Frankie Lor Fu-chuen was left with a feeling of what could have been after Numbers and Stormy Grove ran monster races to finish second and third respectively in the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) on Sunday.

Sent off the $5.3 second favourite, Numbers set a frenetic pace under Derek Leung Ka-chun, who was hamstrung from stall 13 over a distance with a very short run to the first turn.

In what turned out to be the fastest Derby ever run, Numbers kept up a relentless gallop and was only grabbed by Invincible Ibis 180m out, sticking on all the way to the line to be beaten one and a quarter lengths.

The draw turned out to be a potential race-losing factor for Numbers, but Lor is optimistic he can continue to pay his way in top races for the rest of the campaign.

“The draw was awkward, so he had to use more in the early stages. You can see the time was quick, so maybe if he had a better draw he could have had an easier time earlier on and set his own pace,” said Lor.

“He’s still run a very good race and he kept rolling the whole way. Maybe later on we’ll go over 2,400m – the distance doesn’t matter for him. I’m still thinking about targets but everything is still open at the moment.”

Stormy Grove, the Classic Cup winner, acquitted himself with plenty of credit too, thundering home from near last to finish a short-head behind his stablemate.

He set the fastest final section of the race and on another day, it could have been a very different result.

“He did a very quick time to finish the race, 22.71 [for the final 400m], so he was only a little bit too far back. On another day, it could have been different,” said Lor.

Hayes enjoys familiar company

David Hayes enjoyed a reunion with superstar jockey Frankie Dettori when Shamus Storm struck in the Class Three Designs On Rome Handicap (1,800m) under Harry Bentley.

Dettori, who won 288 Group One races across the globe including eight in Hong Kong, was a guest of owner Marc Chan and enjoyed a familiar trip to the winner’s enclosure when Shamus Storm struck in facile fashion.

His appearance took many by surprise and Hayes was delighted to have his old friend back in Hong Kong.

“I have Marc in the winner’s enclosure plenty, but having Frankie here was certainly a bit of fun. I told Harry ‘do what Frankie would do’ before the race,” Hayes said.

“Frankie and I are old friends – I’ve known him for 30 years so we’ve basically grown up together. It was fantastic to see him here and see him looking so well. It would certainly have been fun to have him here as a stable jockey.”

It was an anxious watch late for connections, with one-time Derby hopeful Shamus Storm surging to the front following a midfield trip before fending off a determined Smart Avenue by a short head.

“With the winkers off, he relaxed and I think he can keep on winning, because the time he ran was nearly Class Three level,” Hayes said.

“He had a setback at the start of the season so we couldn’t get his points up for the Derby. I honestly think he was unlucky to run out of time to qualify and I think from now until the end of the season he’ll do very well.

“I think he’ll be very good from any distance between the mile and 2,000m. I’m very confident that at some point he can get above a 90 rating.”

Ng grabs Derby day double

Pierre Ng Pang-chi was out of luck with Sagacious Life in the Derby, but the trainer enjoyed an undercard double to savour thanks to Aeroinvincible and Aerovolanic.

His double was headlined by the success of the latter in the Class Three Rapper Dragon Handicap (1,400m), with the Frosted galloper saluting under Zac Purton in impressive fashion.

Two-out, two-back in the run, the pair eased past Super Express 180m from home and sprinted clear by two lengths under hands-and-heels riding, leaving Ng excited for the future.

“He’s impressive. The pace wasn’t that quick, as we expected. He did fight a little bit during the middle stage of the race, and then he finished off really well in the last,” said Ng.

“He just keeps improving. As Zac said, if he learns to relax more, he’ll go better.”

Aeroinvincible struck in the earlier Class Four Fay Fay Handicap (1,400m) under Andrea Atzeni, showing a willing attitude to fend off a wall of horses after travelling much the best throughout in the one-out, one-back slot.