Frankie Lor breaks through with Sha Tin double
Winless after eight meetings, Frankie Lor’s stable cranked into top gear at Sha Tin on Sunday with a double crowned by Sword Point’s (American Pharoah) brilliant win in the Class 2 Nam Long Shan Handicap (1650m, dirt).
Champion trainer in 2021/22, Lor slotted his first winner of the season when the unraced gelding Master Trillion (Mendelssohn) proved too slick in the Class 4 Middle Bay Handicap (1000m) under Derek Leung before the pair combined with Sword Point, who blazed to a three and three-quarter length win while making his dirt track debut in the afternoon’s feature.
“It took a long time to get a winner, but sometimes you just have to concentrate on your horses and get them in good form for the races and not worry about the days that you will win – sometimes you just don’t know when you will win,” Lor said.
Master Trillion ended Lor’s frustrating run of outs, capped by a string of minor placings – six seconds and three thirds from 45 runners – with an impressive triumph.
“I’ve had six seconds – some just beaten by a head, some just beaten by a neck, some had no luck. I haven’t been that lucky. Anyway, I need to do my best to win for my owners,” Lor said.
Lor indicated Sword Point, a dual winner on turf and Group 2-placed in Hong Kong, will be prepared for the Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Handicap (Gr 3, 1800m) on November 3 after the six-year-old was given a perfect ride by Leung.
“I don’t think there will be another dirt race for him for a while. His sire is American Pharoah and I just trialled him on the dirt to see if he could show me if he liked it,” Lor said, adding he was pleased with Master Trillion’s debut.
“He trialled four times. His trials weren’t really good – just so-so. Some horses like this when they don’t trial very good, maybe in a race they’ll be better. I think this horse is like that. Also, this race wasn’t that strong. It was a little bit weak.
“I think he should get further later on. We’ll see how he improves after this race.”
Michael Chang matched Lor’s brace with the wins of Lady’s Choice (Charm Spirit) and Forever Folks (Tavistock), who gave Ben Thompson his second win of the term with success in the Class 4 High West Handicap (1650, dirt). Chang and Karis Teetan successfully combined with Lady’s Choice in the Class 3 Sai Wan Shan Handicap (1200m).
Zac Purton (17 wins for the season) and Hugh Bowman (12) both rode doubles.
Bowman opened his account atop the Danny Shum-trained Joyful Prosperity (Daiwa Major) in the Class 5 Tung Lung Chau Handicap (1800m). The gelding had notched eight minor placings in 19 starts before Sunday’s victory.
Talented Sky Trust (So You Think) then continued his upward spiral for Caspar Fownes with victory in the Class 4 Pak Tam Au Handicap (1400m) under Bowman. Resuming after undergoing throat surgery in August, the gelding comfortably dispatched his rivals under a clinical Bowman ride.
Purton countered with wins aboard Young Horizon (Star Witness), who posted his third course and distance win for David Hayes in the Class 5 Lamma Island Handicap (1400m) before the seven-time Hong Kong champion scored on the Pierre Ng-trained Aeroinvincible (Per Incanto) in the second section of the Class 4 Pak Tam Au Handicap (1400m).
Ricky Yiu and Jerry Chau teamed with Lucky Eight (Pride Of Dubai) to snare the Class 4 Chinese Recreation Club Challenge Cup Handicap (1200m) before the Cody Mo-trained Alpha One (Super One) landed the Class 3 Federation Of HK Guangdong Community Trophy Handicap (1000m) under Matthew Chadwick.
A three-time winner in Australia for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, Alpha One was Group 3-placed behind Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) in Australia and was having only his fourth start in Hong Kong.