Great battle for training honours
With only three months into the new racing season a great three-way battle is already ensuing for the Trainers Premiership, with three former champion trainers locked in a great clash for supremacy.
A winning double on Saturday’s all-weather card took former 2016 Champion Trainer Sio Cheong to a narrow lead on 12 wins, just one ahead of last year’s Champion Tony Fung, with Stanley Chin the leading conditioner in 2019 in third spot on ten victories. Prior to Saturday all three trainers were sharing first spot on ten wins apiece, in what was a first for the Club.
Top Mountainlegend (Manhattan Rain), a new addition to Sio Cheong’s yard, was the first of his winners when he easily accounted for his opposition in the Class 3 over 1510 metres under Roger Yu.
Top Mountainlegend is an Australian import who raced in New South Wales as Classic Jade, when prepared by Gary Moore at Rosehill. The gelding won a maiden at Newcastle and a Benchmark 58 at Goulburn from his nine starts before being sold onto Macau. He was originally with Geoff Allendorf in Macau, where he proved a model of consistency, winning over 1500 metres on the turf and placing on six other occasions, before being sold to his new owner Mr Ip Ka Wing.
The gelding was confidently supported at his first run for Cheong on the turf over 1200 metres, and after having the run of the race found himself locked away behind a wall of horses in the straight, going to the line hard held. There were no such problems on Saturday when, after a quick getaway, he enjoyed the run of the race in the box seat under Roger Yu, before taking command in the home straight and racing away for an easy win.
Kelvin’s Choice (Snitzel), another Australian import, gave Cheong his double when he ran out an easy winner in the Class 4 & 5 Division (2) over 1050 metres with Peter Ho in the saddle.
Formerly racing in Australia as Horn, where from nine starts he won two races, the gelding was then sold onto Macau. Whilst his form was not super overseas, he would have been a cheap purchase for Macau on his credentials, and has now managed to win two races for his Macau owner Mr Mok Shing Fung.
Tony Fung’s sole winner for the weekend was his promising debut runner Smart Arrow (Smart Missile), who after getting rid of the rider Roger Yu twice behind the gates, and then proving a handful once loaded, ran out a handsome winner of the maiden handicap over 1350 metres.
Smart Arrow, a lovely big strong four-year-old, had formerly trialled at Doomben and the Gold Coast, with his best effort a fair second at the Gold Coast. The bay seems to have really taken to the sand surface in Macau, and stood out in three trials prior to Saturday’s race.
The gelding no doubt has plenty to learn and needs to settle down and relax, but he most certainly will pay his way for owner Mr Lee Wing Yan.
The win on Smart Arrow was the first leg of a double for Yu, who sits in equal third spot with J B Hamel in the riders’ standings with nine wins each. Luis Corrales and Eric Cheung each share top billing with 12 winners to date.
Nick Moore continued his great strike-rate with Hostwin Poseidon (Dream Ahead), one of only two runners on Saturday, taking out the last of the day in super fashion by four lengths eased down.
Hostwin Poseidon, a bay colt from the Stratum (Redoute’s Choice) dam Abrasions, was an $85,000 purchase at the 2019 Gold Coast 2YO’s In Training Sales by owner Mr Jason Tam.
The colt has now won three races from six starts and judging by the ease of his win will have no problems handling the higher grade.
Moore has only had a total of 21 runners for the season for six winners and four placings, giving him a win rate of 29 per cent and place strike-rate of 48 per cent.