Ivan Allan, the retired training maestro, has returned to Hong Kong as an owner and yesterday landed his first winner in that new role with the John Size-trained Maribeau ($92) in the Diamond Hill Handicap.
However, Allan was quick to point out that it was not his first local winner as an owner, that honour belonging to Colonial Chief who took out the Invitation Cup in 1989 when Allan trained him in Singapore.
Since handing in his licence at the end of the 2003-04 season and creating a vacancy that was gratefully snapped up by David Hall, Allan has split his time between Hong Kong and Singapore but qualifies as an SAR resident under Jockey Club ownership rules.
'I am absolutely delighted to win this race today and my warmest congratulations to John Size and Douglas Whyte,' Allan said by telephone from Moscow, where he was en route to London where he will attend the Royal meeting at Ascot.
'Owning a horse again and having my colours represented in Hong Kong was one of my ambitions when I finished training, so today is a special day.
'John is the complete trainer and I never have to worry about anything, there is nothing I can tell John Size,' Allan said.