Yiu has Doleuze to thank for forcing the best out of idle Classic Energy
Trainer Ricky Yiu Poon-fai will surely have a good excuse not be at the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens on the weekend after next, but he used the annual racing rugby night at Happy Valley to land a double and the feature race.
Just hours after Yiu saddled up Classic Energy (Olivier Doleuze) and Good Luck Win (Alex Lai Hoi-wing) to win, his world champion sprinter was getting on a plane for Tokyo with stablemate Ultra Fantasy, ahead of their international Group One assignment on the day of the Sevens finals. But last night was about a horse of a different ilk, with the one-time 'fainter' Good Luck Win showing how far he has come in the past year to take the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union Cup, 1,650m, after trailing the leader, Juggernaut, to the home turn.
'He's become much tougher,' said Yiu of the gelding. 'A year ago, if he had a difficult run, he was getting beaten a long, long way in his races. Lately, he has had difficult runs but he hasn't been that far from them at the finish, so when he got a good trail tonight I thought he would have to run well.
'He's just improved mentally with racing and has become quite genuine.'
The same wasn't being said of Yiu's earlier winner though, with the trainer giving Doleuze much of the credit for Classic Energy's win in the 2,200m Class Four. 'When he won last season it was with Brett Prebble and this time with Olivier - he is a horse who doesn't always give you his best so he needs a strong rider to really stand over him,' Yiu said. 'Even though Olivier was a couple of pounds overweight, I was happy to have him on and have his strength.'
The win set up a double and a win in the Jockey Challenge for Doleuze, who also won on Withallmyheart (race four) for Gary Ng Ting-keung and sealed the night's honours with a close second in the final race with Island Super.
It was Doleuze's first Jockey Challenge victory since November 4. 'Olivier knows the horse and used the inside barrier well. This horse is getting on in years but he is still racing well,' said Ng.
Derek Cruz finally celebrated his 400th career winner as a trainer after the rare feat of saddling up a female winner, Happy Contender (Greg Cheyne) in the first event. Having her first run for Cruz, Happy Contender outstayed her rivals to win over the 1,800m trip and break her maiden status and ended a two month wait for Cruz for the milestone. He'd had 39 runners and six minors placings since his previous winner, Almighty, on January 13.
'It's good to get that one out of the way - I hope they'll keep coming,' Cruz said. 'This filly might surprise a few people. She's on a very low mark but she gives me a great feeling in the mornings like she's better than what we've seen.'
