesn’t seem much wrong with his attitude and a return to 1400m at Sha Tin looks ideal.

PRIVATE ROCKET provides another chance for the Douglas Whyte/Lyle Hewitson combo to shine. The two South Africans have been striking at a healthy clip recently and the freewheeling Private Rocket – who has trousered £500,000 in prize money since leaving Clive Cox a few years ago – is drawn perfectly for another bold effort from the inside gate.

Winner alright for staying test

Races over 2000m in HK can often turn messy with stayers being asked to sprint off steady fractions and that’s notable ahead of Saturday’s 9.05, in which British import Copartner Elites heads the weights.

Danny Shum’s gelding finished fifth in last year’s Britannia Handicap when known as Beautiful Bertie for Roger Charlton and has shaped like a winner in…