David Eustace claimed his first Group Three victory in Hong Kong with a convincing victory from the $43.8 longshot Light Years Charm in the Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
The England international recorded the milestone in his second season in training in the city, following six years as co-coach with Ciaron Maher in Australia.
The pair trained 30 Group One winners together, including 2022 Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip, as they went on to claim Australian champion trainer in 2022-23 and Melbourne champion trainer for three consecutive years.
“A group race in Hong Kong is probably like winning a Group One anywhere else. It’s hard to win and it doesn’t happen often – but Group One is on another level. It’s great fun,” Eustace said.
Eustace was able to breathe when his fellow trainers confirmed the victory from a total of three goals in the line.
“I wasn’t sure – luckily some of the top trainers around agreed with me that we got up, but we had to wait for a slower pace. It was close, luckily he’s a big, tall horse with a long neck,” Eustace said.
Eustace and jockey Jerry Chau Chun-lok have enjoyed a successful partnership this season, gaining more than 14 percent and seven winners from 47 starts together. Chau currently leads the Tony Cruz award with 41 wins for the season, 10 ahead of top-ranked local jockey Vincent Ho Chak-yiu.
It was Chau’s second Group Three of the season after teaming up with Manfred Man Ka-leung to win the Korea Sprint (1,200m) in Seoul and Self-improvement in September.
“He got a good ride from Jerry. Jerry rides very well and can adapt to the race, which you need here, and it’s good to partner with him,” Eustace said.
The five-year-old became the longest-priced winner in the race’s 10-year history. A step up in trip and an excellent clearance at the first barrier were two factors that contributed to the victory, as the big, angry son of Rubick was able to use the draw to his advantage following a series of slow starts.
From the inside, Chau slipped to follow the well-backed Winning Ovation, who jumped $1.9. When the favorite came out to compete with Copartner Prance, a good inside game appeared for Light Years Charm.
The race became exciting as veteran Beauty Joy raced along the inside rail, Copartner Prance lifting and Sky Jewelery also bid late. However, Eustace’s runner showed resilience to finish over Beauty Joy by a short head.
“It’s amazing. Before the race, we just talked about saving ground and trying to beat good horses – and we did,” Chau said.
“It was very close. When I led, I felt him looking around and on both sides the horses were coming and I was very worried after the race.”
The Australian came out on top in his first term, scoring four wins and three starts in nine starts, followed by one win and eight starts this season before qualifying for Group Three.
The bar for all starts was in the 1,400m trip, with Eustace believing that the top step would be crucial to his progress.
“He’s just been a good horse and I’d say he’s worked his grades really well. We’ve always felt a mile would suit him and it’s probably the first time we’ve tried a mile where everything has really gone well going into the race, and he’s had a good weight,” Eustace said.
“I just felt if we were going to get an improvement, we’d need to lift him up a bit more in the trip. Both Dylan (Browne McMonagle), who rode him, and Hughie (Bowman) said ‘don’t worry, he’ll get the miles’. So that helped me gain a bit of confidence. Of course the draw helped him, and a good turn on a horse whose leg helped him to calm down. You need it.”
Looking ahead, Eustace will aim to add the Light Years Charm to the trip again when he sets his sights on another target in three weeks.
“There’s an 1,800m in three weeks, so I’d like to try that, I don’t see why. Otherwise he’s got a break. I’ve always felt he’d stay that way when he’s going well, I’m not going to look for another option,” Eustace said.
Chau also went on to win the David Hall-trained Ka Ying Attack in the Grade Three Hong Kong Ka Ying (Meizhou) General Chamber of Commerce Cup Handicap (1,200m). The four-year-old set the gap to his rivals at the top of the straight and was never in danger, winning by an impressive two and a quarter lengths over the late Crossborderpegasus.
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