Champion-in-waiting Douglas Whyte provided the warmth on a cool night at Happy Valley when he linked up with one of his favourite trainers for a double, then confirmed that they would also be partners in the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup. Whyte and David Oughton struck in the first and last events with Qui Vivra Verra and Commander Charlie and the wins gave the rider more than the usual pleasure on a fairly low-key card. 'David has been fantastic to me and very understanding the way he has let me jump on and off horses,' Whyte said. 'He is a great trainer to ride for, very easy going and working with David is one of the really pleasant jobs in Hong Kong racing. Long may it continue.' And continue it will, with the South African confirming that he will ride Hong Kong Gold Cup winner Idol for Oughton in the QE II Cup on Sunday week, but that is quite a significant step up in class from the standard on display last night. Qui Vivra Verra was in danger of retirement a few starts ago, so low had is rating sunk in his 34 winless starts. He made it two wins from his past three starts last evening but Whyte had a lot to thank his rivals for in the victory. Qui Vivra Verra took the early lead and found no challengers for the job in the middle stages of the Kowloon Park Divided Handicap over 1,650 metres, with Whyte able to steal some farcical sections and save the seven-year-old for a finishing kick. 'He thrived on the soft lead,' Whyte said, but added: 'I think he also gained some confidence when he won that race recently and he can be competitive again in this sort of class.' Whyte was on a horse of a different ilk in the final race, the Hong Kong Park Divided Handicap, also over 1,650 metres. Again the recipient of a perfect Whyte ride, Commander Charlie was praised by the rider for his genuine nature. 'He's a great consistent sort of horse around this distance,' he said. 'I thought I might have gone a little bit soon but as it turned out, going when I did won him the race,' Whyte said. World Star continued Geoff Lane's winning run in the second event, continuing to amaze even his trainer with his recent form turnaround. 'The only thing that might be different is that he has struck a couple of fairly cool nights here at Happy Valley and perhaps that has settled him down a little but I haven't done anything different with him,' Lane said. 'He was going to be retired three starts ago when he won at long odds and now he's won two from three. I'll take the wins a long as they keep coming.' Tony Cruz had a bittersweet finish to the card, scoring after a sweet Felix Coetzee ride on Diamond Talents in the sixth event then watching in horror as $4 million earner Willie Way broke his off hind leg in the final race. Coetzee's clever ride took Diamond talents round the early leader Majestic Warrior with a lap to go in the second last, allowing his mount's staying strength and ability to take a forward role make the difference again. Robbie Fradd's fortunes have turned sharply in the last couple of weeks since riding a midweek treble at Happy Valley. Last night he was again winless and felt the ire of the stewards after failing to send Hokkien All to the line as they thought fit in the Victoria Park Handicap. Hokkien All finished sixth behind My Honour (Howard Cheng) but the stipes felt he could have been fifth with more exertion from Fradd and fined the jockey $20,000 for the infraction. Eric Saint-Martin also copped a fine from the stewards - $2,000 for failing to weigh-in on Sillerent in the sixth - but the burden was made so much lighter as he scored on Red Diamond in the second division of the Hong Kong Park Handicap.
