Benno Yung Tin-pang reached the milestone of 300 Hong Kong wins as a trainer when Easy Snip opened his city account by swooping to snare the Class Four Kam Tin River Handicap (1,200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.

In his 10th season as a trainer, former jockey Yung – who assisted Christopher Cheung Ting-pong, Tony Millard and John Size before he set up his own stable in 2013 – has been a model of consistency, saddling between 24 and 39 winners in each completed campaign.

“Three hundred is a good milestone,” Yung said. “To be honest, I didn’t count how much I had so far. I just try to do my best. I just try to get every single horse to get the best result.”

Runner-up in each of his past three Hong Kong starts, Australian maiden winner Easy Snip entered the home straight 10th in the card-opening Kam Tin River Handicap but crossed the finish line first to earn his place in history as Yung’s 300th victor.

“I’d like to say thanks to [Easy Snip’s owner Robert Ng Chee Siong], who’s given me a lot of support and never interfered with my planning and decisions about how to train the horse,” said Yung, who also prepares Class Three winner Texas Moon for Ng.

Jerry Chau Chun-lok, who was having his first ride since representing Hong Kong on the international stage aboard Duke Wai in Dubai and subsequently serving a local ban, steered $4.05 second favourite Easy Snip to success for one of his biggest supporters.

Yung has supplied Chau with roughly 20 per cent of the Apprentice Jockeys’ School graduate’s rides, and the partnership has celebrated 15 victories together.

No rider has booted home more winners for Yung than Zac Purton, but the 64-year-old journeyman trainer and 40-year-old champion jockey failed to register their 78th victory as a combination when Sunday’s hottest favourite flopped in the eighth event.

Chiu Chow Spirit exited the gates for the Class Three Shek Sheung River Handicap (1,200m) as the heavily backed $1.5 favourite, and Purton put his mount in the perfect position to justify his odds-on price, but the imported third-up galloper could only finish third behind Golden Artie and Jade Phoenix.

The galloper who went the closest to providing Yung with a double was $13 chance Day Day Rich, who placed second to The Good Deal in the Class Five Lam Tsuen River Handicap (1,200m) under Karis Teetan.

Happy Mission (fourth in the Class Three Shek Sheung River Handicap over 1,200m) and Win Win (fifth in the Class Four Ng Tung River Handicap over 1,400m) earned minor cheques for Yung and their connections, while Turtle Again (sixth) and late call-up Plenty Plenty (13th) missed the money in their respective races.

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Not one to blow his own trumpet, Yung – who occupies 15th position in this term’s trainers’ championship on 22 wins – was modest about his achievement and reluctant to forecast his end-of-season total.

“It all depends on how the horses are, and every horse’s individual ability,” said Yung, whose most prolific winner, seven-time victor Ka Ying Master, is his yard’s highest-rated galloper on a mark of 94.

“I just try to keep the horses in good health. That’s my major thing. I believe if horses are in good health, they’ll win for you.”