Francis Lui Kin-wai lands Sha Tin double as trainers' championship heats up

Francis Lui Kin-wai kept in touch with the leading trainers' championship contenders with a Sha Tin double on Sunday, courtesy of progressive gallopers Turquoise Velocity and Baby Sakura. The 2023-24 champion trainer moved to 45 wins, consolidating fifth position in what is shaping as an exciting race for the title. Through 68 of the 88 meetings this term, Mark Newnham leads the way on 51 wins from Caspar Fownes (50), Danny Shum Chap-shing (50) and David Hayes (48). "Hopefully more [wins] to come," Lui said. "It's a really tight championship; all of the top six could win it and John Size too." Turquoise Velocity improved his record to four wins from six starts, leading all the way to dispose of a strong field in the Class Three Beijing Clubhouse Handicap (1,200m). Sent to the front by Keith Yeung Ming-lun, the $4.7 second favourite dug deep on the soft going to fend off all challengers, prevailing from smart last-start winner My Mars by a neck. Crossborderpegasus flew home after badly missing the start for a close third. Lui has high hopes for Turquoise Velocity, whose only real blemish to date was a disappointing 11th second up, which his handler attributed to "second-up syndrome" after a strong debut victory. "He got a good draw and he has the gate speed. I asked Keith 'why did you lead?', he said 'when the other horse came close to him, he just goes again'," Lui said. "The thing is he still needs to learn – if he can relax more, he has more room to grow. "He might have done enough [this season] – we'll see the programme first." Baby Sakura also continued a bright start to his career, notching his second triumph at start four in the Class Three Shenzhen Centre Handicap (1,400m). Stepping out beyond 1,200m for the first time, the Tagaloa three-year-old capitalised on a perfect run just behind the leaders to score by two-and-a-half lengths under Andrea Atzeni. "He's an honest horse, he loved this ground," Lui said. "The jockey said he's improving and he can step up a bit more next season. I think he will have one more race this season because he's a strong horse. He's still immature and has room to improve. "I think he can be a Classic Mile horse for next season – it's an exciting time and it's a race everyone wants to win." Newnham added to his marginal championship lead when Incredible Moment recorded his first career victory in style, leading all the way under Richard Kingscote to score by three lengths. "He's been a bit frustrating, he's always shown good ability but he does a lot wrong," Newnham said. "He's quite a difficult horse to ride and Richard has done a great job riding him." Mo makes it a double Cody Mo Wai-kit joined Lui with a double after View All Things and Flying Knight each broke through for their first career victories. View All Things stormed home from midfield under Zac Purton to bolt in by two lengths in the Class Five Racing Heritage Handicap (1,400m). "This horse was a roarer before, and then was very lucky after surgery and he recovered very well," Mo said of the son of Pride Of Dubai, who improved on an eye-catching fifth on his previous start. "This horse is not a Class Five horse, it is just the health problem that has stopped his performance. Now after roarer surgery, which has been successful, everything's going OK and I think he will get more wins. He's good enough in Class Four, maybe higher." Flying Knight broke his maiden status at start 11, with Karis Teetan taking full advantage of a dream run in the box seat from gate three to nail pacesetter Circuit Fiery on the line by a neck. "We had good circumstances today – we had a good draw and went forward to follow the leader," Mo said. "The horse supposedly doesn't like the kickback, he ran on soft earlier this season and didn't want to go. I said to Karis to follow the leader and in the home straight get out of the kick back." Bowman booked for Japanese stayer Hugh Bowman will ride Japan's Rousham Park when the stayer takes on Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior in the Group One Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) on May 24. It will be Rousham Park's third trip to the city, with the Hiroyasu Tanaka-trained galloper lining up in the Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m) twice before, finishing eighth in 2023 and fifth last year. The six-time winner has had just one run since his latest Hong Kong Cup tilt, running third in the Group Two Nikkei Sho (2,500m) at Nakayama in March. Japan's other Champions & Chater contender, Deep Monster, will be ridden by Brazilian superstar Joao Moreira. The Yasutoshi Ikee-trained eight-year-old won the Group Two H.H. The Amir Trophy (2,400m) in Qatar in February.