On the same night the Taxation Institute of Hong Kong celebrated its 50th anniversary with a trophy race at Happy Valley, trainer Francis Lui Kin-wai was all business after ringing up his 800th winner.

Lui became only the seventh trainer to reach 800 Hong Kong victories when Seaweed Fortune saluted on Wednesday night, but the veteran certainly wasn’t dwelling on his achievement.

“Of course, it’s nice and I’m very happy, but I just hope there’s more winners coming,” the 63-year-old said.

It was Vincent Ho Chak-yiu booting Seaweed Fortune to a closing victory in the Class Four Sheung Wan Handicap (1,650m), and the pair has proven a prolific duo in recent seasons, combining for 85 winners since the start of the 2018-19 campaign.

“I’m very happy to do it with Vincent,” said Lui, who got his wish for more winners just two races later when Gallant Waking delivered the goods.

Ho has been aboard for 102 of Lui’s 801 successes, and the star local jockey was thrilled to be involved in Wednesday night’s milestone.

“I’m really happy. He lets me ride his horses. His team does a great job. They’re always positive, so it’s great to get a winner for Francis. It’s a great achievement to get 800 wins,” Ho said.

Ho was also aboard for Gallant Waking’s victory in the first section of the Class Four Central Handicap (1,200m), and he rung up a treble with Nearly Fine in the final race on the card, moving to nine winners for the term to sit a clear second behind Zac Purton (11) in the jockeys’ premiership.

While Lui now has three winners for the campaign – all ridden by Ho – Dennis Yip Chor-hong registered his first of 2022-23, with Hercules taking out the Class Four Taxation Institute of Hong Kong 50th Anniversary Cup (1,200m).

Luke Currie also got the monkey off his back, notching his first winner of the term with his 29th ride thanks to a fine front-running effort aboard Jimmy Ting Koon-ho’s Lucky Diamond in the Class Four Sai Ying Pun Handicap (1,800m).

“It’s good to get one up and kick the season off. It’s taken a few rides, but hopefully I can keep the ball rolling now,” Currie said. “He’s a one-paced, staying horse, so I decided to roll to the front, and he did a good job.”

Alexis Badel doubled up at the midweek meeting, kicking off things aboard Hercules and rounding out his brace with victory atop $2.6 chance Yo Beauty in the first section of the Class Three Admiralty Handicap (1,200m).

The punters may have been smiling after Yo Beauty’s victory, but they were on the ropes early for the third time in as many Valley meetings, with All Is Ready taking out the opener at $36 after this season’s other two cards at the city circuit kicked off with wins for Super Commander ($31) and Yee Cheong Warrior ($17).

Luke Ferraris continued his love affair with Winning Icey in the penultimate race on the card, ringing up a hat-trick aboard the Caspar Fownes-trained galloper in the second section of the Admiralty Handicap.

Fownes was the other trainer to finish the night with a brace, with Nearly Fine joining forces with Winning Icey to hand the 55-year-old a running double to close out proceedings.