Lyle Hewitson wrapped up a midweek double at Happy Valley on Wednesday as Rising From Ashes rattled to a flashing short-head victory in the Class 3 Connaught Handicap (1650m).
Sealing a first win in tandem with trainer Francis Lui, Hewitson's calculated patience was rewarded as he weaved impressively between runners from near-last position to deny the well-supported favourite Jumbo Legend's last-gasp effort.
“It couldn't have gone much better. He's a horse that tends to travel a bit strong if you wake him up too early, I thought I'd rather take the chance and ride for a bit of luck and I had a beautiful trip round.
“He was wonderfully settled and there was a mid-race break in pace and you could see everyone stack up and horses started to go a bit wider, I thought at that stage it would be the wrong move to try and circle them on a small horse, so I decided to wait for a bit of luck and I got my split through them,” Hewitson said.
Hewitson was taken by the win of the 75-rater who arrived in Hong Kong as a one-time winner in Australia. The Shamus Award gelding clocked 1m 40.99s for the effort.
“He's a horse who wants a bit of room, so I made sure that I switched out once I got through and he hit the line really well, I didn't even use the stick from behind. I think that was a tenacious win from him, he deserved it, he has the ability,” Hewitson said.
Hewitson's first victory this evening came atop Kowloon Great for trainer Danny Shum, who surged to a breakthrough win in Hong Kong at his 14th attempt in the Class 4 Jackson Handicap (2200m).
“It would have been great to have three, being a competitive jockey I'm still looking at that first race a bit frustrated but I'm happy to have two and that's a nice pick up win for Francis (Lui),” Hewitson said.
The South African rider narrowly missed in the opener aboard Smiling Face.
The Douglas Whyte-trained Pretty Queen Prawn and Antoine Hamelin denied California Deeply's hat-trick bid in the Class 3 Chater Handicap (1000m), mustering for a second win together this term.
“He's a lovely horse, he had a light break and that was good. He went really well today and I'm very happy to be back on him and winning on him,” Hamelin said.
Zac Purton brought up back-to-back doubles as Star Contact swept to an almighty win in the Class 4 Hong Kong Club Challenge Cup Handicap (1650m) for trainer David Hayes.
“He's been racing really well and he deserved that. He was only touched off last time, it was just a bit awkward from the gate (barrier seven), so I had to take my medicine a little bit but they didn't go as fast as I thought they might, so it was a good effort to come from where he did,” Purton said.
Purton kicked off his night with victory aboard Flying On The Turf to give Jamie Richards a fourth win from the last four fixtures in the first section of the Class 4 Club Handicap (1200m).
Alfred Chan paid tribute to his late grandma who sadly passed away last Sunday (15 January), savouring a bittersweet victory aboard Sugar Sugar in the second section of the Class 4 Club Handicap (1200m) to cap a double for trainer Caspar Fownes.
“I was happy that I could win on him again, one thing is happy and one thing is sad, I'm happy that he can do it for me because my grandma passed away last Sunday, which is really sad.
“I came here for one ride and he did it for me and the stable – I'm very happy with that. I'm grateful that we could win again, hopefully my grandma can rest in peace,” Chan said.
The win was Chan's third this term and second in partnership with Sugar Sugar, who will now rise to Class 3 after winning off a mark of 60 this evening.
“I'm very happy for Alfie, he deserved that. We've been working hard on that horse just to get him out of the gates because he's been a bit naughty,” Fownes said.
“But he was good today, his focus was there and he gave him a nice ride. He got the job done and now obviously he's going to go up in class and down in weight. It's always a bit of a test but I don't see any reason why he can't continue to be competitive.”
Vincent Ho moved to 40 wins this season with a sparkling mid-race move aboard Daily Beauty to kick off Fownes' double in the first section of the Class 5 Murray Handicap (1650m).
“It was a fitness test, I had to push him the whole way but he was fit and it was on him,” Ho said.
Ho took off at the 900m mark to hit the lead and that's where he remained. Daily Beauty – by All American – is now a five-time winner in Hong Kong across 51 starts.
The first of Francis Lui's two wins this evening came as London Luckystar dominated the second section of the Class 5 Murray Handicap (1650m) under Jerry Chau.
Winless across his first 31 starts in Hong Kong, The Holy Roman Emperor gelding has come into his own this term.
“I think this is the best distance for him, last time we put him on the dirt because he has placed on it before but it seems that the Happy Valley 1650 metres is the best,” Lui said.
Leading three-year-old Pier can book his passage to Australia with a bold resuming performance at Pukekohe on Saturday.
The gifted son of Proisir will step out in the Group 3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m) and while victory is not imperative to confirm travel plans, he is expected to give a forward account of himself.
Pier hasn't raced since he overcame a wide run to triumph in the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November and will strip fit enough on his return to go close to adding to his record of three wins from four appearances.
“He had four weeks in the paddock and then he spent two weeks on the water treadmill at Lyndhurst Farm and he's been back here for six weeks,” said Darryn Weatherly, who trains the gelding with daughter Briar.
“He has developed and this is a stepping-stone for him and he's not fully tuned up. He's about 10kg over the weight he was when he won the Guineas, but I am really happy with him.
“We have got plans to take him to Sydney and he hasn't been right-handed before, hence the reason we're going to Pukekohe.”
To be ridden by Weatherley's son Sam, Pier will carry 60kg under the set weights and penalties conditions of the Almanzor Trophy.
“He's got topweight, but if he's thereabouts and close enough to Maven Belle at the finish or got his head in front he will be on the plane to Sydney,” Weatherley said.
Contrary to earlier suggestions, Pier will be returning to New Zealand after his Australian venture which will open at Rosehill in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) on February 18.
“All going well, there's the Randwick Guineas (Group 1, 1600m) and then the Rosehill Guineas (Group 1, 2000m). We'll take it one race at a time and if he's stepping up we'll stay.
“We will be taking him over there ourselves and bring him home afterwards for a spell in the winter and attack again in the spring.”
Weatherley bred and races Pier with his wife Lou and close friend Barry Wright while prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir purchased a 25 percent share in the horse prior to his three-year-old debut in September.
The stable will also be chasing black type at Pukekohe with Pier's older half-sister Maria Farina, with the Contributer mare to contest the Gr.3 Brighthill Farm Yearlings Concorde Handicap (1200m).
“She's got a nice alley and will be a worthy chance with a lightweight if things go her way,” Weatherley said.
To be ridden by Jake Bayliss, Maria Farina has won three of her 15 starts and finished sixth over this course and distance on Boxing Day after suffering an interrupted run.
Be A Roca is also a three-time winner following the daughter of El Roca's most recent success at Te Rapa on New Year's Day, but she will face a far sterner test in the Group 2 Westbury Classic (1400m).
“She's in the fillies and mares' 1400m and might be outclassed looking at the field, but she did win well last time out and her sectionals were really good,” Weatherley said.