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2021-08-30
Smith Stars in Macau Gold Cup
By Harry Troy
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It was billed as the race of the season, the clash of the titans, the much-awaited rematch between Macau’s King our highest rated horse Sacred Capital, and the Pretender to the throne Star Of Yiu Cheung; but in the end it turned out a one act affair, with Star Of Yiu Cheung simply demolishing his opposition with a runaway win in the 30th running of the Group 1 Macau Gold Cup on Sunday.
To use trainer Wayne Smith’s own words, “that was simply awesome, it was freakish,” and it was; a soft six lengths win and a result that was never in doubt after the first few hundred metres.
Star of Yiu Cheung began like a rocket, and went straight to the front to lead the Cup field out of the straight the first time; once in the back jockey Shogo Nakano got the son of Casino Prince (Aus) to relax and come back under him, and then rated him to perfection. Still under a hold at the top of the straight, Nakano let the bay gelding stride and a shake up at the two hundred seen him sprint away with a seven lengths break.
At the end it was Star of Yiu Cheung eased down by six from Top Mountainlegend (Roger Yu) in second, with Qian Gua (Breinell Yamzon) running in third.
Smith was very confident going into the race, and declared on Thursday morning that he was going to avenge his nose defeat by Sacred Capital in last year’s Cup, but admitted after the race he was blown away by the ease of the win.
“I truly expected him to win but he just trotted in, he just destroyed them,” he said.
“Shogo (Nakano) and this horse are a match made in heaven; he gets the horse to relax so well he just gets on so well with him.”
“It was always in the back of my mind that he might want to go a bit hard in front having only had two 1200 metres races as a lead in, but Shogo just rated him to a perfection.”
Last season Star Of Yiu Cheung was the proverbial bridesmaid, being the runner up in the Derby Trial (Gr 3) to Winnie Star, second in the Macau Guineas (Gr 1) to Hostwin Saturn, beaten a short head in the Group 1 Derby by Sacred Magnate, and beaten a nose in the last stride by Sacred Capital in the Group 1 Gold Cup.
However, it’s been a different ballgame this season, and Smith described the six-year-old bay gelding as now a really serious racehorse.
“He has come back this season as the real finished article, the perfect racehorse. Two runs back he bolts in and breaks a 13-year-old track record doing 1200 metres in 1.07.2, and now he trots in over 1800 metres on a heavy track.”
Smith finished the season on 26 winners, a superb effort given he has only 15 horses in his yard. As well he managed 31 placed efforts from his 174 runners giving him a 15%-win rate and a 33% place rate.
“It’s been a good steady season. There was no highs or lows, the horses just ran consistent all season so I couldn’t ask for more than that.”
Sacred Capital who jumped second favorite in the race was never really in contention on a track that was riding on the heavy side, and after being caught three and four deep in the run turned in a career worse performance, finishing a distant tenth 23 lengths away. Stablemate Sacred Magnate fared not much better finishing sixth 13 ¼ lengths away.
A very down to earth Joe Lau had this to say of his runners after the race.
“It was obvious to me after the first three hundred metres or so that Sacred Capital was not going to be there. They were really getting into the ground and he was not the same horse and ended up very wide the run,” he said.
“Sacred Magnate was the same, he was never happy on the ground. I’ve checked them out and they have pulled up well, there were no problems. It just wasn’t our day; they were different horses on the day.”
Shogo Nakano stole riding honors on the day winning three races on the eight-race card, including the very next race after the Gold Cup on Smith’s Pursuing Eagle, who took out the Class 2 Handicap over 1200 metres. Pursuing Eagle won by a whopping 8 ½ lengths over race favorite Fifer (Masa Tanaka), with Fortune Paradise (Tshwaro Appie) in third.
It was win number six in Macau for the son of Holy Roman Emperor (Ire), and whilst Smith expected a bold showing he was astounded at the win.
“I truly expected him to run well as he was only beaten a half-length by Fifer last start, but he is for me a better horse on top of the ground; but he just blew them away on the heavy ground and won eased down.”
Nakano’s earlier winner was the Sio Cheong prepared River Pentium who led throughout to win the Class 3 & 4 over 1200 metres.
Luis Corrales picked up his sixth Macau Champion Jockeys Title to end the season on 73 wins, which has been another great achievement given that there were only 66 racedays conducted.
Corrales now joins Manoel Nunes as the only two riders to win six titles. Eric Cheung was runner up on 57 victories a fine effort in his first year as a senior rider, with Masa Tanaka in third spot on 43 winners.
Stanley Chin took out his second Macau Trainers’ Title with 49 winners six ahead of Sio Cheong on 43, with Tony Fung in third spot on 30 wins.
Chin led in a double for the day with Star Of City Gold (Tshwaro Appie) in the Class 2 & 3 over 1800 metres and also provided the quinella in the race with Treasurelakebuddy (Breinell Yamzon) a head way in second spot, and then picked up his second win for the day with the Hong Kong cast-off Marqula in the Class 3 & 4 Division 1 over 1200 metres, with Masa Tanaka on top.
Nick Moore finished the season on a winning note with Hostwin Jupiter rocketing home late to score a last stride win in the Class 4 over 1500 metres.
Ridden by Eric Cheung, Hostwin Jupiter sprouted wings late to beat Big Alloy (Breinell Yamzon), with the tearaway leader Dawson (Luis Corrales) in third.
Moore finished with 19 winners for the season, a fine effort given he only has a small team of 14 horses in his barn. With a total of 133 runners for the year Moore’s stats read 19 wins with 21 seconds and 13 third placed efforts giving him a 14%-win strike and a 40% place hit.
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Star of Yiu Cheung wins the Macau Gold Cup | 
Pursuing Eagle | 
Wayne Smith and Shogo Nakano a double | 
Stanley Chin and Luis Corrales | 
Star Of City Gold beats Treasurelake Buddy | 
Hostwin Jupiter wins the last race of the season |
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2021-08-27
Lau and SmithSquare up again in Macau Gold Cup
By Harry Troy
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The much-anticipated return bout between Joe Lau’s Sacred Capital and Wayne Smith’s Star Of Yiu Cheung, draws closer with Sunday’s 30th running of the Group 1 Macau Gold Cup over 1800 metres.
The most talked about topic at the track for weeks will finally be on show, as the two rivals square off once more, with Smith quietly confident that he can avenge his nose defeat at the hands of Sacred Capital last year.
Sacred Capital, Macau’s highest rated horse on 125 points, heads the field of 12 with Star Of Yiu Cheung carrying the number two saddlecloth on 120 rating points, in a race set on the equal weight scale with each runner carrying 126 pounds.
Last year’s clash between the two resulted in a titanic battle the length of the Taipa straight, with Sacred Capital stretching right on the line to prevail by the shortest possible margin in horseracing, a nose.
One year on and Sacred Capital is now a seven-year-old, and has only raced twice since the Gold Cup last August. That resulted in a fast finishing sixth beaten two- and three-quarter lengths behind Hostwin Saturn in January, and another strong finishing second behind Star of Yiu Cheung in the Group 1 Chairman’s Challenge Cup again over 1200 metres in July.
That said, Joe Lau who is long recognized as Macau’s master conditioner, could not be happier with both Sacred Capital and his second runner in the race Sacred Magnate.
“I honestly have to say I could not be happier with both my horses; they have both done a treat and went well in their final hit outs this morning,” he said.
“We have drawn a bit awkward in (10) Sacred Capital and (11) Sacred Magnate, but they both have good gate speed at 1800, especially Sacred Magnate.”
“I have no race plan just yet, as I’ll wait to see what the track is like they are forecasting rain, but I would prefer it dry.”
The younger Sacred Magnate is out of it at the handicaps on his rating of 92 on the set weight scale, however, Lau is expecting a big run from last year’s Derby winning son of Foxwedge (Aus).
“Let’s not forget that we beat Star Of Yiu Cheung in the Derby last year, and whilst Star Of Yiu Cheung has come back better this year, Sacred Magnate is also a far better horse then when he won the Derby last year; he is not to be underestimated particularly at the 1800.”
Lau is also not underestimating his other opponents in Sunday’s race as well.
“Star of Yiu Cheung is a proper racehorse, he has come back better than ever; but we still have to respect some of the other runners, especially if the rain comes.”
“Simon Fubuki’s Derby win was first class on the wet ground and there are a few others that will come into contention if the rain comes.”
Lau is also aiming for three straight Macau Gold Cups having won the race with Sacred Capital for the past two years. Sacred Capital will be attempting to join Wonder Mossman who won three consecutive Gold Cups in 2014, 2015, and 2106.
Peter Ho who rode Sacred Capital to victory on both occasions, returns from injury to ride the gelding in Sunday’s feature. As well, Ho will be attempting to be the only jockey in the Club’s history to win the Macau Gold Cup for three consecutive years. Eric Cheung takes the ride on Sacred Magnate.
Wayne Smith like Lau, is delighted with the progress of Star Of Yiu Cheung, and is confident he can turn the tables in the rematch, and this year’s Cup trophy will be sitting on his mantelpiece.
“I’m absolutely thrilled with how he has done coming into the race. He got through a super gallop yesterday; that was his final hit out and he pulled up terrific,” he said.
“He is going into the race much fresher than he did last year with just the two 1200 metre races under his belt, as opposed to last year when he was coming off his Derby campaign.”
“He is a much better horse both physically and mentally this year, and has proven himself on any ground. And Shogo Nakano gets along with him better with him than any jockey that has ridden him. He gets him to relax and the horse does not want to race as hard with him.”
“There is some speed in the race, but he has led all of them over 1200 metres on the bridle, so we will just him flop out and relax him as much as we can.”
“It’s going to be a great race and we are really looking forward to Sunday,” he added.
Last season Star Of Yiu Cheung in any other year would have been hailed as a champion. The impressive looking son of Casino Prince (Aus), was beaten a short head in the Derby Trial at 1500 (Gr 3) by Winnie Star after overacing badly, then beaten a half-length by Hostwin Saturn in the Gr 1 Macau Guineas also at 1500, and then beaten a short head by Sacred Magnate in the Derby.
A testament to his resilience was his effort when beaten a nose by Sacred Capital in last year’s race that was run in a time of 1.45.8, a new Gold Cup record. That was 2.4 seconds quicker than his Derby run time. Whilst the races were run one month apart, both were on good tracks and it underlined the vast improvement by Star Of Yiu Cheung following his Derby second.
This season Star Of Yiu Cheung has returned as Macau’s dominant horse with an awesome record breaking six and a half lengths win on the bridle in 1.07.2 in May, and a romp in the park victory by three lengths on the wet ground over Sacred Capital in the Group 1 Chairman’s Challenge Cup.
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Sacred Capital wins his second Macau Gold Cup beating Star Of Yiu Cheung | 
Sacred Magnate beats Star Of Yiu Cheung in the SJM Macau Derby last year | 
Star Of Yiu Cheung wins the Chairman's Challenge Cup | 
Shogo Nakano and Wayne Smith |
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2021-08-23
Eric Cheung - Living the Dream
By Harry Troy
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Eric Cheung has enjoyed a wonderful first season as a senior rider and he added to that with another four winners over the weekend, to take him to 56 winners for the season, and sounding an ominous warning to champion jockey Luis Corrales for next year.
In fact, Cheung had a total of 11 rides over the Friday – Sunday race cards for four winners and four seconds, giving him a 36%-win strike and a 72% place hit.
Sio Cheung’s Manulmperial started the ball rolling for Cheung, when he showed plenty of fight to stave off the late charge by Military Strongman (Luis Corrales), in the 1st Division of the Class 3 over 1350 metres on Friday night.
Manulmperial has been a good buy for his five-way partnership of owners with now two wins and two second placings in Macau, all on the sand surface.
The five-year-old gelding had formerly raced in New Zealand as Spijker when prepared by Awapuni trainer Mike Breslin, where he chalked up a consistent four seconds and two third placed efforts from nine starts. The son of Iffraaj (GB) however, has really found his niche on the Macau all weather surface.
Éclair Sunshine from the Danny Wong yard was the second of Cheung’s winners, when he easily accounted for his opposition in the 2nd Division of the Class 3 over 1350 metres.
It was win number seven in Macau for the former Australian galloper, who has placed on another seven occasions, and is now nudging the $2 million HKD mark in prize money.
Cheung had to wait until race five on Sunday to kick home his third winner for the weekend, with the New Zealand import Kingdom Qi Feng, for his former master Stanley Chin in the 1st Division of the Maiden over 1200 metres.
Kingdom Qi Feng came well credentialed with two nice trial wins in NZ at Matamata and Avondale. A son of the ill-fated Group 1 winner Atlante (Aus), Kingdom Qi Feng whilst still a little on the green side hit the line well to beat Finance Time (Peter Lao), with Luen On Mammon (Masa Tanaka) a distant third.
Japanese import Satono Eternal rounded out Cheung’s weekend when he saluted per medium of a perfect rails hugging ride, to win the last of the day the Class 4 over 1800 metres.
It was the fifth win in the enclave for the son of Deep Impact (Jpn) who looks capable of more than Class 4 especially at the 1800 trip.
Satono Eternal is certainly bred in the pink, as well as being by the great Deep Impact (Jpn), he is out of So Many Ways a daughter of Sightseeing (USA), who was unbeaten in her two-year-old year winning at Grade 1 level in the USA.
Hong Kong born Cheung was a late starter in the jockey business at the age of 24 years.
Cheung had originally joined the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Apprentice School in 2008 at age 15.
Because of his height, being quite tall for a jockey, he didn’t make the cut as an apprentice and began riding trackwork in Hong Kong at the age of 18.
Being a natural lightweight at 110 pounds and still wanting to pursue his dream of being a jockey, Cheung took the plunge and headed to Australia where he rode work for various trainers including Toby Edmonds at the Gold Coast, before moving to Warwick Farm as a freelance trackwork rider. An opportunity came up with Gordon Yorke and he began his apprenticeship with him at Gosford in late 2015.
Radiologist trained by Yorke gave him a perfect start in winning at his first race ride at Coff’s Harbour in June 2016. Cheung rode another 17 winners from 100 race rides in Australia before visa problems forced his return to Hong Kong.
After a year away from racing he was enticed by former champion jockey Stanley Chin to give it another go in Macau, and won at his first race ride in the enclave on My Fortune Star for Chin in March 2018.
In a pre-race interview prior to last weekends racing, Cheung was very humble in talking about his success, and paid tribute to the many trainers that have come to utilize his services.
“Yes, this season has been so amazing for me. I have been chasing my dream for a long long time and I am so happy that I have such a good result.”
“I really appreciate all the support that I have got from my master Stanley Chin along with Sio Cheong, Geoff Allendorf and Tony Fung and all the people that have supported me.”
When asked about next season his prompt reply was, “I will be chasing (Luis) Corrales hard next season, it’s my dream to be champion.”
Cheung has now ridden a total of 122 winners, which is a fine achievement give that with time off for injury, and he has only completed three seasons in total race riding.
It has been a just reward for his perseverance and determination, to pursue his childhood dream.
Geoff Allendorf is excited about the prospects of his new Australian import Bottmingen, who scored an impressive first up win in the Class 3 over 1200 metres under top jockey Luis Corrales.
A good-looking chestnut son of the 2009 Group 1 Oakleigh Plate winner Swiss Ace (Aus), Bottmingen looked super the way he hit the line after coming from well back in the run, and being momentarily held up in the last one hundred and fifty metres.
Bottmingen had shown promise in his four runs in Victoria when prepared there by Alan and Jason Williams, winning a Cranbourne Maiden and placing at Sandown and Moe.
Allendorf has high hopes for the chestnut gelding, and had this to say after the win.
“He is a very good horse that has for sure got plenty of upside. He is still settling into the place because it’s been so hot and humid here, and he came out of the Australian winter.”
“I’m very happy that David Price put him in my care; it’s a while since I’ve had a good cup horse and this is one that I think will measure up. He has a very bright future for sure.”
The win gave Allendorf 26 wins for the season and puts him in fifth spot on the trainer’s standings.
“I’m very happy with the season with the smaller team. As well my 26 winners I’ve had 69 placings and 32 of this have been in the Q spot.”
“I have not had any cup horses or high-class horses this season, but I’ve got stable full of honest horses that are still collecting prize money at the end of the season, so that keeps your owners happy.”
Bottmingen is named after the Swiss township of the same name, and home to the heritage listed Bottmingen Castle.
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Satono Eternal | 
Eclair Sunshine | 
Kingdom Qi Feng | 
Eric Cheung and Stanley Chin | 
Bottmingen |
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2021-08-16
A Double for Chin Seals the Championship
By Harry Troy
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A double for Stanley Chin on Sunday’s turf and sand race card, must surely have his second Macau Champion Trainer’s Title signed sealed and delivered, with a now six-win lead over Sio Cheong, with only three race days remaining.
After Sunday the score reads Chin 45 winners to Cheong’s 38, and nothing short of divine intervention, will stop Chin from being crowned Champion Trainer for a second time.
As we mentioned in last week’s column the numbers were always going to favor Chin, and with three racedays left and approximately 18 races left to decide, Cheong has to win seven of those and Chin none, for him to be the victor. Highly Improbable.
In an interview prior to the weekends racing Chin touched on the fact that while he had the superior numbers, he was hoping for the weather to fine up, in his words, “I’d much prefer the weather to fine up though, as the majority of my horses will be better suited on good ground.”
With the monsoon season in full force, Macau has been inundated with tropical storms, at times very severe, with soft tracks now for over month. Sunday was no exception with the heaviest turf track we have seen this year, and its testament to the wonderful draining powers of the Taipa racetrack that racing is able to continue.
However, Chin did find one mudlark in his stable in Mountain Eagle, who absolutely destroyed his rivals in the first of the day under Japanese horseman Masa Tanaka, with a massive 14 ¼ lengths victory over City Hunter (J B Hamel), with Lucky Star (Tshwaro Appie) in third.
It was win number two in Macau for the former New Zealand galloper who raced there as Call Me Murphy. Sunday’s race was only a Class 4 & 5 contest, but the time posted by Mountain Eagle of 1.35.4 was almost two seconds quicker than the feature event two races later, The Association Of Macau Racing Journalists 30th Anniversary Cup taken out by Lucky Double in 1.37.1.
No doubt you have to take into consideration that Mountain Eagle got first use of the grass, however it’s still a huge disparity.
After Sunday Mountain Eagle has accumulated $313,950 HKD for his two wins in Macau, which equates to close to $60,000 NZD, which is certainly way up the $11,000 he won there; and there is no doubt plenty more wins in store for the son of Shamoline Warrior (Aus) who is out of the Aucash mare Murphy’s Cash. Aucash, who won seven races in Hong Kong reaching Class 1 level, is of course a half-brother to the great Saintly, who won both the W S Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup on 1996.
Sio Cheong came all so close to pulling back Chin’s winner when he sent out Rock To Road and Top Mountainlegend in the Class 1 & 2 over 1050 metres on the sand three races later.
Top Mountainlegend was no doubt the best of good things beaten when he blew the start under Dayversom Barros losing a good four lengths. Barros saved valuable ground in the run to dart through on the inside of the odds on favorite Golden Conqueror and looked the winner, until Rock To Road came on the scene, and just as it was looking like a Sio Cheong quinella, Stanley Chin’s Sheng Li Superstar came blazing down the outside under Luis Corrales, to blow them away in a thrilling three-way finish.
Cheong’s never say die attitude gave him some consolation when his promising four-year-old River Unicorn, showed great determination under Luis Corrales to chase down the free running leader Silent Height (Frankie Choi), to win the last of the night the Class 2 over 1350 metres on the sand.
Sunday’s feature event was The Association Of Macau Racing Journalist 30th Anniversary Cup, taken out by the Joe Lau prepared Lucky Double in the hands of Dayversom Barros.
Lucky Double, a nice-looking son of Spill The Beans (Aus), from the End Sweep mare Miss Polanas, reveled in the conditions to run away from his opponents and win by five and a quarter lengths over Winnie Star (Luis Corrales), with Casino Mok (Roger Yu) who tried to lead all the way, a short head away in third.
Lucky Double is a horse on the way up and has improved dramatically from his first run in Macau when he was 13 lengths away over 1200 metres. An impressive win followed two starts later over 1200 metres, followed by a nice fast finishing third last start over 1200 metres.
Sunday’s race over 1500 metres looked tailor made for the gelding, and he was sent out a warm favorite at $23.50 the win for a $10 dollar investment.
Whilst its very early days yet, Lucky Double looks just the type of horse that Joe Lau would be nurturing along for next seasons Derby.
Luis Corrales took riding honors for the day with a treble to take him further ahead in the Jockeys’ Premiership with now 71 winners, 19 ahead of Eric Cheung on 52, with Masa Tanaka booting home a double on Sunday to take him into a clear third on 40 victories, in what has been a great season for the Japanese rider.
Tanaka’s second winner was the Geoff Allendorf prepared Rubick Kingdom who scrambled over the line to win by a neck, from the fast-finishing stablemate Imperial Eagle (Roger Yu) in the Class 4 over 1200 metres.
Whilst Rubick Kingdom was well supported late to start at $77.50 the win, Imperial Eagle was one of the rank outsiders jumping at $460.00 for the win, with the Allendorf quinella paying a whopping $1388.50.
Rubick Kingdom is only the second son of the Rubick (Aus) breed to race in Macau, the other being the averaged performed Right Right Right.
That said Rubick Kingdom has the makings of a nice horse, and Allendorf is confident that he will furnish into a handy horse next season.
“That was a great result to quinella the race, and Rubick Kingdom’s owner Mr. Wong has just come out of quarantine in time to see him race.” Allendorf said.
“He made the trip from mainland China to cheer him on, but he had to do his mandatory 14-day quarantine after he arrived in Macau. He is going to go back to China a very happy man.”
“I always like to give my horses a bit of time, and Rubick Kingdom is going to make a handy horse next season. They need that time to fully acclimatize.”
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Mountain Eagle | 
Sheng Li Superstar (outside) beats Rock To Road | 
River Unicorn | 
Lucky Double | 
Rubick Kingdom |
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2021-08-09
Numbers Favor Chin in Championship
By Harry Troy
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With just four racedays remaining until the end of the Macau racing season, a second Trainers’ Title for Stanley Chin does look a forgone conclusion.
Prior to the weekends racing the score was 41 to 37 in Chin’s favor, after Sio Cheong had narrowed the margin from a 12-win lead in June to a four-win margin at the end of July.
It was a determined effort that put the Championship within his reach, however Cheong desperately needed another good weekend to narrow the gap more to be a real force. As it turned out Chin extended the margin by an extra win, taking the score now to 43 in Chin’s favor to Cheong’s 38.
Both trainers were well represented on the weekends racing with Chin sending out 13 runners to Cheong’s 10 and for a fleeting moment on Friday, it was looking good for the underdog Cheong when his charge River Applause knocked off Chin’s Vibrant City, in the first of the day the Class 4 & 5 over 1200 metres (turf) to narrow things down to a three-win lead.
River Applause saluted per medium of a lovely ride by Eric Cheung who wisely let the speed go to get the run of the race in fourth spot, before slipping along the inside on straightening and coming off the back the leader Golden Wins, for a late sprint to the post. Vibrant City (Tshwaro Appie) from the Chin stable was flying home late, and only went down by three quarters of a length at the wire for second, with Golden Wins (Dayversom Barros) paying the penalty for going too freely up front a short head away in third.
The euphoria however was short lived for Cheong, with Chin striking back in the very next race the Class 5 & 6 over 1050 metres (sand) with Sheng Li Star (Luis Corrales) beating the stablemate Black Pink (Eric Cheung).
Copartners Glory topped off the night for Chin with a gutsy win in the last the Class 5 & 6 over 1600 metres in the hands of (Tshwaro Appie), over Pearl Lucky (Breinell Yamzon).
Appie who hails from South Africa, gave the former Hong Kong galloper a superb rails hugging ride before stepping into the clear at the top of the straight, then showed great vigor over the concluding stages to score by a half length at the wire.
Cheong’s runner in the race the Australian bred mare Wing Wo, was sent out an even money favorite in the event, but went amiss after leading to the hometurn and was eased out of the race by Dayversom Barros.
Both trainers are vying for their second Macau title with Cheong crowned Champion in his first year as trainer in the 2015 – 2016 with 43 winners. Chin’s glory came in the 2018 – 2019 season with Cheong his runner up at a score of 52 to 41.
Looking at the four remaining racedays the numbers will favor Chin. Not just in stable strength with his yard of 35 horses as opposed to Cheong’s 20, but in the available races to suit their runners and the overall quality of the horses for those rated races.
With the bulk of races programmed for horses rated from 70 down Chin’s numbers are superior entries wise, as well he does also look to have the edge on Cheong in the calibre of horses when they will clash in these races.
Chin made it clear at the start of the season that he was set on claiming his second title and he has planned and placed his horses well. Cheong has done a fine job with a smaller team but at the end of the day the numbers say it all. As at the weekend Chin has sent out 400 runners as opposed to Cheong’s 368. Chin has an 11%-win rate and a 27% place strike; Cheong is running at 11% for the win and a place rate of 34%.
Whilst Chin is in a very enviable position for the four remaining racedays he is not getting ahead of himself as yet.
“It’s not over till the last day. Yes, I’m happy to be in such a good position and looking forward to the last four days, and we will be giving it our best.”
“I’ll much prefer the weather to fine up though, as the majority of my horses will be better on good ground.” Chin added.
Hardworking Filipino horseman Breinell Yamzon booted home a double over the weekends racing with Venture’s Elite on Friday night for trainer K H Leong in the Class 4 over 1350 metres on the sand, and Electroplate Alloy on Sunday for Allen Tam in the Class 2 over 1500 metres.
Yamzon does not get lot of plum rides at times but makes most of them, and his ride on Electroplate Alloy was a gem. Yamzon took command of the race straight out of gates showing his fellow riders he was intent on leading, then once in the backstraight he dropped the tempo and rated the gelding to perfection.
With the backmarkers not content with the race speed and swooping wide coming to the corner, Yamzon had a line of four outside him at the top of the straight, but once he cut loose Electroplate Alloy sprinted away with a winning break. The son of Golden Archer had enough in hand to stave off the late dash by Luen On Poseidon (Luis Corrales) to win a half a length on the line, with Fortune Paradise (Tshwaro Appie) in third.
Japanese rider Masa Tanaka also kicked home a double on Sunday to take him to 38 wins for the season, and in third spot on the riders table behind Luis Corrales 68 and Eric Cheung on 52.
Tanaka’s wins were the turquoise double in first two races with Turquoise Square running away with the Class 4 over 1500 metres after a perfect ride by Tanaka. After breaking in the lead, Tanaka came back from gate eight to let the speedsters go and land midfield the rails. From there on he just continued to save ground on the fence, before coming off the back of the leaders at the two hundred to race away an easy win.
Geoff Allendorf’s Turquoise Success was the second winner for Tanaka when he rated the son of All Too Hard (Aus) to perfection up front, before racing away for a big win in the Class 3 & 4 over 1200 metres.
Turquoise Success has been a revelation for Allendorf this season, with Sunday’s win number five since he started his winning run in February.
The gelding took 12 runs to break his maiden status and was earning the tag of a speedy squib over the 1200 metre courses. Allendorf took the bold initiative to step him up to 1500 metres resulting in an all the way win first time at the trip. Three more victories followed before Allendorf switched him back to 1200 for Sunday’s race resulting in his easiest win.
“Stepping him up to 1500 metres done wonders for his confidence, and helped get him to relax a lot more.” Allendorf said.
“The other thing that has been what I think is the main factor, is that this is his second season. All of my horses have improved in their second season; they need time to acclimatize and mature. I’m a huge believer in it. Time and patience are the answer.”
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Stanley Chin - Trainer | 
Sio Cheong and Eric Cheung | 
River Applause | 
Copartners Glory | 
Electroplate Alloy | 
Turquoise Success |
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