THE South African connection loomed large at Happy Valley last night with both Basil Marcus and Jeff Lloyd riding doubles. Dual champion jockey Marcus customarily plunders these meetings on the dirt. He was on the mark with the Ivan Allan-trained pair Many Treasure and All-Winners in the second and sixth events. Lloyd, understandably, took time to find his feet when first arriving from South Africa where he is their champion jockey. But he is warming to the task with every meeting and starting to get the mounts his considerable riding skills deserve. His double came from spare ride Wind Traveller in the fourth and Valiant Red for new Jockey Club chairman John Swaine in the final event. Marcus' double took him to 12 winners for the campaign and left him one clear of Tony Cruz. They fought out an enthralling duel for last season's championship and look set to do so again this term. The never-say-die Marcus beamed: ''You can't argue with a double. I just wish I could ride them all the time, but when I don't, it's not for want of trying. ''Ivan [Allan] had both Many Treasure and All-Winners going well in the mornings, the question was how their races would develop - how much speed and pressure there would be. In the end, Many Treasure was able to lay up well enough and All-Winners, though pressured hard all the way, stuck to his task very gamely indeed.'' From last night's equitrack meeting the local racing circus turns to Sha Tin on Sunday and the eagerly-awaited reappearance of the David Hill-trained River Verdon. Marcus added: ''That is just the kind of meeting I was looking for going into Sunday's Remy X. O. Cup, where we are all looking forward to River Verdon's reappearance.'' Many Treasure always looked the winner in the second, once he was able to keep tab on Enjoy All Way and could well win again. All-Winners had never worked better going into the sixth and he made all the running to hold game veteran Morning Patrol. My Silvero, who rivalled All-Winners in the market, appeared to falter at the top of the straight and lose his action. In the circumstances, he did well to hold on for third from Accolade. Lloyd, meanwhile, is beginning to impress many good judges with his cool riding tactics and forceful finishing bursts. He timed his challenge to perfection on Wylie Wong's Wind Traveller, who was one of many examples through the night of the merit of equitrack form. The last race underlined the maxim horses-for-courses in no uncertain terms when equitrack specialists Valiant Red and Speed Way ran the quinella with fancied equitrack newcomers Patu and Financial Star never travelling well. Lloyd said: ''Wind Traveller came home well though they had warned me that the distance might be a bit of a problem. And, without some trouble over the Rock, I would have won more easily on Valiant Red.'' Viva St Paul's made it three wins over the minimum equitrack sprint distance of 1,030 metres when holding Highway Patrol's late rally in a modest first event. Tony Cruz enjoyed a bloodless victory on Bold Wongchoy in the third to stay in touch with Marcus. Saafi ran home seemingly well for second, but he has plenty of rogue in him. John Moore, Johnny Marshall and owner Gabriel Dias Azedo kept up their great start to the season when Jogador bolted home in the fifth. The five-year-old clearly relished the equitrack and the mile and was giving Azedo, who also owns Cheguei, his fourth win of the season.