3 minute read
Tony Fung enjoyed his best day ever as a trainer with a fabulous five timer on Fridays nights sand program from only seven runners on the card.
Fung in a superb training effort won the last five races on the six race program, on a night that he admitted came as a bit of a surprise.
Fung didn't have a runner in the first of the night and it was Hostwin Panther that kicked off his winning streak in the second the Class 4 & 5 over 1050 metres.
Ridden by Horace Lam, Hostwin Panther at odds off $171.00 for the win lunged late to nail favorite Silent Height (Ruan Maia) to win by a neck, with Tak Fai Of Pins (Fausto Henrique) in third.
Next it was the nights feature for Fung the NZB Ready To Run Sale Trophy over 1050 metres. Darling Ten also a surprise winner came with a late burst under J B Hamel to snatch victory from favorite Win Win Hooray (Luis Corrales), with Diva Achiever (Frankie Choi) close up.
Stable stalwart Kelowna Star then saluted in the next event the Class 1 & 2 over 1510 metres per medium of a perfect ride by Champion jockey Ruan Maia; then Fung's exciting newcomer Vescer again under Ruan Maia put paid to a smart Class 2 & 3 field to win handsomely, and make it four winners for the evening.
The crowning glory on the night for Fung was an easy victory in the last the Class 3 & 4 over 1510 metres by Military Super also under Ruan Maia, to give the jockey three winners for the night and Tony Fung five.
"Yes I have to say the night surprised me a bit; I thought going to the races that I had a good chance in the last three races. In particular the last two races they looked my best."
"Hostwin Panther really surprised me in race two when he won and then in race three the feature race Darling Ten was another nice surprise when he just won narrowly."
"Kelowna Star hardly ever runs a bad race and it was a good ride by Maia to win; then my new horse Vescer I was expecting good things with him and he went as good as we hoped he would."
"In the last race Military Super was very well graded and I really expected him to win so it's just been a great night." Fung added.
Fung's previous best had been a treble, a feat that he has done on a number of occasions.
Tony Fung joins an illustrious group of trainers in Macau that have made a raceday completely their own.
Former eight times Champion trainer Gary Moore recalls training five winners on two occasions but admits it was that far back he cannot remember the dates.
Three times Macau Champion trainer M C (Alan) Tam prepared six winners on one day including the Macau Gold Cup quinella with Happy Pearl and Star Of Nittan back in 2006, and has also posted five winners on a couple of occasions.
K H Leong another three times Macau Champion trainer started nine runners on an eight race card in February 2008, for six winners two seconds and a third, providing the quinella in two races.
However all of the above takes none of the gloss off Tony Fung's wonderful night last Friday, as those standards were achieved over a decade ago on much bigger race cards, and with a lot more firepower in their yards then Tony Fung's stable of 26 horses.
Fung who was Macau's Champion trainer in the 2017 – 2018 season has now posted 12 winners for the new season, five ahead of a line of four trainers that include Stanley Chin, Sio Cheong, Victor Chan and Geoff Allendorf who are all on seven winners.
Geoff Allendorf was another that enjoyed a great day on Saturday winning three races on the six race program and providing the quinella in race five.
The former Victorian galloper British Medium who races in Macau as Oneofthegreats, was the start of Allendorf's afternoon when he was perfectly rated by Japanese rider Shogo Nakano to lead throughout in the Class 3 & 4 over 1200 metres.
British Medium was originally a A$250,000 purchase at the 2017 Gold Coast Yearling Sales and won a 1600 metre maiden at Ballarat from his five runs in Victoria when trained by Mick Price.
Since being exported to Macau the nice looking son of Snitzel (Aus) has raced seven times with Saturday his first win; judging by the manner in which he ran away from the opposition it won't be his last.
The Japanese import Éclair Hunter gave Allendorf a double for the afternoon when he found the line strongly under a nice ride by Frankie Choi in the Class 2 & 3 over 1500 metres.
The vastly improved Me Whee topped off Allendorf's day when he came from well back in the run under Fausto Henrique to finish right over the top of his rivals in the Class 2 over 1200 metres.
Me Whee beat the stablemate Association Seven (Stephane Ladjadj) by two lengths with the tearaway leader Thehorseiswithme (Breinell Yamzon) in third.
The run continues the good start to the new season for Allendorf who is excited about the prospects of a number of new young horses in his barn.
"Oneofthegreats has come back better from his first preparation he'll do well this season. Shogo (Nakano) rated him very well"
"Éclair Hunter as you know he was very unlucky last start and he was well ridden also by Frankie Choi. He will continue to improve and will be even better at 1800."
"The whole stable is going good all my horses have been going well and I put a lot of that down to the newly renovated facilities we have. The whole new stabling complexes are much more comfortable for the horses, it's been a lot of positives that are starting to add up. I've got some lovely young horses and I'm very excited about this coming season."
Allendorf had plenty of praise for Price Bloodstock who race his last winner Me Whee and to Fausto Henrique for a pearl of a ride.
"Me Whee I'm so very happy with he is just flying and this is win number five for him now. He's been a great addition the stable through Price Bloodstock who continue to give me good workmanlike horses that suit the place. Me Whee has done it on both sand and turf and Fausto's ride was for me the ride of the day. He just did everything right from the wide gate coming back and finding the rail. That's why he finished the race off so well."
