Leader Whyte in 67th heaven

Good Heavens bounced back from his Derby disappointment to score an impressive first Hong Kong victory in yesterday's ninth race. The David Oughton-trained gelding was Douglas Whyte's only winner on a day when for once the runaway championship leader was pushed into the background by his rival jockeys.

But quality took precedence over quantity for Whyte, who landed his 67th winner of the season with a stylish 1.5-length success in the 1,800-metre event. Good Heavens had finished only ninth behind Industrial Pioneer in the Derby on his previous outing, but Oughton said of the Irish import: 'He didn't handle the softer ground in the Derby, otherwise I think he would have been placed at least. He's only been here a few months, but he's going to be a serious horse at 2,000 metres or more and there is a lot of improvement to come.'

Oughton said the son of Rainbow Quest could step up to 2,400 metres for the ING Hong Kong Champions and Chater Cup on May 20. 'We'll sit and have a think about what to do next, and it will depend on how well he comes out of this race, but the Champions and Chater is a possibility. Otherwise, we'll give him another run in an 1,800-metre handicap and save him for next season.'

Oughton and Whyte will team up again next Sunday with Idol in the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup, and the trainer said he was also hoping his Gold Cup winner could put a disappointing Derby run behind him.

'He was lame after the Derby and I think he trapped a nerve in his back, which has caused him problems in the past. If he runs his race he would be the best of the Hong Kong horses in the QEII. But with his back problem we can never be sure how he will perform.'