Sha Tin Racing Tips for October 1 – Magic Control to break drought in Group 3 National Day Cup

Here are our best bets from the meeting, which complements the action in Australia on Thursday with racing at Warrnambool and Illawarra Grange.

Magic Control can go close in the feature of the day, the National Day Cup. The six-year-old has not won for a year and a half but gets in well with just 52kg on his back and there is no Ka Ying Rising to contend with this time around. He was a well-beaten third behind that horse over 1200m at his most recent start, but his recent form over the shorter 1000m has been solid, finishing runner-up at his previous two starts over the track and trip. The son of Sioux Nation should track the leaders down the centre of the straight and, if the gaps come at the right time, he can take this out.

Spirited Steed should be hard to beat in Race 7. The Francis Lui-trained gelding is yet to win in four starts but has placed at his past two, narrowly going down behind Prestige Always at the end of the 2025/26 season before returning at the September 13 meeting and placing third behind Campy's. He settled handy in that race before sticking on well, with Zac Purton aboard for the first time. The champion jockey retains the ride and should be able to find a midfield position in a race that looks to have a suitable tempo. The pair can go very close.

Prime Ace can go a couple of spots better than his debut effort, which saw him finish third at Sha Tin on September 13. The John Size-trained gelding settled just worse than midfield in that race and was held up approaching the 400m before working home well to fill the minor placing behind Happy Shooter. The four-year-old should improve with that race experience and fitness under his belt and is drawn to save plenty of ground from barrier one.

Chill Buddy can go close in Race 10 at Sha Tin. The five-year-old resumed with a runner-up performance over 1200m at the track on September 13, settling handy before sticking on strongly behind Lucy In The Sky. The Ricky Yiu-trained gelding steps up to 1400m for the first time and should settle on the speed or just behind the leaders. He is capable of sustaining a solid cruising speed and should strip fitter at his second run of the season.