Apprentice Nichola Yuen continued a seamless introduction into Hong Kong racing with a double at Sha Tin on Sunday (12 April), maintaining a perfect record of riding winners across each of her first three meetings in the city so far.

Yuen, 25, notched her first brace in Hong Kong with victories for her master Ricky Yiu aboard a pair of Hong Kong debutantes – Flashing Fighter (117lb) in the first section of the Class 4 Hart Handicap (1200m) and Fortune Link (113lb) in the Class 3 Jordan Handicap (1400m).

The double catapulted Yuen to a shared victory in the afternoon’s Jockey Challenge along with Group 1-winning senior rider Brenton Avdulla, who also rode a brace. After a trio of fixtures, she is the fastest female rider to land the Jockey Challenge.

“First of all, thank you so much to Ricky and Eric (Yiu), they give me so many opportunities and it is great to have my first double here in Sha Tin and especially for my boss,” Yuen said. “I want to thank The Hong Kong Jockey Club, the Apprentices’ (Jockeys) School, Miss Amy Chan and Mr Felix Coetzee.

“They have given me great support, and I am very fortunate to be here in this on this very big stage and to have a great performance on good horses.”

Fortune Link, who raced under the same name in Australia for trainer Greg Eurell, earned a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million, propelling Yiu to 30 winners for the season.

Brenton Avdulla matched Yuen’s feat with a double on Douglas Whyte-trained Bling Bling Genius (133lb) in the Class 5 Gillies Handicap (1600m) and David Hayes’ My Mars (121lb), who impressed with debut victory in the Class 3 Parkes Handicap (1200m) to earn a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million.

Formerly known as Unbreakable Duke when trained in Ireland by Diego Dias, My Mars defeated a talented field with a performance which delighted Hayes.

“It was an amazing effort,” Hayes said. “It was a great ride by Brenton, but it really was a superb effort by this young horse. A European horse on first run in Hong Kong, they usually can’t do it (win), and when they do, they might be pretty good.

“In a couple of his races (in Ireland), he wasn’t well ridden – I just thought he went to the front too soon. He’s got the right brain for Hong Kong – he’s very calm, he’s strong, he eats, and to win in that short time of being in Hong Kong, is an incredible effort.”

Mark Newnham edged to a one-win lead in the trainers’ championship over Caspar Fownes with Crimson Flash’s (127lb) triumph in the Class 2 Pilkem Handicap (1200m) under Andrea Atzeni.

Newnham has 48 wins for the campaign to lead a congested table from Fownes (47), David Hayes (42), Danny Shum (42), Francis Lui (41) and John Size (35).

Formerly known as He’s In Like Flynn when and trained by Blake Ryan in Australia, Crimson Flash took his overall Hong Kong record to five wins and two seconds from 13 starts for prizemoney of HK$10.5 million.

“He’s a good horse and he’s still improving – you could see when he first goes under pressure he tends to lift his head a little bit and it wasn’t until the last part of the race where he really let down well,” Newnham said.

“He’s still learning and is building a good record. He’s shown today that he’s capable around the bend at Sha Tin; he’s pretty versatile, he’s now won round the corner, up the straight and at Happy Valley, too.”

Photo: HKJC