An emotional David Hayes trained his 700th winner in Hong Kong after a race-to-race double in the famous Lindsay Park Racing silks at Happy Valley on Wednesday evening.

The two-time Hong Kong champion trainer has endured a nightmare month away from the track, with a bushfire in Australia destroying 90 per cent of the infrastructure at his family stable and causing the loss of seven horses.

China Win provided Hayes with a winner the day he returned to Hong Kong from battling those bushfires with his sons and wife and he finished off another poignant night for the handler with a fast-finishing success in the Class Three O’Brien Handicap (1,800m).

It was a victory that did not look likely until the final stride, with long-time leader Liveandletlive spurting clear of China Win – who travelled in the box seat – at the top of the straight and looking home and hosed.

Keith Yeung Ming-lun never gave up the ghost, however, and galvanised China Win to get up in the final stride, much to the thrill of Hayes.

“It’s good to have a double in my stable colours – it gave me a big thrill actually. It made me think of my father,” said Hayes.

“It was a really good win. Keith rode a great race and he’s a young horse; he just got a bit lost in the straight at the Valley, but he’ll get much better with more racing and I’m hoping he can keep winning and be a Derby contender. We’ll give him a try at 2,000m next start.

“Two starts ago he got beaten because he was making a few mistakes, then he won from barrier 14 at Sha Tin like a good horse the other day and today I love the way he controlled the race.

“I just think the Tony Cruz horse gave a huge kick and it was a great effort to get past that horse.”

It was the second leg of the double for Hayes, who also watched Romantic Son carry his family colours to success for the second time this season in section one of the Class Three Southorn Handicap (1,200m).

Always in the perfect stalking position in the box seat under Dylan Browne McMonagle, he came off heels in the deep stretch to mow down Lucky Planet late.

He will now be aimed at next week’s 2025-26 DBS x Manulife Million Challenge finale, which Hayes has won in the last two years with Soleil Fighter and Tomadachi Kokoroe.

“This horse, when he draws a good barrier at Happy Valley, he’s a very reliable one,” Hayes said of Romantic Son.

“He’s won over HK$6 million now and should keep winning in this grade with good barriers, because he has wonderful tactical speed.

“It was a very good job from Dylan – I think he’s a high-class jockey and Hong Kong is just learning how good he is. I think you’ll find it’s just the start of many winners for him.

“I think if he draws an inside gate next week, he’ll do it again.”

There was another milestone on the night, with David Eustace winning his 50th Hong Kong race thanks to Ragga Bomb’s maiden local success in the Class Four Jaffe Handicap (1,650m).

Once victorious in Ireland pre-import, Eustace hopes the three-length victory can be the key to unlocking his potential.

“He got into a nice rhythm and finished off his race well,” Eustace said.

“He’s the classic European style, who’s adapting to the tracks now and how quick they are. He’s learning how to race up and is getting better with every run.

“We’ll see what the handicapper does, but he should stay in the grade and hopefully he can gain a bit of confidence.”

The win – which was the second leg of a race-to-race double for Hugh Bowman after his win on Copartner Fleet – was the opening salvo on the night for the British trainer, who also snagged the finale with Greater Bae in the second section of the Southorn Handicap.

Greater Bae was also the third leg of a typical Zac Purton treble on the evening, with the champion jockey also victorious aboard Savvy Twinkle in the Class Five Fenwick Handicap (1,000m) and Thunder Blink in the Class Five Fleming Handicap (1,650m).