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Robin Parke

Champion jockey Basil Marcus was never going to relinquish his title without a fight and, as the meetings roll by, the South African is battling his way back into contention.

 A second double in four days - this one at Happy Valley last night - has seen him claw his way to just four winners off long-time leader Eric Saint-Martin.

 The French star chipped in with one winner last night and is still the marginal favourite to take the title but bookmakers - legal or otherwise - would be very wary of betting against Marcus.

 The long-serving rider was at his tigerish best in getting home Drifting Away (16-1) in the opening event and then followed up for retaining trainer David Hayes in the night's sixth event when topweight Cavalo (4-1 favourite) simply romped home in the Class Four, 1,800-metre staying test.

 'He loved it. Obviously he just liked getting over a bit of ground. I did not think he would win as easily as this but now it is going to be harder for him,' said Marcus.

 Compatriot Douglas Whyte has also turned the corner - even if his title hopes look remote.

 A treble on Derby Day was followed up by a double at the rain-swept city track - one for Ivan Allan and the other for old pal Wong Tang-ping.

 In a night of upsets that made life difficult for punters, Crowning Vigors (20-1) was a long-priced winner that had his trainer laughing.

 There were very strong indications on Derby Day that the Allan stable had turned the corner after an unusually quiet season to date.

 Further confirmation of this much happier state of affairs came in the third event last night when Popular Acclaim (8-1), under the resolute Whyte, ran up to his best form to take the Class Five, 1,650-metre event. However, those who backed favourite Brilliant Leader (5-2) were left cursing their luck when the first-time blinkered three-year-old flew home to take second place a head away from the winner.

 Global star Michael Kinane had no luck in running.

 He was forced back when outsider Sun's Treasure (40-1) dropped back on him. He could not get a clear run until the top of the straight but Popular Acclaim and topweight Ascot Hero (7-1) had put too big a gap into the chasing pack.

 Official margins were a head and the same while Terrific Typhoon (60-1) ran an improved race for fourth.

 Steven King has been in the winner's circle with pleasing regularity and returned again after the fourth event in which Sky Dragon (16-1) scored decisively in the Class Four longer sprint.

 Trainer Gary Ng Ting-keung has landed a very useful sprinter in the grey Kingston Treasure (3-1 favourite) who made a joke of his 16-point ratings hike by blowing away a handy Class Three field in the final event.

 Kingston Treasure, ridden again by Eddie W. M Lai, had landed a massive plunge on his debut last month and there were plenty who believed he would make light of the class rise.

 The official margin back to second-placed Just My Way (50-1) was 4.25 lengths with Sonic (20-1) taking third place in the longer sprint.



Battling Marcus storms back into contention after double