The fledgling partnership of sophomore trainer Almond Lee Yee-tat and Gerald Mosse got off to a roaring start when Lucky Dragon turned around a history of ill-luck for a breakthrough win that brought smiles all round. Mosse had just emerged from one of the roughest times of his outstanding career, working as stable jockey for Sean Woods while that popular British horseman endured a record losing sequence of 181. Mosse worked through the horror stretch with good humour and admirable character, as he proved yesterday by coming out of that experience unaffected, landing a winning double including the Group One Stewards Cup on Russian Pearl. But it was Lucky Dragon's win that lit the way and Mosse was delighted to win the race for Lee, his long-time friend during those golden years when he was retained jockey to the David Hayes stable and Lee was assistant trainer. 'It was a great day and I am just so pleased to start the association with Almond this way,' Mosse said. 'Having a good barrier today made all the difference to this horse. It meant he had a bit more of a rest mid-race, and then he had some energy left when Strong Gain came at him in the final 200 metres.' Lee was in similar good humour at the first win of the new team, with the retainer arrangement only coming into effect last Monday. 'I'm always happy to get a winner, and it's nice to get the first win for the new partnership,' Lee said. 'David [Hayes] warned me that last season the horse's body weight was not steady and he sometimes got a little bit skinny. 'He's better this season, a bit more mature and stronger, but this was his first good barrier draw. He's run quite well all of his starts this season and a lot of the time he was caught wide and had hard races, but still ran well. Today, everything went right for him and he was able to break through.'