Chris So takes a step forward to notch first win as a trainer

Rookie trainer Chris So Wai-yin said he was not in a rush to get his first winner of the season - and the statistics back that up - but he still admitted he was relieved to see Step Faster deliver him his first career success at Happy Valley last night.

So had sent just 11 runners around at the first four meetings, despite having a near full stable, and pledged to continue the slow-and-steady approach.

"Of course I'm happy to get that out of the way," So said. "But I didn't really have a set idea that I wanted to start strongly, I don't want to rush my horses. I want the horses to tell me when they are ready."

First to congratulate So was his former boss Caspar Fownes - also the former trainer of Step Faster, winless in 13 starts leading into last night's Class Four and benefiting from a five-point off-season ratings drop. "I have to thank the boss for recommending me and the owners for giving me the horse to train," So said.

Fownes had a quiet moment with So after the race, and seemed as thrilled as he would after training a winner of his own.

"You never forget your first winner, I'm so happy for him," Fownes said.

Tye Angland put Step Faster outside the surprise leader Leeli's Star and he pulled away to win by a comfortable 2½ lengths, with the jockey impressed by the new trainer's patient methods.

"Chris has had me on in a few trials, and he just allows his horses to work under their own steam. I'm on a few of his Class Five horses, and it looks like we are building some sort of combination," Angland said.

So was one of four trainers to break their seasonal duck - Richard Gibson quickly making it two winners for the term with a race-to-race double, Mi Savvy's return to form followed by Dragon Pins setting off the brown lamp and winning easily.

Gibson had gone 24 runners without a win to start the term, but had been unconcerned. "Our horses had been running very well, so we weren't worried at all about our stable's form," he said.

Olivier Doleuze backed up from winning on Mi Savvy and made it a double on London China Town - who turned the tables on last-start conqueror and short-priced favourite Beauty Sparkle, and gave Michael Chang Chun-wai his first win for 2013-14.

Andreas Schutz was another to get off the mark, Humongus giving Derek Leung Ka-chun a double.

"It was the same race he won last year on the same preparation," Schutz said of the 1,800m class five victory. "This horse either needs the pace on to come from behind, or a nice barrier draw so he can race handier, like he did tonight."

Earlier, Leung had produced a nice front-running ride on Very Well - although he did have some luck, Hong Kong Fat causing some interference as he dropped back through the field. Trainer Derek Cruz was happy to finally get a win with a horse that had been frustrating through 32 winless local starts. "With the blinkers back on he wanted to go a bit keen, and it was a smart move by Derek to let him roll to the front and get him to relax," he said. Karis Teetan got his fifth win of the term, scoring narrowly on Mighty Equus for Ricky Yiu Poon-fai.