Apprentice Nichola Yuen’s rapid rise in Hong Kong racing gathered further momentum at Sha Tin on Sunday (12 April), where the 25-year-old recorded her first double in the city and extended a remarkable early sequence of success.
Nichola Yuen Sha Tin double headlines a remarkable start to her Hong Kong career.
Yuen maintained a perfect record of riding winners at each of her first three meetings, guiding a pair of Hong Kong debutants to victory for trainer Ricky Yiu. Flashing Fighter (117lb) opened her account in the first section of the Class 4 Hart Handicap (1200m), before Fortune Link (113lb) completed the brace in the Class 3 Jordan Handicap (1400m).
The milestone double also earned Yuen a share of the afternoon’s Jockey Challenge alongside experienced Group 1-winning rider Brenton Avdulla, who matched her tally with two wins. In doing so, Yuen became the fastest female rider to claim the Jockey Challenge in Hong Kong.
“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’ School, Miss Amy Chan and Mr Felix Coetzee.
“They have given me great support, and I am very fortunate to be here on this very big stage and to have a great performance on good horses.”
Fortune Link, previously campaigned in Australia under trainer Greg Eurell, collected a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million, helping Yiu advance to 30 winners for the season.
Avdulla’s brace came aboard Douglas Whyte-trained Bling Bling Genius (133lb) in the Class 5 Gillies Handicap (1600m) and David Hayes’ My Mars (121lb), who impressed on debut in the Class 3 Parkes Handicap (1200m), also earning a HK$1.5 million PP Bonus.
Formerly known as Unbreakable Duke when trained in Ireland by Diego Dias, My Mars delivered a performance that caught the attention of 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, 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.”
Elsewhere on the card, Mark Newnham edged ahead in the tightly contested trainers’ championship, moving to 48 wins for the campaign after Crimson Flash (127lb) captured the Class 2 Pilkem Handicap (1200m) under Andrea Atzeni. The result gave Newnham a narrow advantage over Caspar Fownes (47), with David Hayes and Danny Shum both on 42 wins, followed closely by Francis Lui (41) and John Size (35).
Crimson Flash, formerly trained in Australia as He’s In Like Flynn, improved his Hong Kong record to five wins and two seconds from 13 starts, amassing prizemoney of HK$10.5 million.
“He’s a good horse and he’s still improving,” Newnham said. “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.
“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.”
Trainer Chris So celebrated a personal milestone with his 250th Sha Tin turf winner as Elite Golf (135lb) landed the second section of the Class 4 Hart Handicap (1200m) under Harry Bentley. Despite conceding 21lb to Leading Dragon, ridden by Yuen, the three-year-old showed determination to edge clear late.
“The horse has got ability, but he’s still very green,” So said. “We have to give him a bit of time to grow mentally and he needs to mature.”
John Size and Alexis Badel combined successfully with Alabama Song (117lb) in the Class 4 Kowloon Cricket Club Centenary Cup Handicap (1400m), holding off a late surge from Forza Toro, who finished strongly after a slow start.
Francis Lui kept his championship hopes alive as Amazing Partners (123lb) secured the Class 3 Humphreys Handicap (1600m) under Vincent Ho, with the trainer noting the horse’s continued improvement over longer distances.
Additional winners on the card included Perfect One (126lb) for Dennis Yip and Zac Purton in the Bowring Plate (1000m), He Was Me (124lb) for Tony Cruz and Karis Teetan in the Class 5 Gascoigne Handicap (1400m), and Happy Boss (135lb), who delivered for David Eustace and Luke Ferraris in the second section of the Class 4 Cox’s Handicap (1400m).
Racing in Hong Kong now shifts to Happy Valley for the midweek meeting on Wednesday (15 April), where several of Sunday’s standout performers are expected to remain in focus.
For more stories, results, and updates from the world of horse racing, stay tuned to racebuzz.