Duke Wai Could Get Dubai Invite
Pierre Ng is hoping Duke Wai’s victory in the Class 1 Devon Handicap at Sha Tin on Sunday could pave the way for a start in the Gr1 Al Quoz Sprint on March 25 when the veteran takes on fellow Hong Kong speedsters Sky Field and Sight Success , could compete.
“If we get an invitation from Dubai, we will go to Dubai. I would like to see him run a 1200m race because in the past he has run very well at 1000m races here, but there are no 1200m races here,” Ng said of the seven-year-old who his career earnings exceeded HK$18 million with his ninth win from 42 starts.
Duke Wai rushes to victory (Image – HKJC)
“If he doesn’t (go to Japan) we’ll go over the moves again and compete in Group 2 and Group 1 races here because he wasn’t invited to Japan.”
After an uncomplicated run from barrier one under Jerry Chau, Duke Wai maintained leader Nervous Witness in the final 100m before fending off Courier Wonder to win by a half-length in 1:08.26.
“This time he has the inside draw. Jerry knows him well. He just had to wake him up in the initial stages and let him travel. He was pretty strong around the corner up to the 300m and he finished very well. After the race, Jerry told me that Courier Wonder would never get past him,” Ng said.
Chau earned his 15th win of the season with his third win aboard Duke Wai.
“I have ridden this horse before and I know this horse. I was very lucky to get the position I had today and the horse traveled very well. I kept him balanced on the straight and the sight helped him a lot when he took the lead – he never wanted to stop,” Chau said.
Ricky Yiu continued a stellar season with a foursome and jumped to an all-out second place in the coaching championship. In Melbourne for the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Yiu increased his 2022/23 tally to 37 wins following wins by Excellent Fighter, Colonel, Darci Joy and Adefill.
Excellent Fighter’s overwhelming victory in the Class 4 Cumberland Handicap (1200m) under Silvestre de Sousa ignited Yiu’s sequence. Propelled forward by barrier 10, the Hinchinbrook gelding charged clean to seal his second win in four starts before promoted starter Colonel won the Class 5 Essex Handicap (1200m) for De Sousa.
Karis Teetan continued Yius Spree by piloting Darci Joy to a runaway success in the Class 4 Kent Handicap (1600m) before scoring a double aboard Adefill in the Class 3 Somerset Handicap (1200m, Dirt).
Hong Kong Champion Coach 2019/20, Yuu’s best win of the season left him four wins behind league leader John Size who has 41 for the campaign so far.
De Sousa, who is third in the Jockey Championship with 37 wins behind Zac Purton (101) and Vincent Ho (50), praised the impressive form of the Yiu stable.
“His barn is on fire right now. He’s had a lot of winners and I couldn’t be happier to have the rides I had for him today,” said De Sousa.
David Hayes heaped on Derek Leung after his victorious ride on Chiron in the Class 5 Cornwall Handicap (1650m, dirt).
Derek Leung – received praise from top coach (Image – HKJC)
“I have to say Derek did a master class there. He was trailing Hugh Bowman on (favourite) El Valiente and then as he passed him he said ‘Thank you Mr Bowman’,” said Hayes, who hit a double for the second straight as Lyle Hewitson led The Multiplier to victory the Class 4 Kowloon Tong Club Trophy Handicap (1200 m, dirt).
Hayes was celebrating only his second Sha Tin dirt double and with the braces moved up to 23 winners for the campaign. He said: “It’s good to get things rolling. If they run consistently, with a bit of luck, they start winning.”
Jedermann’s Delight prevailed in the tightest finish of the afternoon, taking the Class 1 handicap in Norfolk (1650m, dirt) under Matthew Chadwick. A short header separated the winner from Handsome Twelve, with Apache Pass just a neck away in third.
Chadwick, who was sidelined earlier this season with a leg injury, completed a doubles with a clever ride to lead Tony Cruz virtually all the way to the Class 2 Rutland Handicap (1800m) on Champion Dragon.
Michael Chang scored his ninth win of the season when Ching Hewitson gave Hewitson a double by winning the Class 3 Suffolk Handicap (1600m).
- Hong Kong racing resumes at Happy Valley on Wednesday, March 8th.