3 minute read
Progressive four-year-old We Love Macau made it two wins from his last three starts on the sand, with a dominant victory in Saturday’s Class 4 & 5 over 1510 metres under Frenchman Stephane Ladjadj.
Prepared by master conditioner Joe Lau, We Love Macau was put forward into a handy spot by Ladjadj soon after the start and travelled well in the run, before peeling out off the back of the pace maker Autumn Cloud, to race away for an easy three and half lengths win over Honey Biscuit (Peter Lao), with Ready Fire running in third.
The son of Fast 'N' Famous from the Tale Of The Cat mare Captains Daughter must be the bargain buy of all times, having went through the 2019 Inglis Online Sale for just A$4000. From only nine stars to date We Love Macau has won three races, two on the sand and one on the turf, and placed a further two times, earning well over $400,000 HKD in prize money for owners Johnny Liu & Derek T.T. Liu.
"Yes, it seems he was a very cheap purchase at $4000 dollars; the owners bought the horse and sent him to me. He was a very layback horse with a really kind temperament and still is." Joe Lau said.
"I thought there was something there in him though, just how much I was not sure. The blinkers were a big help and he has just continued to improve."
Saturday's win suggests the fun is just starting with the bay gelding, who just continues to rise to the occasion after his maiden victory over 1500 metres on the turf on a rating of 31 points. After Saturday the handicapper will hit him at least eight points for his easy win taking him to around 52 points, and still eligible for Class 4 contests.
The win was the first leg of a double for Stephane Ladjadj who later scored on the aged galloper Grateful Favors in the Class 5 & 6 over 1350 metres. Prepare by the joint yard of Tommy Tse and Louis Ho, Grateful Favors an eight-year-old veteran of 90 runs in the enclave, showed there was still life in the old boy yet, as he surged down the outside late to snatch victory from another nine-year-old veteran in Highspot (Peter Lao), with Dare To Be (Fausto Henrique) in third.
The win on Grateful Favors gave Ladjadj his sixth victory for the new season, and puts him in equal sixth spot on the rider's standings with Peter Lao and Massa Tanaka.
Grateful Favors was also the second leg of a double for the Tommy Tse & Louis Ho yard, having won the previous the Class 3 & 4 over 1350 metres with Collateral Mission with Luis Corrales on top.
Number Zero is another horse on the way up evidenced by his impressive win in the Class 2 & 3 over 1510 metres.
Ridden a treat by Fausto Henrique, Number Zero was a touch slow into stride and raced at the tail of the field until approaching the home turn. Henrique weaved a path between runners and burst out of the pack at the two hundred to go out after the leader Top Moutainlegend (Roger Yu) who looked home; however, Number Zero stormed by him late for a one length win, with Military Strongman (Peter Lao) a further three quarters of a length back in third.
Prepared by Danny Wong, the son of Showcasing (GB) is from the Keeper mare in Karmadini. The five-year-old has now won five races and placed on two occasions from only nine starts, and is nudging the $1 million HKD mark in prize money.
The Speedy Silent Height continued on his winning way when he bolted away with the last of the day the Class 4 over 1050 metres under Luis Corrales.
The six-year-old gelding made it two wins in succession, with his dazzling display of speed and stamina to lead throughout for an easy six lengths win over Powerful Conqueror (J B Hamel), with Akeli Sword (Roger Yu) in third.
Prepared by Stephen Chow, Silent Heights run time of 1.01.8 on a day when the track wasn't riding slick, was just .03 outside of the Class record set by The Pirate King in 2018, and gave Corrales a double for the afternoon.
