Ricky Yiu Poon-fai's great season steamed ahead at Happy Valley last night with another winning double but it wasn't all beer and skittles for the trainer, with his top sprinter Romantic City providing a sensation in the feature event.
Romantic City, the expected leader, appeared on the television shot to have been hampered by a gate attendant as the gates opened and the horse began awkwardly and dumped jockey Zac Purton.
He was later declared a runner but Yiu had no issue with that after attending the stewards' inquiry.
'Actually, it only looked like he was holding him, the attendant was actually pushing the horse's neck forward just as the gates opened,' said Yiu, who otherwise enjoyed a good night to take him to 49 winners and within sight of the half century he has never reached previously.
Yiu-trained Spearhead opened the night well for Derek Leung Ka-chun - who took the Jockey Challenge with a double when he added Magnanimous for Derek Cruz later - but the gelding gave the rider some anxious moments.
'This horse is still very green and agitated even though he is four,' Yiu said. 'You see him try to dump the jockey before the race and again after. Coming back to the 1000m tonight helped him because they go so fast he doesn't pull. If he can settle down he will improve.'