1 week Ago By Jay Rooney
Hong Lok Golf added to his reputation as an exciting galloper on the rise when he dug deep to deliver trainer Chris So Wai-yin his 400th career win at Sha Tin on Sunday. Continuing a near-perfect start to his career, the Grunt gelding made it four wins from five starts when he fought tenaciously to narrowly beat Light Years Charm in the Class Three Sustainability Handicap (1,400m). His latest success crowned a double for So after With A Smile broke through in the Class Four Thriving Youth Handicap (1,400m) and handed the trainer his 400th win in Hong Kong.
After starting as a work rider in 1997, So was Caspar Fownes’ assistant trainer from 2003 until receiving his own licence for the 2013-14 season. Four wins from five starts! 🤯 Hong Lok Golf just keeps getting better as Chris So lands a 400th Hong Kong win as a trainer..
. 👏 @HarryBentley_ #LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.
com/O1DDJQPbRM “It’s good to celebrate,” a delighted So said after reaching the milestone. The 56-year-old handler has plenty of reasons to be excited about the future with Hong Lok Golf, who arguably should be unbeaten after a luckless second in his only career defeat. Sunday’s race developed into a two-horse war between $4.
85 second favourite Hong Lok Golf and the $1.9 favourite Light Years Charm, with both four-year-olds making their runs from midfield to loom as strong chances in the straight. Light Years Charm looked to have a slight edge in momentum on the outside under Zac Purton, but Hong Lok Golf responded to Harry Bentley’s urgings to prevail by a head.
Third placegetter Endeared was more than a length behind in third. “He’s a good horse,” So said of Hong Lok Golf. “[Bentley] said we need to step up [to a mile].
I said ‘I think we try to win one more 1,400m and then step up next time’. “He never gave up and when Zac’s horse was coming I thought ‘oh no’, but my horse when under the whip, he still kept going. It was an impressive win.
It seems like he’ll keep improving and he seems like a good horse. We’ll try our best to push where the limit is.” While So’s emerging galloper denied Purton a third winner to end the 11-race card, the trainer and champion jockey were in the winners’ enclosure together when With A Smile notched his first victory at start four.
Despite being trapped three-wide without cover from gate 12, With A Smile kept on strongly and held off the fast-finishing Max Que to win by a short head. “I think he keeps improving,” So said of the three-year-old. “The last time after 1,200m [when third to Little Paradise], Zac told me ‘maybe step him up’ and I said ‘name me the date, I’ll make him available for you’.
“I think he needs further but we’ll take it step by step. Sometimes when they step up straight away, the horse won’t perform. That’s been my experience.
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