Penang Hall’s win kept Matthew Poon Ming-fai’s slim chances of winning the Tony Cruz Award for leading local rider alive and the jockey he is chasing, Derek Leung Ka-chun, might have been key to the horse’s late-season turnaround.

Penang Hall won two of his first three runs for David Hall, but was struggling to breakthrough again and hadn’t won for 12 starts before March 26.

That was the day Poon made his much-awaited debut, but was injured and replaced on Penang Hall by Leung – who coaxed a career-best performance out of the six-year-old.

Poon has been on Penang Hall for two wins since and a double on Sunday has the popular apprentice surging up the jockeys’ championship ladder.

Poon, who has a two-meeting suspension to serve, now trails Leung by eight wins with four meetings left to ride at.

“He hasn’t looked back since the Matthew got hurt and Derek won on him,” Hall said, with Penang Hall’s come-from-behind neck win also bringing up a double for the trainer, after Poon won on Intrepic earlier.

Even though it has taken Penang Hall 19 starts to make it to Class Two, leg issues have stalled the gelding’s progress at times and Hall believes his horse can win again up in grade.

“He looked like a decent horse early but it took him a while to put it all together,” Hall said. “He has been a really good PPG purchase, my father found him so I reckon I owe my dad an extra beer when I see him in the off-season. He looks like he should progress into Class Two and win in this type of form.”

Intrepic’s Class Three win came a race after Pakistan Star’s antics and Hall said his Australian import has showed some similar tendencies at times.

“He has got a mind of his own, sometimes he doesn’t want to go,” Hall said.

“He showed some ability in his trials it was just a matter of getting his mind on the job. The plan was today was to get him clear and away from other horses.

“Matthew did a good job, he was three-deep but he had some cover. He was able to come to the middle of the track and he did the job. He has some scope to race between 1,200m and 1,400m for sure.”