Double joy for astute Yiu
Ricky Yiu's season ended on a high note yesterday with a brilliant Sha Tin double.
The admirable Yiu, who has been one of the training finds of recent years, landed the money with Nanning Treasure (14-1) in the Class Four fifth event and followed it up with a rousing win to Multi-Star (11-1) in the top-class feature event claiming the scalp of the unbeaten Holy Grail in the process.
Nanning Treasure was a late pick-up ride for useful five-pound claimer Peter Wong, who replaced Alex Yu after he'd fallen from Real Courage in the fourth event, and the young apprentice did a wonderful job to get him home in the 1,000-metre dash. Wong sustained minor bruising and abrasions in the tumble.
He parked the three-year-old just behind the speed in the early stages and then swooped through in the final 200 metres to grab the prize from the fast-finishing Speedy Dragon (6.8-1) with Alan Munro up. Double Wins (7.5-1) raced handy for Patrick Payne and stuck on well to fill third.
Multi-Star then confirmed his standing as one of the most promising stayers in training with a dominant win in the 1,800-metre showpiece for visiting Australian jockey Glen Boss. It was a satisfying final day for Boss who also took the opening Class Five affair aboard Tony Cruz's new acquisition Sky Lead (6.5-1).
Multi-Star raced midfield and produced a brilliant turn of foot to hold off Derby runner-up En Rapport (9-1) with Strikers (10-1) filling third for champs David Hayes and Basil Marcus.
Elsewhere, Lawrie Fownes and Wendyll Woods were in the thick of things all afternoon claiming a double and four seconds to put a frustrating run of outs behind them.
The appropriately named Winningcombination (7.5-1) started the ball rolling when he speared through late to lift the Class Three second event and Mission Sealed (14-1) delivered a potent final dash to grab the Class Two finale.
It had been an long wait for the uncle and nephew team who had not tasted success since Royal Performance obliged back in April. Those who stayed loyal were rewarded throughout the afternoon as four of the stable's other runners - Metro Express, Win For Us, En Rapport (Henry Tsang up) and Classic Boy - all ran the quinella.
