WHEN local star Jackie C. K. Tse booted home Pride And Joy at Sha Tin on Sunday it was only his third winner of the season - not an impressive tally for a young rider who early in his career was challenging for the jockeys' championship. But there are no easy years in Hong Kong racing and Tse, soon after he lost his apprentice claim, found the going tougher. He was seen as almost the heir apparent to Tony Cruz, but diminishing winning returns from a decreasing number of rides left him more often in the jockeys' room that was good for his image. Tse has remained a rider of definite talent and has not lacked owners who appreciate his ability and put him up regardless of his strike rate. A major milestone in his career came late last year when he became the first local rider to win a Group One race overseas, taking Sydney's Champion Stakes on friend and popular owner Sonny Yam's Danewin. He came in for criticism for his ride on the same horse in the VRC Derby at Flemington, but it remains a moot point whether Danewin would have found enough under repeated use of the whip to win. His overseas jaunts have not really ignited a rush for his services locally, but some trainers and owners remain loyal and he certainly did everything right when winning on Pride And Joy on Sunday - to the obvious delight of trainer and supporter Alex Wong Yu-on. Tse has had only 70 rides this season as compared to 125 for Jimmy K. H. Ting and 94 for the hard-working Rambo Tse Wai-ho. Formerly apprenticed to Lawrie Fownes, Tse has clearly had his ups and downs in the local game, but his weekend win could spark further success - and he does get a chance to build on that with New Airport in the fifth event at Happy Valley tonight. New Airport is tackling 2,230 metres in this Classes Three and Four event and he should run it out, although his winning form has tended to end at the 2,000-metre trip. New Airport won handily for French rider Eric Saint-Martin two starts back and followed up with a fourth placing over 2,000 metres at his last start. On that occasion, under Darren Gauci, he was doing his best work at the line. Tse takes over tonight and New Airport must be one of the few genuine chances in the local riders' race - although he is by no means past the post. Trainer Wong Tang-ping has been having the sort of season that comes along only once in a decade and he has two involved - Amazing Grace and America Supreme. The former was sighted for the first time in almost a year last month and ran a mighty race when finishing third over 2,000 metres on equitrack under Darryll Holland. It was a top run from a horse so long away from the track and it must be reasonably assumed that he has derived some benefit from that. Claimer Ricky C. K. Chung, who does quite a lot of riding for Wong, has the ride. In relation to this stable, the issue is confused somewhat by the presence of the young stayer America Supreme. Stable apprentice Vicki C. S. Choi rides the four-year-old who could not have been expected to even get warm over 1,400 metres last time. America Supreme has seen quite a bit of action this season, but the extended trip should be to his liking. There will also be logical support for topweight Space Rock, a free-striding front-runner who almost made all, course and distance, two starts back. On that occasion he went under to shock winner Forever Ahead, but was nowhere at his last start on the equitrack. It is difficult to hold anything against horses who have failed on that tricky surface and it may be best to refer to Space Rock's previous effort when assessing his chances for tonight's 12-runner event. After two outings on equitrack Thor Win faces up to a favourable trip on the turf, but will be ridden by girl claimer Win Chung Lai-fong. The horse has been nowhere on equitrack, but is a course and distance winner and will go round with nothing on his back. But they still need to be ridden and over this demanding trip, it would be difficult to be overly enthusiastic with such an inexperienced claimer aboard. Enigmatic Splendid Feeling did not win any converts to his cause over 2,000 metres last time and would have to be taken on trust. But if he does decide to do his best for Raymond S. M. Tam he could be involved in the finish.