Wednesday night’s (14 February) meeting proved important for a number of members of the Hong Kong racing fraternity, including jockey Alberto Sanna and trainer David Hall, as both found the winners’ circle at Happy Valley.

Sanna was the first to get on the board, steering 15/1 winner Young Dreamer to take the Class 5 Peony Handicap (1200m) for trainer Tony Millard and the enthusiastic members of the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Racing Club. It was the Italian rider’s first victory since scoring a double at Sha Tin on 23 December.

“Alberto rode him great, he did exactly what he should do today,” Millard said. “I was very happy with his ride and I certainly will be supporting him. I think he’s hungry, he wants to have winners and there’s nothing wrong with the way that he rides. I’ve been happy to have him on and I will keep putting him on.

“The horse has had his problems and he hasn’t been easy. I think he could have been a better horse than what he is now, but he’s had a couple of issues. Still, to get any win here in Hong Kong is a pleasure.”

Sanna added: “It’s certainly frustrating when you don’t ride a winner for a while. You just have to take the positives, no matter how few – for me, I have my family here and I’ve been able to hike in the mountains and stay grounded. Finally, it came tonight and I’m so grateful to Mr. Millard, he’s a top trainer.

“Now, I’m just hoping to build on it, I’m riding out quite a few horses in the mornings and just trying to make myself a part of the Hong Kong system.”

Later, trainer David Hall expressed relief after finding the winners’ circle for the first time since late October. Hall’s breakthrough came with the front-running victory of the Matthew Poon-ridden Gracydad in the Class 4 Lily Handicap (1200m).

“You feel the pressure, of course, because it’s there in front of you wherever you go,” he said. “But when the horses are running well, when they are running second, third and fourth and getting prizemoney, there’s not too much wrong – it’s just about when it’s going to turn. You could talk about many incidents over the last few months where we could have had up to 10 wins, really, but that’s the game and it happens to us all.

“When I first moved from Adelaide to Melbourne, I didn’t train a winner for three months so I’ve been in this position before. When it turns around, though, it’s a little bit sweeter than normal – so it is tonight.”

Mo continues apprentice journey as claim reduced

Apprentice Dylan Mo will begin a new phase of his career at Sha Tin on Sunday (18 February) when he drops to a five-pound allowance after scoring his 45th Hong Kong victory in the Class 5 Rose Handicap (1800m) aboard Happy Friendship.

Mo has been a seven-pound claimer since mid-June, when he hit the 20-win mark. He has continued to progress since and Happy Friendship’s trainer Michael Freedman believes the 24-year-old will be able to sustain his good run of form even with the reduced allowance.

“His ride tonight was spot-on,” Freedman said. “I think he’s got a very bright future. He told me before the race that the claim would come down if he won, but I don’t think he has to worry about that.”

Mo said: “I’m very happy to reach another level. Coming to the races tonight, I thought I had a chance to get that winner that I needed. I will keep working hard and I hope that, even with a smaller claim, I can still deliver.”

In addition to Poon and Mo, Jack Wong took the Class 3 Calla Lily Handicap (1000m) aboard Moment Of Power for Paul O’Sullivan to give all three of Hong Kong’s apprentices a win on the card.

Jockey Joao Moreira notched a double, taking both sections of the Class 4 Peach Blossom Handicap (1650m) with Francis Lui’s See Me Now and the John Size-trained Har Har Heart. Also finding the winners’ circle were Jolly Convergence, who won the Class 3 Daffodil Handicap (1200m) for Neil Callan and Benno Yung, and Litterateur, victorious in the night-closing Class 3 Daisy Handicap (1650m) for Nash Rawiller and Richard Gibson.

Racing returns to Sha Tin for the 11-race Chinese New Year card on Sunday. The programme features the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m), the second leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, as well as the Class 1 Chinese New Year Cup (1400m).