PATRICK Biancone completed a century of winners as a Hong Kong-based trainer when City Raider took last night's third event under a consummate ride from his new stable jockey Eric Legrix. For Biancone and Legrix it was also their first success of the season and Legrix's first since taking over from Gerald Mosse as stable jockey. Biancone beamed: ''That's my hundred and it means a lot to me. I was feeling my way a bit in the first season and then had a yard full of the virus last year. ''We have started a bit slowly this time round but there is a long road ahead and mine always take the first six weeks or so to come to themselves.'' City Raider scored by a 13/4 lengths and a short head from the progressive Everbright and Royal Class but the result might have been so much closer without Legrix's skill in the saddle. California Gold and Crescendo set a scorching pace in front with Legrix taking the perfect sit in behind. As they began to weaken over the Rock for the final time it would have been very tempting for Legrix to send City Raider, who was travelling ominously well, straight to the front. But despite looking for his opening winner, he had the patience to sit quietly, take a further lead off the Tony Cruz-ridden Race To Win and Johnny Ho on Everbright. It wasn't until they straightened for home that Legrix wound City Raider up for his race-winning effort and, despite the concession of 17lb to Everbright, they proved far too strong. Biancone went on: ''Eric did absolutely the right thing. Sitting and waiting the way he did confirmed what the racing public will see over the coming months - he's a very fine rider.'' Biancone's not a bad trainer, either. City Raider has won twice, been second once, third twice and fourth once in the six starts he has had since moving to the Frenchman in the second part of last season. It may have only been for third spot but full marks from this race should also go to champion jockey Basil Marcus. He pushed Royal Class from pillar to post to run the tierce from Race To Win right on the line in a most dedicated piece of professional riding. ''If I can't win I want to be second. And if I can't be second I want to be third. You know that's my motto,'' smiled Marcus after racing. Darren Gauci and his retaining trainer Lawrie Fownes have been in brilliant form since the season opened. Last night Gauci showed he's a thinking jockey when deciding to opt for patient tactics on the so far disappointing Picador in the fifth. They paid handsome dividends as Picador came from off the pace to run down Third Time Lucky and Lucky Champ with Link Treasure running on most promisingly to snatch the quinella spot. ''He went well like that on one start last season and has been responding to that kind of a ride in his trials,'' Gauci pointed out. Fownes had earlier nearly made it a double when Derby Gazelle ran second to Eddie K. C. Lo's Cosmolife in the second. The latter benefited from being an uncontested leader. In this race, Tony P. H. Chan's third-placed Bumper Star was found out by racing on equitrack for the first time but should be noted in the future on the grass. Gary Ng Ting-keung was another trainer unlucky not to make it a double. His Ellen's Voyage was just run out of it in the first by Lam Hung-fie's Turf Apex who was given a fantastic ride by Tony Cruz. But Ng made amends when Malayan Bright sauntered home under stable apprentice W. M. Lam who really is excellent value for his 10lb claim. He looks to be a boy going places. Second-placed Let It Be would have finished much closer but for being badly hampered on the first corner. Darren Beadman rode like a man possessed to get Shanghai Star out from barrier six to the rail to win the sixth and get Neville Begg off the mark for the season. It was a top ride. And Evasive Tactic looked an accomplished equitrack performer when making it two out of two on the dirt when cantering home in the last.
