FROZEN IN TIME
'I could feel plenty of horse under me but I just sat quietly for as long as I could. Then, about the 250 metres, I pressed him. He went past the leaders in a few strides, then really stayed on to the post and won by a decisive space.'
Jockey Weichong Marwing relives his thrilling Hong Kong Derby victory aboard the mighty Olympic Express at Sha Tin, a masterful display that earns billionaire Larry Yung Chi-kin the distinction of becoming the first owner to score two wins in Hong Kong's premier domestic competition, Yung having previously enjoyed success in 1997 with Oriental Express. It also brings trainer Ivan Allan his third victory in the event after the triumphs of Oriental Express and Holy Grail in 1999.
Runner-up Precision, ridden by Mick Kinane, is a distant 31/2 lengths behind in the 2,000 metre race, with Wendyll Woods on Dashing Winner a further length adrift. Olympic Express' command performance establishes him as one of the true heavyweights of Hong Kong racing.
Allan is speechless with emotion for his great friend and supporter, Yung. 'To win this race for Larry Yung is so special. He is such a wonderful owner and a dear friend as well,' says Allan. 'He always encourages me, always lets me train the horses as I ask and is patient. And he is a great owner even when he doesn't win.'
On Allan's advice, Yung had paid US$600,000 to buy the horse from England a year previously in the hope of finding a replacement for the recently retired great grey, Oriental Express. Even Allan and Yung could not have imagined how neat a fit it is to become.
That Olympic Express even gets to the starting line is a considerable relief for the stable, as an administrative error results in the stable's Derby nominations not being acknowledged by the Jockey Club until after entries have closed. Allan's three runners are added only after and an additional payment is made two weeks before the race.
