Building impressive mid-season momentum, Tony Cruz posted a treble at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (26 January) in an ominous foretaste to the HK$12 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (30 January).



Cruz will saddle California Spangle and Ima Single Man in Sunday`s feature armed with vital impetus after revelling in a three-timer – in successive races - at the city circuit tonight with More Than Enough, Circuit Booming and Circuit Seven.



The haul boosted Cruz`s tally for the season to 30 wins to trail only Frankie Lor (42) and John Size (39) in the battle for the trainers` championship.



Stoltz delivered a measure of solace for Francis Lui in the wake of Golden Sixty`s G1 Stewards` Cup (1600m) defeat by smashing Happy Valley`s five-furlong course record with a blistering display in the Class 3 Babington Handicap (1000m) under Zac Purton.



Clocking 55.85s, the son of More Than Ready eclipsed Harmony N Blessed`s mark of 55.98s, set last September, after Lui ironed issues in the chestnut`s racing manners.



“The last two runs, after the race the jockey (Matthew Poon) told me when he hit the front, he just waited and looked. That`s time that`s why we just put the cheek pieces on,” Lui said.



“This horse is actually easy to ride and he can sit in a good position. Zac did a good job.”



Lui said Golden Sixty had recovered well from his defeat to Waikuku on Sunday (23 January) and would trial before the trainer makes a decision on his next assignment on 20 February – either the G1 Queen`s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) or the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m).



“He seems okay. After the race, he seems the same. He`s healthy,” Lui said. “I will give him another barrier trial before I decide on his next run.”



John Size and Brazilian Vagner Borges combined for their 11th success of the season when Leap Of Faith nosed out Maldives in a stirring finish to the Class 3 Conduit Handicap (1650m).



Only Joao Moreira, with 19 wins this term, has been more successful in tandem with Size in 2021/22.



Fresh from G1 success with Stronger in the Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) last weekend, Douglas Whyte continued his winning ways with Goodmanship, who claimed the Class 5 Po Shan Handicap (1200m) for Jerry Chau.



“He hasn`t been the easiest horse to contend with, we`ve worked out that he probably wants to be ridden a bit quieter,” Whyte said. “And he`s got a turn of foot, which you`ve seen tonight.



“He does give myself and jockeys a false illusion that he wants further and that he`s one-paced and they`ve tried to ride him like that and unfortunately it didn`t suit him.



“I told Jerry to ride him more conservatively tonight and that was the winning move.”



Course and distance specialist V Chevaliers benefited from a decent barrier (gate four) and a patient Matthew Chadwick ride to justify trainer Manfred Man`s patience with victory in the second section of the Class 4 Lyttelton Handicap (1650m).



“The draw made all the difference and Matthew rode a good race,” Man said.



Chadwick completed a double aboard Frankie Lor`s Rewarding Together when the Pierro gelding notched his second win in a row with a powerful close to the Class 3 Breezy Handicap (1200m).



“I`m just being able to get on better horses and stay on them,” said Chadwick, who has 25 wins for the season. “I feel like my confidence is a bit higher and I can produce a bit better.



“I`ve just been knuckling and doing the homework and it seems to be paying off.”



Karis Teetan credited Tony Cruz`s conditioning of More Than Enough after the gelding`s front-running triumph in the first section of the Class 4 Lyttelton Handicap (1650m).



“He just kept finding, Tony and his team have done a great job in getting this horse really fit,” Teetan said after notching his 27th win of the season.



Cruz and Purton sealed doubles when Circuit Booming, a Hong Kong International Sale Graduate, was too strong in the Class 4 Kotewall Handicap (1200m) after stalking runner-up Mega Bonus before Matthew Poon guided Cruz`s Circuit Seven to victory in the Class 4 Hatton Handicap (1000m).



Happy Jai Jai made it two wins on the bounce for Benno Yung and Joao Moreira, streaming to a four and a quarter-length victory in the Class 5 Pok Fu Lam Handicap (1650m).



Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on Sunday (30 January) with the running of the HK$12 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) and G3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m).

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Circuit Booming (right) salutes for Tony Cruz and Zac Purton.

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Stoltz sets a new 1000m record with sizzling display.

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