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SCMP Reporter

ARC night turned into a personal triumph for Patrick Biancone at Sha Tin yesterday.

 The French handler moved to nine winners for the season, five clear of his nearest rivals, when sending out a treble via Jade Signet, World Happiness and Royal King Prawn in the first, fifth and seventh events.

 The last two were partnered by Eric Legrix, who with Darryll Holland heads his standings, while stable apprentice Simon 'Hong Kong' Yim rode a peach on Jade Signet in the opener to initiate the 234-1 three-timer.

 'Of course it is great when any of your horses win but I'm particularly pleased with Royal King Prawn,' said Biancone who has the second-season Australian import entered for the International Cup.

 The 1,800-metre focal point of the season may come a little too soon for the son of Our Poetic Prince as he will have to rise dramatically in the ratings to gain an entry.

 But he oozes class and simply dismissed a modest Class Two field in the seventh.

 Biancone went on: 'I raced him over 1,400 metres as while I know it is too short for him to show his best, he was fresh for his first run of the season.

 'He did it really well. I have a lot of time for him and hope that he can develop into a Derby contender.

 'It is because I have the Derby in the back of my mind for him that I have entered him for the International Cup rather than the 2,400-metre Vase.

 'It would be very hard to bring him back from a 2,400-metre preparation for the Derby over 1,800 metres.

 'Anyway, this is all very much in the future. We also have to worry about his next race.'  Legrix shares Biancone's enthusiasm for Royal King Prawn and it is worth remembering that Helene Star started his second season in Class Two for Biancone, after a mundane first campaign in the territory, before progressing out of all recognition to run an unlucky second in the International Bowl.

 Royal King Prawn could be a similar case in point and Legrix commented: 'He gives me the feel of a good horse. He will be better over farther.'  World Happiness surprised the French connection with his determined win in the fifth as he had been working worse than Big Mac who was supported down to favouritism for the fourth only to find little off the bridle behind Bounty.

 Legrix brought World Happiness with an impeccably timed run to hold the fast-finishing Spirits Bay by 11/4 lengths and Legrix reflected: 'He is many lengths behind Big Mac in his work but maybe he is one of those horses that saves his best for the races.

 'He is a tall horse and last season he was really too weak to show what he could do.

 'He's much stronger now and that showed tonight.'  As for Big Mac, he went on: 'It is good to start off in Class Four but maybe the big weight he had to carry stopped him from winning.

 'Also it is very hard to make a firm judgment on a horse when he is racing for the first time in a season. He could well have needed the run, too, as Patrick is not hard on his young horses.'  Jade Signet had tumbled down the ratings scale after some lacklustre displays in the second part of last season.

 But he looked a good thing for the opening Class Six contest on a couple of earlier runs in Class Four and he was also helped by last night's racing taking place over the short straight.

 All that is in theory. In practice, apprentice Yim played an enormous part in his victory as he was well aware of the need to be up on the speed but he did not panic when Winfield and Sure Day set a fierce pace.

 He rated Jade Signet to perfection just in behind the leaders, kicked clear at the top of the straight and just had enough left to repel Po On King's late challenge by an all-important head.

       For Yim it was win number three this season and he looks top value for his seven-pound claim.



Biancone celebrates Arc night with treble