Hong Kong Sprint hero Fairy King Prawn (2-1 favourite) was all the rage and confidently expected to return triumphantly to the scene of last month's superb Hong Kong Sprint success.

Despite the desperate urgings of Steven King, Fairy King Prawn could only finish second but was definitely hindered by being drawn on the slower side of the 1,000-metre track.

Those racing down the grandstand rail - including the winner - and four of those who followed home Fairy King Prawn had the advantage.

Allan not only celebrated his birthday with Holy Grail but also smart New Dynasty (2-1 favourite), who gave nothing else a chance in the Class Four third event.

Holy Grail now heads for Kranji racecourse on March 4 for the Singapore Airlines International over 2,000 metres and his trainer has no doubts about his ability to be competitive.

'He was in this race today because he did fail rather badly in the International Races last month,' said Allan.

'I gave him an immediate break and was very easy with him when I brought him back. He has done very little stamina work, it has all been short pacework.

'He has been freshened up and I put him in this today to continue the work. I have no doubt he was helped by the outside of the track. That was the place to be.

'Holy Grail will go to Singapore as a chance in the race. It is over 2,000 metres but I have said for a long time that I think that is his best trip.' As Holy Grail scampered down the outside rail, it was hard going for Fairy King Prawn and Best Of The Best on the far side. In the end, the Derby winner cleared away to win comfortably from Fairy King Prawn, who did very well to get up for second.

New Dynasty may well be a new stable star for the former champion trainer although he was not prepared to go half that far after seeing the Douglas Whyte-ridden three-year-old poleaxe a field of Class Four horses over 1,400 metres.

It's not what you beat - it's how you do it. New Dynasty did it by 7.25 lengths eased down in the day's most ridiculously easy victory.

The David Hill-trained Peak Power (12-1) ran on into second place as a clutch of them came across the line together.

'He was too good for these today but I am not making any fancy predictions. He will go through the classes if he is good enough and I have no specific plans,' said Allan.

The Hong Kong Club Challenge Cup went to 40-1 outsider Daring Steed, who led the Class Three field a merry chase over 1,650 metres.

Ridden by Roger K.H. Yu, who continues to impress, Daring Steed was allowed to dictate terms but with enough in reserve if needed. Given the three-length winning margin over Projectvision (9-1), it is difficult to know how much was left.

Silver Power (10-1) finished third having come again when looking well out of it coming to the home turn.

Leading trainer John Moore could easily have won two races yesterday, but saw the day's good thing beaten in the sixth event.

Island West Treble (2-1 favourite) missed the start in the Class Four, 1,400-metre race and looked a hopeless proposition coming to the home turn.

Green Supreme (30-1) was running a blinder for claimer Philip C.T. Cheng who is - irony of ironies - attached to the Moore stable. At the line, leading rider Robbie Fradd on Island West Treble dived in along the rails but missed by a fraction getting the verdict and Green Supreme was an excellent winner for trainer Eddie K.C. Lo.

It was still a tremendous performance from Island West Treble, who is sure to win good races going on what has been seen in his first two runs. Island West Treble went under by the official minimum margin while there was a head back to Arrectis Auribus (8-1), who simply cannot find the winning post first.

Still, he hasn't been a bad buy for owner Ho Sai-chu as he has now amassed $1.2 million in prize money from nine minor placings in 25 starts.

French star Eric Legrix's excellent season continued with a head victory on Travelling Star (5-1) in the Class Four eighth event.

Legrix, who is riding in tip-top form, conjured up the narrow win by just getting a vital gap on the rails at exactly the right time.

Essentially, that put paid to the winning chance of British champion jockey Kieren Fallon, who got all there was to get from the Allan-trained Return A Smile (4-1).

Jimmy Quinn ran third on Canadian Maple (35-1) in the 1,400-metre event.

Robin Parke