Tested by the travails of a challenging season, Jamie Richards combined with Zac Purton to end a frustrating run of outs at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (13 November) with a rare piece of good fortune before the last three races of the meeting were abandoned because of weather-related safety considerations.
Richards ended a 47-race run of outs when Lucky Touch landed the second section of the Class 4 Lung Cheung Handicap (1650m) – the second race on the card – before Hong Kong Jockey Club officials decided to abandon Races 7, 8 and 9 after the Hong Kong Observatory announced it would issue Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 at 11.10pm.
Acting to ensure the safety of trainers, jockeys, stable staff, Members, racecourse staff and attendees and Off-Course Betting Branch staff and customers, officials stopped the meeting after the running of race six.
Richards had not saddled a winner since Gallant Valour’s triumph at Happy Valley on 9 October and the New Zealander was relieved to saddle his second victor of the campaign.