Champion trainer watches in admiration as 4-1 shot blows away featured TVB Cup

Champion trainer David Hayes flexed his muscles yesterday with Charming City winning the featured TVB Cup. At 4-1, Charming City won in emphatic fashion at Sha Tin, easily eclipsing 7-2 favourite Trillion Win.

Ivan Allan could only look on as Trillion Win and Douglas Whyte tried valiantly but in vain to peg back Basil Marcus on Charming City in the Class One longer sprint.

But Allan and freshly licensed Club jockey Jimmy Quinn had the last laugh when bottomweight Huangdi (28-1) prevented Hayes and Marcus landing a quartet of winners by taking the nightcap from raging favourite Financial Supreme (6-4) by half a length. It was not until later in the programme that non-South Africans got a look in - and then only just.

Leading trainer John Moore, who is going to take some beating in the championship, posted a winning double with Robbie Fradd doing the honours. The current leading rider then strengthened his grip on the jockeys' title with another treble.

There was no lack of action or excitement on the 10-race card and Hayes was rightly delighted with Charming City.

'I saw no reason at all why we could not beat Trillion Win again,' he said. 'My horse is a nice, progressive type and this was his race. Obviously, you have to respect Trillion Win or any of Ivan's when he really likes them, but there was no fluke about our fellow's win over him at set weights the last time they met.