Tim Clark continued to bounce back from a mid-season dry spell as he drove home a double at Happy Valley last night, boosting his confidence ahead of his first ride in the Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby on Sunday.
The Australian partners the John Moore-trained Smart Giant in the Group One, who the lightweight hoop believes is a chance of causing an upset on his best form.
'I think I'm on a live chance in the Derby and it's great to get some confidence heading into the big race,' Clark said.
Clark started with his first Hong Kong season with a flurry and even scored a Group Two win on John Moore's Destined For Glory in the Jockey Club Mile, but the start of 2012 brought about a fruitless few months.
After snapping a 65-ride winless run last Wednesday, he showed his momentum had turned with the double, which started with the Caspar Fownes-trained Ride On The Fire's narrow victory in the opening event.
Ride On The Fire somehow repelled the challenges of Secret Of Winning and Gold Edition as they closed late, with the margins a nose by a nose in a near-triple dead heat.