Bumper Star also continued the heady start to the term being enjoyed by stable jockey Eric Legrix who was literally brought down to earth three races later when he was dumped by Drawing Away soon after the start.

But Legrix returned to the weighing room with a smile and minimal bruises and was able to complete his engagements.

For Biancone, life at the moment could scarcely be better. With five wins on the board the stable is in top form and he said: 'I certainly knew it was going to be a better season than last time - but that wouldn't have been too difficult.

'I have got some new, younger horses and others have come down to a more realistic handicap which does make it easier,' said Biancone.

Diamond Head's success in the Class Four, 1,400-metre opener also underlined the real improvement in the riding of Simon H. K. Yim who has a real supporter in his master.

Biancone has persevered with Yim even when the lad was nowhere near the winner's enclosure - and the lad has repaid the faith.

In fact, Biancone had a very strong interest in the first race quinella as apprentice Sherie P. W. Kong, the young girl rider attached to his stable, finished second on Royal Horse (30-1).

For a few strides about 100 metres out it looked as if Hong Kong racing history was about to be made as Kong hit the front going well on the Wong Tang-ping galloper.

But they found nothing in the final 30 metres and Diamond Head, well handled by Yim, darted through on the inside and finished strongly to score by half a length.

Bottomweight Call Me Horse (45-1) never saw the inside of the track and his third placing was a meritorious effort in the circumstances.

Bumper Star won two races back-to-back at the end of last season and has thrived on the track with Biancone in the lead-up to the present campaign.

The Irish-bred four-year-old turned in a gutsy performance in the Class Three, 1,600-metre trophy race, holding off injury-plagued Oriental Sovereign (12-1), who put together his best performances in many months.

The Geoff Lane-trained Laureate (9-1) came from a long way off the pace to snatch third place just ahead of bottomweight Jive Boy (60-1) who again impressed and may well get away with a race.

The flop of the race was topweight Kick The Habit (7-1), with Darryll Holland up, who finished last in the full field of 14.

Biancone was rightly pleased with Bumper Star and said: 'He had pleased us with his work and we were confident that he would run a very good race although I did think it was quite open.' Fat City (5-1) looked as if he would improve with this run and can be followed but it's hard to know what to make of Team Valour who was the medium of a plunge from 10-1 to half that quote.

He was taken straight to the front by champion jockey Basil Marcus but was under pressure at the top of the straight and knocked up in the final stages.