Eye-catching three-year-old Tycoon Resources improved to three wins from three outings as he cruised to another victory for trainer Tony Cruz, who secured a double at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (10 June).
The son of Written Tycoon has been turning heads at Happy Valley, where each of his wins has come so far, as well as in a series of impressive morning barrier trials at Sha Tin.
Angus Chung, previously indentured to Cruz, is in the enviable position of regular rider of the classy sprinter, and was in the saddle again as Tycoon Resources (120lb) eased to a one-and-a-half-length victory in the first section of the Class 3 West Kowloon Handicap (1200m).
“He’s an improving horse; I believe he’s got really good prospects,” Cruz said. “I reckon I’ll run him one more time before the season ends. I believe he’s still got more improvement to come.
“I think he will stay further in time, but for now I will stick with 1200m. He’s only in Class 3 right now, so we’ll see how he makes his way up before making big (Four-Year-Old Classic Series) plans. I believe he can get a lot further than 1200m.”
Caspar Fownes kept his steady march to a fifth trainers’ championship on course when he struck in the second section of the Class 3 West Kowloon Handicap (1200m). Joao Moreira flashed home aboard Target Audience (123lb) in the card-closer to maintain the handler’s run of wins at the last four city track meetings.
Mark Newnham preserved his hopes of a maiden trainers’ championship title with a victory supplied by Zac Purton on Legend Winner (135lb) in the Class 4 Kai Tak Handicap (1650m).
“Getting down in class has helped him,” said Newnham, who moved on to 58 winners for the season, four behind leader Fownes (62).
“I think this horse has got enough talent, he just lacks a bit of confidence, and Zac said the same thing. He said it took him a while to get to his top, and he’s still looking around a bit, so there is more improvement anyway.”
Jerry Chau maintained his lead in the race for this season’s Tony Cruz Award, handed to the highest-ranked homegrown rider, when David Eustace-trained Kyrus Treasure (132lb) delivered the 26-year-old’s 44th win of the campaign in the Class 5 Chek Lap Kok Handicap (1800m).
“The drop in class, right barrier, right trip and back on top of the ground was clearly the formula for him,” Eustace said. “I think he can go on next season and hopefully win in Class 4. I think I’ll probably put him away now, hopefully he’ll get a bit of confidence from the win and mature a bit next season.”
Holmes A Court (124lb) struck first-up following a recent stable transfer in the first section of the Class 4 Stanley Handicap (1200m), to secure a double for Eustace. A front-running Brenton Avdulla ride provided the four-year-old with a first win after 11 outs.
“We were very fortunate to be given the opportunity, and he’s a horse that’s been racing well without a huge amount of luck,” Eustace said. “We gave him a bit of a freshen-up midway through the season – it helps a lot of these horses. He got a good race set up, jumped well and got a good ride.”
Avdulla netted his second of the night when he drove Grand Nova (130lb) to a hard-fought third career win in the Class 4 Tsim Sha Tsui Handicap (1000m) for defending champion trainer John Size, who claimed his 48th win of the season.
Purton grabbed his second winner in the most dramatic finish of the night, after judges took several minutes to separate the finish before handing victory to the fast-finishing, Douglas Whyte-trained Live Wire (127lb) in the second section of the Class 4 Stanley Handicap (1200m).
“He’s only a three-year-old – he’s very immature,” Whyte said. “He’s been a victim of circumstance, but he got it right today. He showed a bit of tenacity and fight and got a good ride by Zac.
“I think he’s done for the season. I just wanted to get the win under his belt; now he’s done that so he deserves a break.”
Viva Firecracker (115lb) was a worthy winner of the evening’s feature contest, the Class 4 Tourism Cup Handicap (1650m). Leading coming off the final bend with Karis Teetan in the saddle, the Cruz-trained gelding never looked like surrendering his lead and scored a first career win in style.
A surging finish from Le Zonda (124lb) under Vincent Ho saw the Pierre Ng-trained Irish import register his first Hong Kong win in the Class 3 Victoria Harbour Handicap (1800m).
Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on Saturday (13 June).