Jockey Derek Leung booked his spot as a LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship representative with a flourish, bookending the card at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (22 November).

Leung, last season’s Tony Cruz Award winner for the leading local rider, had all but locked in the berth heading into Wednesday night’s meeting with a three-win buffer over Keith Yeung. However, his double aboard Golden Glory and Magnetism saw him confirmed as one of four Hong Kong representatives for the jockey series, with Zac Purton and Karis Teetan also joining Joao Moreira in flying the Bauhinia flag at Happy Valley on 6 December.

“I am honoured to be able to represent Hong Kong,” Leung said. “It is always a big deal to be able to ride against some of the best jockeys around, but I cannot wait. Hopefully I can do Hong Kong proud.”

It will be the third straight year that Leung represents Hong Kong. He finished fifth in 2015, while he failed to accrue any points when equal 11th last year.

“I haven’t had the best book of rides in either year that I have ridden,” Leung said. “I feel that I am riding in terrific form currently, so if I get a better group of horses, hopefully I can perform strongly.”

Leung took the opener, the Class 5 Dumbarton Handicap (1200m), aboard Francis Lui-trained Golden Glory.

“He seems to be a different horse this season,” Leung said. “He’s matured a little bit and the change of stable, change of routine, seems to have switched him on. He’s not as weak as he once was, he handles it all a bit better now, and he also cornered better tonight.”

He then added the last, the Class 3 Stirling Handicap (1650m), on David Ferraris’ Magnetism. It was the second leg of a brace for Ferraris, too, having earlier saddled up Douglas Whyte-ridden London City to win the first section of the Class 4 Hamilton Handicap (1200m).

Yip’s Super proves no Fluke with third straight win

Super Fluke (133lb) had attained something of a reputation as a “fluke” winner, having only won one of his first 21 races in Hong Kong since arriving from New Zealand.

However, this season he has finally come into his own. The Dennis Yip-trained galloper continued in his rich vein of form with a third straight win, taking the first section of the Class 3 Irving Handicap (1200m) under Brett Prebble.

“His first win this season was a really big win, I don’t think it really got the attention it probably should have at the time because it was this horse,” Prebble said. “And he’s just kept going from there, to the point where he’s won strongly at the top of Class 3. He’s a lovely horse now – he’s happy, he doesn’t pull any more, he used to be aggressive but now he travels so well. I really enjoy riding him, he’s great in the mornings and obviously he’s fun on raceday!

“I’m not scared of the next class with him, and I think he’s heading for a 100 rating. I also think the horse that finished second is no duffer, either. I got to him and had him covered, but he really dug deep all the way to the line – even the last four strides, he was trying to come with me.”

The runner-up, by a neck, was Frankie Lor-trained Simply Brilliant, the first son of champion galloper Frankel to race in Hong Kong.

Simply Brilliant (126lb), who raced in the U.K. as Senator, had finished sixth in the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot at his last start, and jockey Nash Rawiller drew comparisons with one of last season’s star four-year-olds after his Hong Kong debut.

“He fought right to the line and it was exactly what you’d want to see on debut, he’s got a great attitude,” Rawiller said. “We’ll get a guide on whether he’s a horse for the four-year-old races when he races over the Sha Tin 1200m on the HKIR undercard. He definitely feels like he will run a strong mile, but it’s a progressional thing – let’s wait and see. At this stage, he’s a bit like what Seasons Bloom was like when he kicked off last season.”

Ng makes first splash with Aspar

Earlier, jockey Alvin Ng arrived at Happy Valley for one ride and left with one winner as California Aspar took the second section of the Class 4 Hamilton Handicap (1200m).

It was a maiden Hong Kong success for the former Irish galloper, as well as a first win this season for Ng, who most notably partnered LONGINES Hong Kong Cup aspirant Time Warp to three straight victories at the end of last season.

“He jumped well and ended up in front, because no one else wanted the lead,” Ng said. “Eventually, there was a little bit of pressure but I let him stride through and he seemed to really enjoy that.

“It’s great to get a first win this season.”

California Aspar was the first of two winners for trainer Tony Cruz, who also took the feature Class 4 St Andrew’s Challenge Quaich Handicap (1650m) with the Dylan Mo-ridden Multigogo.

Racing returns to Sha Tin on Sunday (26 November), where the highlight is the Class 1 Chevalier Cup (1600m).