Trainer Frankie Lor’s 10th winner of the season was Looking Good, in the Chukyo Handicap at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, but it wasn’t looking quite so good for most punters with the gelding scoring at odds of better than 50/1, returning a win dividend of $541.50.
Looking Good had beaten just two horse home in his two previous starts and Lor conceded that it was ‘big surprise’ to see him win. “Perhaps it was the combination of blinkers first time and Happy Valley first time,” he said.
The winner was ridden by Grant Van Niekerk who, just last week, recorded his first success on the city track. This victory generated some huge multiple dividends including a $142,695 quartet on numbers 5-3-2-7.
Blinkers, in this case for the second time, also did the trick on R5 winner All You Know, who was ridden by Alexis Badel for trainer Richard Gibson. The two also combined to win with Wishful Thinker at last week’s Happy Valley meeting.
Van Niekerk completed a double aboard Ambitious Heart, trained by David Ferraris, in the Japan Racing Association Trophy. The 11-1 chance impressed with a tenacious nose win over 1.5 favourite Country Star, ridden by Purton. “He dug deeply and I thought he’d hung on, well I was semi-confident. My confidence is building here and the ball’s starting to roll for me,” said Van Niekerk, who now has ten winners in his first Hong Kong season.
A nose was also the margin of victory which afforded Sam Clipperton a fourth winner of the season, aboard Rule Thee for Paul O’Sullivan, and condemned Purton to the runners-up stall for the third time.
Indeed, it looked like Purton nor immediate pursuer Karis Teetan would both draw a blank on a Hong Kong card for the first time this season until the Mauritian secured a last stride, last race win aboard Super Chic.
Hong Kong racing continues on Sunday 18 November at Sha Tin with three G2 contests including the Hong Kong Horse of the Year Beauty Generation contesting the G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile.
Grant Van Niekerk completed a double on Ambitious Heart for trainer David Ferraris, picture Hong Kong Jockey Club
