Trainer Ricky P. F. Yiu has been one of the recent success stories of Hong Kong turf and the young mentor produced a colt with a real future in yesterday's second event.
Speed Win (31-1) was unwanted in the market but raced right up to some high opinions and promising trackwork with a fast-finishing second to Express Duke in the Classes One and Two 1,200-metre event.
Robbie Fradd, who went on to win the feature event aboard the up-and-coming stayer Multi-Star, could count himself a little unlucky aboard Speed Win as he was starved of a run at the 300-metre mark by favourite Prince Fortune.
When he did find a passage, Speed Win put in nicely and may have finished closer than the 2.75-length margin had he enjoyed a clearer run in the straight.
Connections held him in high regard in his native New Zealand - he notched two thirds from his three starts there - and considering he wasn't fully wound up for his local debut, Speed Win looks a sprinter to keep on your side in the coming months.
In the main event, there was a promising effort from David Oughton's consistent stayer Mazal and the English trainer is sure to find a suitable race for the five-year-old in the not-too-distant future.
