Neil Callan was sharp out of the traps at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. The Irishman hit an early Class 5 double in the opening two contests to take his season’s tally to 43, four shy of his previous best of 47, which he achieved in his first full Hong Kong campaign in 2014/15.
The Dennis Yip-trained Gentry was first on the board in the Mount Cameron Handicap (1650m). Top-weight of 133lb couldn’t anchor the five-year-old who was down to the lowest grade for the first time for his maiden win at start 12. Callan’s mount, a 5.6 chance, tracked a hot pace off the home turn and swooped for a two-length score. The time was a sharp 1m 40.11s.
Gentry gives jockey Neil Callan the first leg of an early double, picture Singapore Turf Club
“I thought Gentry would be too good for them in the first,” Callan said. “From his tricky gate (9) he got a lovely spot and the pace was strong. He just stretched out and won quite comfortably.”
There were similarities in race two, the Class 5 Mount Gough Handicap (1200m), as 18/1 chance Funny Buddies (132lb) quickened from a handy spot turning in and surged to a length and a half success in 1m 09.92s.
“With Funny Buddies it was the same thing from a good gate (5),” he said of the Paul O’Sullivan-trained galloper whose previous career win came over 1100m at Hawkesbury, New South Wales, in September, 2014.
“The speed was good and he showed good pace to get a nice position early,” he continued. “I kept it simple and stayed to the outside. I had to give him a few to wake him up because he was thinking a bit when he was going there to hit the front but once I got him to the front I gave him a couple and he went away and won easily.”
Champion Jockey Joao Moreira was also in double form as he continued his quest for a hoped-for record tally. The Brazilian requires 13 more wins from 10 remaining meetings to top the phenomenal benchmark of 168 he set last season.
Moreira partnered the Size-trained Raging Bull to win the Class 4 Shouson Hill Handicap (1650m) and was successful aboard Prince Harmony for Chris So in the first section of the Class 3 Violet Hill Handicap (1200m).
Apprentice Dylan Mo took his tally for the term to 17 when he drove the Danny Shum-trained Salsa Brothers to a first Hong Kong win at start 19 in the Class 4 Mount Nicholson Handicap (1200m).
