Jimmy Ting bagged a treble last Wednesday and continued his hot Happy Valley form last night (Wednesday, 15 January) with a double courtesy of Flying Godspell and Vigor Fame.
That gave the trainer five wins from his last 12 runners at the downtown venue, a haul complemented by two second placings, and he was quick to give praise to the two men in the saddle, Silvestre de Sousa and Matthew Poon.
De Sousa was at his focused, punching best aboard Vigor Fame to complete the Ting brace in section two of the Class 3 Edinburgh Handicap (1650m). The Brazilian urged the six-year-old – a stable transfer to Ting since his last start – to the lead from gate two and kept his mount honest as the challengers threatened and failed in the run to the line.
“I think de Sousa made the difference – if he wasn't riding I think we would have lost,” Ting said. “He's a very strong rider and the horse needs some help in the last 50 metres, so that's why I used him.”
Three races prior, Poon followed the handler's instructions aboard the Congua-based Flying Godspell in the Class 4 Club Street Handicap (1200m). The rider tracked the lead from gate one before switching out in the straight for a centre-track charge to victory.
“Flying Godspell had a good rating; last time, I thought he could win but I asked the rider to sit a little bit and instead he chased him to go in front. If you chase him too much he'll run and then in the last 50 metres he'll weaken. This time, Matthew Poon sat and the horse had a finish,” Ting said.
The second season trainer put his recent sizzling streak at the Valley down to his horses finding the fields there “not as strong” as at Sha Tin and “if they get a good draw, it's even better.”
De Sousa left the track with a double of his own, having earlier delivered Happy Good Guys to triumph in the Class 4 Lambeth Handicap (1000m).
“Getting two wins tonight, it means a lot – I wish it could be every night like that but we'll keep trying!” he said.
The three-time British champion has not had the searing success he enjoyed last term when he guided 44 winners over the line – tonight's haul took his total so far to 11 – but Happy Good Guys' score was his third win from his last three rides for the Ricky Yiu stable, giving him a three from five return for the handler this season. Yiu's own running tally at the head of the premiership ticked along to 34.
Poon, meanwhile, snagged a double thanks to the Dennis Yip-trained Play Wise in the Class 4 Ice House Handicap (1650m).
Roman Odyssey ended a long quest for success when gaining an overdue first Hong Kong win in the opening Class 5 Murray Handicap (1000m). The Manfred Man-trained eight-year-old broke through at the 28th attempt since import, having last won at Gosford, Australia, in July 2016.