Olivier Doleuze had his thirst for a winner finally quenched when noted all-weather track performer Wadadelight found things his own way in the fifth event on the artificial surface.
The flamboyant Frenchman had been guest of the Auckland Racing Club at their Auckland Cup meeting this week at Ellerslie and went oh so close - three seconds, including the Group One Auckland Cup - but no cigar.
'It was nice to get a winner today and I've had a nice association with this horse,' said Doleuze, who has handled the American-bred gelding for trainer Gary Ng Ting-keung just four times for a 50 per cent record.
'Really, on the dirt track, he's two classes better,' he added.
'Today, from a good barrier, he had a lovely run just behind them on the fence and when he got into the clear, he put them away very quickly.'
Andy Leung Ting-wah has all but secured his training licence for next term, after the opening race upset with Maximum Joy ($269.50) gave him his 11th winner for the season.
Leung prepared just 10 winners for the whole of the 2004-05 season and was warned in writing by the licensing committee that he had not met the minimum performance benchmark of 13, potentially putting his licence in jeopardy should it happen again.
