FOUR-TIME champion John Moore surged to the front in the race for this season's training honours with a 420-1 treble at Sha Tin yesterday.
Moore, who missed the meeting as he scoured the Sydney Easter sales for new blood, scored with Wang Tak Supreme in the second, Magnum Thirtythree in the fourth and Happy Occasions in the last.
Yesterday's treble followed hard on the heels of a double on Wednesday night and Moore, very much the trainer in form, has now sent out 39 winners.
He is one clear of longtime leader Patrick Biancone and three ahead of Wong Tang-ping. These three appear to have the championship between them as defending champion, Ivan Allan, is back in fourth on 30.
Wang Tak Supreme not only initiated Moore's treble, he was also the first winner in Hong Kong for the talented Melbourne Cup and multiple Group One-winning jockey Steven King.
King rode well on the dour stayer but owed success to the gutless display from runner-up, Oriental Power, who defied a magnificent ride from Tony Cruz to once more snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Oriental Power hit the front without having had to do any work through the race but yet again he found the prospect of winning far too daunting and performed the equine equivalent of 'choking' at the vital moment.
