Terry Wong Chi-wai's ride on Tony Cruz's Bullish Boy wasn't just a cameo in the trainers' championship drama last night at Happy Valley, the struggling jockey believes it will provide key evidence when he fights for his career at a "show cause" hearing in front of the licensing committee today.
Wong's cool front-running effort under pressure wasn't enough for Cruz in an ultimately unsuccessful and heartbreaking challenge for the championship, but it at least left the jockey feeling like he has some hope when asked to explain why he be given a license to ride in the 2013-14 season.
"This is where I want to ride, and I really hope that is enough," said Wong, whose all-the-way win was his fifth of the term, three of the wins coming in the last five meetings of the season.
Wong was also asked to show cause after the 2010-11 season, when he had a solitary winner, and had 10 wins last term.
He said he would make a case that his opportunities on horses in the market were limited, and that suspension had stopped him gaining any early-season momentum.
"I did the job there on a hot favourite, and it shows what I can do when given the chance," he said. "I had around 20 racedays suspended this season, and it is hard when you aren't out there. When you come back you don't get many chances."
Also struggling at the bottom of his respective championship this term has been trainer Almond Lee, whose running double with Young Supreme and Nicku to open the meeting salvaged some consolation from a season where "everything went wrong." "Whatever you can think of that is unlucky, that has happened to me this season," said Lee, who moved to 11 wins, still two short of the minimum benchmark, meaning he will have one strike in the "three strikes and you're out" system.
In a way, John Moore again denied Cruz a championship, although not as obviously as he did two seasons ago at the final meeting.
Tommy Berry brought Moore's Destined For Glory with a wide run to nail Cruz's Bullish Friend by a short-head on the line in race seven, when in hindsight, one more win would have been enough for Cruz to seal it. It was Berry's 21st victory of a short but spectacular season-ending stint, while Moore made it a double in the following race when Same World scored.
It was the first time Destined For Glory had won since he upset Ambitious Dragon in the Group Two Jockey Club Mile in November 2011.
"His throat problems have become worse since then," Moore explained. "So that's why we have brought him back to the shorter trips.
"It also helps when he has some pace on and a jockey that can get him into rhythm."
The booking of Alvin Ng Ka-chun on Same World only came about because of stewards rescinding his suspension because of a jockey shortage. But the apprentice ended up copping another careless riding charge (HK$40,000 fine in lieu of four days) for his effort in the race.
Nevertheless, Moore said Ng's claim made the difference. Vincent Ho Chak-yiu was also charged for careless riding in the same race, receiving a three day ban and a HK$30,000 fine in lieu of one extra day. Joao Moreira made another successful hit-and-run mission to the city track where he won last year's International Jockeys' Challenge, steering Jade Christy to back-to-back wins.
And Manfred Man Ka-leung's Group race-bound sprinter Bobo Dragon (Zac Purton) grinded his way to a third straight victory.
