The Caspar Fownes-trained My Favorite brought a mainstream media circus to the racetrack - the three-year-old is partly owned by Canto-pop idol Aaron Kwok Fu-shing - and the youngster didn't disappoint the swarming paparazzi when he broke through at his second start.
A heaving media throng crowded around Kwok for nearly 20 minutes after the race and the entertainer gladly shared his time. It was Kwok's second winner this season after Calling With Love saluted last September and sparked a similar scene.
Fownes called My Favorite "a next season horse", but even Kwok was showing off some racing insight after the victory. "He ran a great time in defeat last time out and I thought if he could produce an effort like that and run similar time again he would win," he said.
Sure enough, My Favorite ran 1.09.62 for 1,200m when second to Creative Union and this time ran a near identical time - just six-hundredths of a second slower - in victory.
On debut, My Favorite blew the start when he struck his head in the gates and then ended up a long way back before running home for an unlucky second. This time the youngster was able to show excellent tactical speed to get into a prominent position from gate 12.
"He pinged the lids today, put himself in great spot and travelled like the winner all the way," Purton said. "He may have not been that impressive today, but in end got the job done and he is another relatively inexperienced horse and he'll certainly be better next season."
