Umberto Rispoli has already exceeded his goals for this season with two months remaining on his current contract, wins to Taknam and Alpha Grand pushing his win total into double figures.
A double on Alpha Grand and Taknam took the Italian showman to 10 victories, and although Rispoli's celebrations were tempered somewhat by a two-meeting careless riding suspension, he says he is starting to feel he belongs in Hong Kong.
"I can aim a bit higher now that I have reached 10 wins - and I'm hopeful that I can attract even more rides," said Rispoli, who was calling his visiting friend Andrea Mezzatesta, an Italian apprentice jockey, his lucky charm.
"Since Andrea has been here I have been winning a race every meeting," Rispoli said. "He is meant to leave this week, but I have told him he is not allowed to go."
Alpha Grand sat on the speed, but this time was favoured by a slack speed, winning trainer David Hall calling it a case of being "in the right place at the right time".
"He is probably a limited sort of horse, he just had his day today," the trainer said, adding the five-year-old had come in with unconvincing form, but was at least race fit. I think everyone was a bit disappointed with his last run, but maybe he was that bit tougher with a run over a mile under his belt," Hall said. "In front in a slowly run race, he was just able to hang on."
"The horse relaxed perfectly," Rispoli added. "Most of the time if you can get them to drop the bit like that on the speed, then they are very hard to beat - especially on this track."
The timing of Alpha Grand's maiden win, coming at his eighth start, was also perfect for owner Marces Lee Tze-bun.
"He had a lot of visitors and customers with him today, and was pretty pumped up, so I'm happy for him," explained Hall. "I don't think the horse is heading for any bigger things. We might experiment with the distance and try him over further or take him to Happy Valley."
Six-year-old stayer Taknam won his third race of the season, 65-year-old trainer Peter Ng Bik-kuen joking: "He is like me, getting better and better with age."
Rispoli's ride on Taknam was at the opposite end of the spectrum to Alpha Grand, as he was scrubbing the horse along to keep pace in the run and was still a clear last after straightening.
"It was a great effort to come from where he did and win, but once I got in the clear I felt I was always going to win," Rispoli said.
