A jubilant Angus Chung Yik-lai kept his successful campaign in full swing with a double at Sha Tin on Saturday, leaving the 27-year-old targeting the end-of-season award named after his boss.

Chung had only visited the winner’s enclosure three times from his past 75 rides, but the apprentice was back firing on all cylinders thanks to the victories of Ima Single Man and Outgate.

Chung’s wins, which both came for his boss Tony Cruz, took him to 32 victories for the season and saw him overhaul last season’s tally of 31.

“I’m very happy and especially for boss, his horses are going well,” Chung said. “It’s been a bit frustrating. I’ve run second and third a lot for boss this season, but today was good.

“We had a tough period and we thought the horses performances were dropping down, but they’re coming back and I’m very pleased.”

Chung opened his account for the afternoon in the Class Three Heung Yee Kuk Cup (1,200m), steering $9.55 chance Ima Single Man to his first victory in 440 days with an enterprising front-running ride.

After assuming the lead from gate three, Chung set reasonable fractions to establish a two-length buffer turning for home and was not for catching in the closing stages, prevailing by a length and a half over E Legend.

“We were going to retire him after this race if he didn’t perform well, but we took the hood off and it worked,” Chung said. “He trialled very well at Conghua and he performed exactly like the trial. He deserved the win.”

Chung brought up his double aboard Outgate in the Class Three Wong Leng Handicap (1,400m), riding the Cruz-trained five-year-old to pinpoint perfection to overhaul Sweet Briar in the dying stages.

“He tried 1,200m on the dirt but I don’t think he liked the dirt or the distance,” Chung said. “Back to 1,650m at Happy Valley he performed very well last time and he liked the 1,400m at Sha Tin today.

“The last time he raced on the turf at Sha Tin he just got beaten by Blue Marlin, who ran second in Class Two today. Outgate is a good horse and I’m looking forward to him getting momentum now.”

Sitting fifth in this season’s championship, Chung has his sights on this season’s Tony Cruz Award, with the injured Vincent Ho Chak-yiu stuck on 25 victories and facing potentially another month on the sidelines.

“I’ve been working hard and it’s paying off,” Chung said. “This season I feel very confident and hopefully I can keep improving and win a Group race in Hong Kong.

“Vincent is very unfortunate to get injured and my win number is more than his at the moment. I’m trying hard to get the Tony Cruz Award.”

The award is presented to the season’s leading home-grown rider and was collected by Ho at the end of the 2022-23 season and Matthew Chadwick in the 2021-22 campaign.

Exciting Young Champion wows Sha Tin crowd and caps Teetan treble

One man who will be checking his wing mirrors for Chung in the premiership is Italian rider Andrea Atzeni, who ticked over to 33 victories for the campaign thanks to Champion Instinct’s impressive win in the first section of the Class Four Needle Hill Handicap (1,200m).

After tracking the leaders, the David Hall-trained Champion Instinct showed a good change of gear to finish two lengths clear of Awesome Treasure and notch a third consecutive win in the process.

Atzeni will hope to put some breathing room between himself and Chung before enduring a stint on the sidelines after picking up a two-meeting careless riding suspension on Saturday for his ride aboard Circuit Blazing in the Class Four Sai Wan Shan Handicap (1,800m).