Manfred Man Ka-leung's solid season continued with a double, but the trainer was taking no credit for the decision to bring Dual Happy to the Sha Tin turf after the six-year-old gave him the first leg of a double.
Man maintained sixth position in the trainers' championship with his 27th and 28th success of the season when Laugh Out Loud won the last after Dual Happy won for the first time on the bigger track.
"I actually wanted to start him at Happy Valley, but the owner was away on business," Man admitted post-race. "I think the Valley is better for him because he needs the ground to be a little bit softer. Maybe there was some give in the track today. Still, he races well here and at least the owner was here to enjoy it."
It took a polished ride from a tricky gate by Damian Lane for Dual Happy to notch his third win at start 22, with the young Australian rider finding a one-off spot from barrier nine before pinching ground between runners upon straightening.
"I had a look at his form and he looked like he was down to a rating where he could be competitive again," Lane said. "I thought he could win, but that he would need the right run."
The victory was Lane's second of a short-term stint that runs through to the end of the season and came at a crucial time.
"It's great to ride a winner for another trainer, especially a local trainer," he said.
Lane has been working closely with Man in the mornings, and in particular with Dual Happy, who he hopes can be competitive with a return to Class Three, where the horse is winless in 10 starts.
"I've been on this horse in the mornings, even in his slow work, it really does add some satisfaction when you get to work with them like that," Lane said. " Even though the horse was right up to his mark, maybe when he goes back to Happy Valley he can produce something up in grade."
Both Man and winning jockey Vincent Ho Chak-yiu said Laugh Out Loud had every conceivable factor in his favour as the five-year-old went back-to-back in Class Three.
"He got the good draw and a nice ride, plus two of the main chances, Five Up High and Colossus, drew barriers 13 and 14," Man said.
Ho said the race could not have played out any better for him when apprentice Jack Wong Ho-nam pushed along from gate one on Sunny Pearl and set the pace. "All we had to do was sit in behind and then just hope we got the run after we turned, which we did," Ho said.
