Ten-pound claimer Dicky Lui Cheuk-yin snatched up his first Hong Kong double and went within a neck of breaking completely new ground in his fledgling career.
Lui said he had previously won a double during his time training in New Zealand, but the pair for his boss, Ricky Yiu Poon-fai, on Jade Pippo and Lombardi was new territory for him since his return home at the start of this term.
And it could have been three if Solar Boy had held off Hurry Hurry Up in the opening Class Five event.
"He's a good boy, he listens," said Yiu. "I've talked to him a lot about theory, and we go through the videos and look at how he is riding. And I tell him to watch what the good jockeys do, and copy them, and we talk about the tactics before the races. And he's a boy who does listen, but at the end, none of that matters if he doesn't put it into action. Only he can do that part of it and that's what is pleasing, that Dicky is putting all of that into good use. Little by little, he is improving."
Most of Lui's wins have been on leaders, but the youngster also showed some tactical nous when he took the option to cross over behind the leaders and take the box seat on Jade Pippo, who improved quickly on his first three runs to win comfortably.
"He gave him a very good ride and this horse needed that and the 10 pounds off was a major factor as he is only a small horse," said Yiu. "Jade Pippo had been quite timid and hard to assess in those three races, but he trialled well on the dirt the other day."
Lombardi is towards the other end of his career, lining up for start 43, the seven-year-old led throughout to score for the first time since stringing three victories on end two years ago. Once a run-on horse, Lombardi has changed character to become a leader, especially since Yiu put Lui on board for the past two runs.
"He's actually a lovely horse to train and I'd love to have a few more like him," Yiu said. "I'm happy to see Dicky take him to the front, no weight and see if he can pinch the race. He went close last time and this time he went all the way."
