3 minute read

It was fitting that the Patrick Lee trained Mission Gdragon won Saturdays Class 2 & 3 Handicap over 1200 metres on the turf at Taipa under Oscar Chavez.

On a day where the feature race was the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale Stakes, it was the perfect result that the talented sprinter should win a race on the card.

Mission Gdragon was the very first winner from the original Magic Millions Online Sale that was streamed live in September 2014 to the MJC Members Lounge.

The bay is by Jet Spur out of a Red Ransom mare in Fair Ransom, and was purchased for the modest sum of $32,000 Australian dollars.

Since then the now six year old has gone on to win seven races and place on seven more occasions, picking up over $2 million in prize money along the way for his owners Mr. and Mrs. Cheng Wing Bor.

Mission Gdragon was sent out even money favorite on Saturday and enjoyed a sweet run under Chavez, before being momentarily locked away on the fence behind pace maker Thar in the early part of the straight.

Once a run presented Chavez drove the gelding hard after Thar to nail him right on the line.

The bay racked up a personal best time for the 1200 metre journey in 1.08.3 which clipped .0.4 off his former top mark of 1.08.7.

Saturdays feature was a prelude to the Magic Millions 2YOs in Training Sale which will again be streamed live to MJC Members Lounge on October 9.

The Sale has been a great source of winners for Macau owners since the concept began in 2014, with Mission Gdragon being testimony to that.

Corrales Looking To Reclaim His Title

Luis Corrales took riding honors on Saturday’s turf program with a winning double to give him a fine start to the new racing season.

With three winners after three race days he has sounded a warning to last season’s champion rider Ruan Maia

Corrales a former four times Macau Champion was deposed by Peter Ho as champion 52 to 41 in the 2016 – 2017 racing season ending his four year reign.

Last season he was again runner up to Ruan Maia with the score 60 to 39 and is now looking to reclaim his crown from the Brazilian star.

Whilst it’s very early days yet, Ruan Maia has posted four winners and nine placed efforts from 17 rides as opposed to Corrales three wins and two placings from 16 rides.

Corrales is one of the most successful riders in the history of the MJC with a total of 693 winners in Macau, second only to Manoel Nunes who has over 800 race victories.

Corrales will no doubt be pulling out all stops this season to land a fifth Macau Title but can expect tough opposition not only from Ruan Maia but also from Maia’s countryman Fausto Henrique who returns at the end of this month, and also Oscar Chavez should the latter decide to stay in Macau.

Corrales was quick off the mark on Saturday with a win in race two on the Sio Cheong prepared One Belt One Road, who enjoyed a sweet run from gate one to hit the line strongly in the Class 2 & 4 Handicap over 1200 metres.

It was win number five in Macau for the seven year old son of Haradasun who has picked up close to $1.5 million for his connections.

The gelding won three over 1500 metres early days and was even stretched to place at 1800 metres, but has been rejuvenated of late by Sio Cheong by being kept fresh and sprinting over to 1200 metre course resulting in two wins at the trip.

Corrales was then narrowly beaten on Thar in the Class 2 & 3 by Mission Gdragon (Oscar Chavez), before guiding Infinite Treasure to a comfortable victory in the last of the day the Class 4 & 5 for trainer Rambo Tse.

Infinite Treasure is by the former champion British 2YO Captain Rio and whilst he took awhile to come to hand has now posted three victories for his owner Lau Yiu Tong all at 1200 metres.

The Moon’s Back took out Saturdays feature event 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale Stakes over 1500 metres to score his second win in Macau both over the 1500 metre course.

Ridden by Peter Ho the Rambo Tse prepared gelding produced a late surge to power home over the top of Royal Treasure (Oscar Chavez) and Ready Fire (Ruan Maia).

The Moon’s Back was originally bought to Macau as a Derby contender and did run third to Sacred Man and Krystrump in the last years running of the race. It’s hard to understand why the gelding has not won more races in Macau even though he has managed to place on six occasions. After Saturdays win his prize money is now close to the $1 million HKD mark for his connections the Golden Friend Club.