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Dittman at best in a bob of heads

MICK Dittman was back on the Hong Kong scoresheet when taking the seventh on Ivan Allan's good young horse Wonderful Moment at Sha Tin yesterday.

The brilliant Australian jockey, refused a licence to ride here for Lawrie Fownes the season before last, is on a par with the likes of Mick Kinane or Tony Cruz when it comes to his army of followers among the betting public.

This time they saw another side to Dittman as he forced Wonderful Moment past Alex Wong Yu-on's top youngster, Winning Chance, close home.

It was Dittman the horseman rather than the Enforcer who got his mount to the line a short head to the good of Winning Chance. He did not touch him once with the whip, opting to ride him out with great vigor hands and heels.

''He was a real handful,'' said Dittman after racing. ''He was hanging all the way but we got there which is the main thing.'' Wonderful Moment has now won three of his six starts for Allan and is likely to improve again.

The first two pulled a length clear of David Oughton's Owner's Dream who came from just beyond mid-division to move up on the home bend and then stay on at one pace for third.

The rain-softened ground came right for Lawrie Fownes' Aashiq but he has also gone up a fair amount in the ratings and he could only manage fourth.

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