The expected story heading into the Happy Valley meeting on Wednesday night was John Size’s chase of Cruz’s record for most winners in a season for a trainer.
Size equalled Cruz’s 2004/05 season of 91 wins after Nashashuk won the Class 3 Ninepin Group Handicap (1200m) under Joao Moreira, but the Australian handler will have to wait until Sunday’s Sha Tin meeting to take the record for his own.
Moreira made it a double on Paul O’Sullivan-trained Imperial Gallantry in the Class 4 Crooked Island Handicap (1650m) to take his season’s haul to 162, six short of the 168 wins he accrued last year with six meetings left this time around.
Umberto Rispoli gives a big salute as he returns to the winners’ circle on Caspar Fownes-trained Po Ching Treasure, who won the Class 4 Grass Island Handicap (1800m), picture Hong Kong Jockey Club
It may have taken Po Ching Treasure 38 starts to break through, but the Caspar Fownes-trained six-year-old took his Hong Kong record to two-for-40 as he doubled up under Umberto Rispoli in the Class 4 Grass Island Handicap (1800m).
“It’s funny how racing works like that,” Fownes said after Po Ching Treasure produced a grinding victory in a four-way finish. “I said to the owner the other day, sometimes, all that is needed is to get a hint of victory and then they go on with it. He did make tough work of it, though, didn’t he? It’s never an easy watch.”
Racing returns to Sha Tin on Sunday, where the final two Group races of the season – the G3 Premier Cup (1400m) and G3 Premier Plate (1800m) – headline the card.
