Richards draws a blank as Yip reaches milestone
Jamie Richards will have to wait a while longer to open his Hong Kong account after the four-time champion trainer in New Zealand drew a blank with his first three runners at Happy Valley last night.
Although Richards arrived in Hong Kong at the back end of last year, a patient approach meant it was only at yesterday’s eighth meeting of the season that he unleashed his first runners with Rattan Kingdom (Per Incanto) faring best of the trio when beating all bar Lucky Gor (Shooting To Win), going down by a length in the concluding second section of the Wong Chuk Hang Handicap (1200m).
Flying On The Turf (Reward For Effort) was the first of the three Richards-trained runners to line up when finishing fifth, beaten a length and three-quarters, in the first section of the Island Handicap (1200m) before stablemate Fortune Master (Brazen Beau) was sent off favourite for the second section of the 1200-metre contest but could finish only eighth of 12, beaten two and three-quarter lengths.
Dennis Yip became the trainer to reach the 800-win milestone in Hong Kong with a double on the card and he immediately outlined ambitions to press for 1,000 victories in the jurisdiction.
Yip became the sixth active Hong Kong trainer to annex the 800-win mark by saddling a brace with Passing Fashion (Raven’s Pass) and Sunny And Gold (Dream Ahead) and the 2012/13 Hong Kong champion trainer has no intentions of resting on his laurels.
“It’s another step on the way to 900 [wins] and 1,000 [wins], I’ll try my best” Yip, 55, said before indicating he had several talented unraced newcomers at his disposal along with a cluster of Class 5 horses.
I think no problem for me because I have many new horses that have got ability. Later my new horses will show something but at the moment I’m very strong in Class 5 – I have got 14 or 15 Class 5 horses at the moment.”
Antoine Hamelin delivered the first leg of Yip’s double, posting his first victory of the season aboard Sunny And Gold in the second section of the Island Handicap in a performance which delighted the Frenchman.
“I’m very happy, I can’t wait for the first winner [of the season] – it always comes too late,” Hamelin said. “The horse was in good form, the pace was good and everything worked out. Hopefully, I can have more winners now.”
Ruan Maia then combined with Yip and Passing Fashion in the Class 5 Shum Wan Handicap (1650m).
Matthew Poon starred with a treble for three different trainers – Francis Lui, Manfred Man and Frankie Lor – to take his career total in Hong Kong to only three shy of 200 winners.
Citing favourable barriers and in-form horses, Poon said: “All jockeys need some luck and if you’ve got horses in good form and lucky draws, we all can get the job done. So, I’m very happy about tonight and I just want to keep going.”
Poon produced a patient ride on Noble Steed (Street Cry) to claim his fifth Hong Kong victory in 57 attempts with success in the Class 4 Nam Fung Handicap (1650m) for Lui. A Hong Kong International Sale graduate, Noble Steed had not won since January, 2020. Poon then drove Happy Gathering (Hinchinbrook) to victory in the first section of the Island Handicap for Man to boost his seasonal haul before completing an outstanding meeting with success on Adios (Snitzel) in the Class 3 Tai Shue Wan Handicap (1200m).
Ricky Yiu and Derek Leung celebrated success in the evening’s feature – the Class 3 Hong Kong Country Club Challenge Cup Handicap (1650m) – with Nimble Nimbus (Sacred Falls). Notching his third victory in 14 starts, Nimble Nimbus will be given further opportunities up to 1800 metres by Yiu.
“I’ll have a look at the program and probably keep him at 1650 metres to even 1800 metres,” Yiu said. “He ran well tonight and we’ll see what comes up next.”
Sight Hero’s (Love Conquers All) storming finish under Luke Currie in the first section of the Wong Chuk Hang Handicap gave David Hayes his eighth win of the term and a lead in the trainers’ championship from Tony Cruz (seven wins).
Zac Purton opened the meeting with a superb, ground-saving ride on Ping Hai Galaxy (The Factor) to edge out Seizing The Moment (Per Incanto) to give the John Size stable a quinella, while Luke Ferraris closed the nine-race card with victory atop Lucky Gor for Caspar Fownes.