Zac Purton notched a pair of contrasting wins to take riding honours at Happy Valley tonight, Wednesday, 20 September, 2017.

The former champion threw his all into driving top-weight Smart Boy (133lb) to a short-head win over the Derek Leung-ridden Phantom Falcon (127lb) in race five, and enjoyed a billowing surge down the lane to score by a length and a half atop Speedy Wally one race later.

Speedy Wally enjoyed a smooth passage – an important factor in Caspar Fownes’ charge collecting a fourth career win at the city track.

“He’s a funny horse – when he applies himself in the race and everything goes his way he’s got some ability. But it only takes one thing to go wrong for him to give it up,” Purton said after easing Speedy Wally, a 4.4 chance, over the line in section one of the Class 4 Tiu Keng Leng Handicap (1650m).

“The tempo was good in the first half and that allowed him to relax. Unfortunately, Olivier’s (Doleuze) horse (Sempiternal) couldn’t take me into it coming down past ‘the rock’ so I had to come out and make my own run, but he enjoyed being out in the clear and I knew he was going to be strong late.”

Purton cut it fine in the race prior, section one of the Class 4 Ngau Tau Kok Handicap (1200m). The quirky Smart Boy, trained by Benno Yung, dipped his nose right on the wire to break his maiden at start 12 in Hong Kong.

“I feel Smart Boy’s got more than he’s giving – he feels cunning to me,” Purton said of the 2.0 favourite. “He didn’t go through with it last start so I suggested blinkers. We couldn’t get a blinker test in time so we could only get the cheek-pieces on tonight – I think they were the difference in the end. I thought he was going to win at the 150 (metres) but then at the 100 (metres) he didn’t want to pass and I think the pieces just kept him a little more focused: hopefully he’ll take some confidence out of it.”

Purton was denied a treble in the last, the Class 2 Cha Kwo Ling Handicap (1200m). The Australian surged late and wide aboard the David Hall-trained Mr Genuine (123lb) but found 57/1 outsider Wah May Friend (127lb) a neck too good at the post.

Matthew Chadwick was beaming after snaring his second win of the campaign.

“The horse had the class, he’s won before in the grade,” he said. “I was quietly confident because he felt enormous in his wellbeing walking out there; I was sure he’d run a race if I could get across from gate eight. He jumped into a lovely spot, one off, one back. I just wanted to delay him slightly when he went past them but he was very game. As long as he can get the right run again and his health’s good, he felt like he’s got another win in him.”

Me Tsui maintained his early season momentum with a double that took his tally at the top of the trainer’s premiership to eight. The handler placed his faith in apprentices Dylan Mo and Jack Wong, the former scoring aboard Dragon Bachelor in race three and the latter atop Curling Luxury in the next.

Wong’s 5lb claim and a cool head combined to foil champion jockey Joao Moreira in section two of the Class 4 Tiu Keng Leng Handicap (1650m). The Brazilian had to settle for second aboard the Michael Freedman-trained Smart Union, a first Happy Valley starter for the handler.

“Jack rode very good first and second sectionals, he was patient, and then he kept his composure in the straight,” Tsui said after Wong dictated steady fractions up front.

“At the 200 (metres), it looked like Joao was going to go past but Jack waited to go until the last 150 (metres), he saved a little bit and it was enough.”

Douglas Whyte opened his account for the season in the night’s penultimate contest, the Class 3 Kwun Tong Handicap (1200m). The 13-time champion picked an inside route to record a cosy win aboard the Dennis Yip-trained Super Leader.

Letsgofree opened the evening with a win in section two of the Class 4 Ngau Tau Kok Handicap (1200m) for jockey Sam Clipperton and trainer Francis Lui. And in the second, the Class 3 Lam Tin Handicap (1800m), Nash Rawiller urged the Danny Shum-trained Sharp Sailor (123lb)to a short-head verdict over the Chad Schofield-ridden King Of Mongolia (119lb).

Hong Kong racing resumes at Sha Tin on Sunday, 24 September.