 It was a big day for the Australians in Hong Kong
yesterday when one of our riders and two trainers both scored winning doubles.While Dwayne Dunn and David Hayes team up for an early double, the
day went close to being huge for the duo. Their representative Helene Vitality, missed the
Group One Hong Kong Gold Cup by a mere head.
Songs of the Sun gave Hayes and Dunn an early winner when
the two-year-old son of Hennessy proved a bit too good in the Cruise Control Plate over
1000 metres.
In an interesting result former Australian juvenile
Anabatik (Anabaa) ran a close second, while Wyndam Easy (Shane Dye) was third.
Songs of the Sun is the first foal of the former above
average Bluebird mare Shigeru Magic Lisa.
 Dunn and Hayes were back in the winner's stall
after the second race when Salut Beaute took the Deauvill Handicap (1000m) in another
close finish.
The New Zealand bred performer by Bin Ajwaad beat Bacchus
by a head, while Good Time For All finished third.
It was rather ironic that Dunn, who also finished the day
with a second, two thirds and a fourth, would take riding honours on the same weekend as
the Kangaroo Island Cup Carnival in South Australia. Dunn spent many of his early years on
the Island before kicking off his his riding career at Ceduna. Ironically, at yesterday's
Port Lincoln race meeting the trainer who gave Dunn his first ride, Trevor Trenowden, took
training honours himself with a double, a great achievement as he only had runners in two
races!
Dunn, who was reprimanded twice during the day, has now
ridden 23 winners and he is quickly closing in on the top five. He is currently in sixth
place, now just two winners behind the Robbie Fradd. Fradd is currently banned from riding
in Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, Hayes edged his way closer to the training
premiership leader Tony Cruz. Cruz retains a four win buffer after training one winner
(Medic Corps) on the card.
John Size has consolidated his place in the top five where
he currently has 26 winners from 126 runners, while Geoff Lane has moved to fifteenth
place with his season tally of wins now increasing to 12.
 The early Australian domination continued in race
three when Shane Dye rode home the John Size trained My Favourite to win the Gold Belt
Handicap (1600m).
A kiwi bred by Danasinga, My Favourite defeated Song for
Szesze by two and a quarter lengths. Nice Memories was a nose away in third place.
Former brilliant Melbourne jockey Geoff Lane was also among
the winning trainers. His first winner came in race five when Mick Kinane booted home
Thank Heavens to victory. Dunn could manage only third in the same event.
Lane's double was completed in the final race when Olivier
Doleuze won on Rebel Leader. The British bred galloper is now the winner of his past two
starts.
It was a big day for the Australasian bred performers. Four
of the ten winners were bred in Australia. They were Songs of the Sun (Hennessy-Shigeru
Magic Lisa), Medic Corps (Mukaddamah-Given Thought), Halo King Prawn (Danehill-Emporium)
and Smart Winner (Ideal Planet-My Foolish Heart). New Zealand supplied two winners - Salut
Beaute (Bin Ajwaad-My First Star) and My Favourite (Danasinga-Aer Linges).
The next Hong Kong race meeting will take place at Happy
Valley on Wednesday. Shane Dye has a full book of eight rides, while Dwayne Dunn and
Steven King both have four.
John Size leads the way in the training ranks with five
runners as compared to David Hayes (three) and Geoff Lane (two).
PICS - Quentin
Lang. |
