Australian legend Ethan Brown began his short-lived dream in Hong Kong when he guided Shooting To Top to victory at Happy Valley Stadium on Wednesday night.
In his first meeting here, the 11-time Group One winner scored his third when he lifted Shooting To Top to narrowly win the Grade Four Geranium Handicap (1,650m).
“It was great, it’s something we all strive to do – getting an opportunity is one thing, but getting a winner right away is another,” Brown said.
“It’s a really fast and hard track, you’ve got to be on your A-game, but I’m building it as I go and it was definitely a track I wanted to win. It’s a good feeling – it’s a good feeling and a good feeling; hopefully we’ll do more.”
Brown-lapped from $13.8 to $6.25, Shooting To Top landed in the box seat after Brown sent him ahead early from gate seven.
The 26-year-old rider raced inside in the straight and the Cody Mo Wai-kit-trained gelding fought hard to beat Glorious Journey by a short head.
Shooting To Top was unbeaten in seventh on debut at Sha Tin and was caught without cover throughout when sixth at Valley before his first win.
“The horse felt good, Cody had him nice and fit and he jumped well out of the gate. We were able to get a good position on the track and we had a really good run – Cody had him in full order and I was the sponsor,” Brown said.
“I just wanted to get an early winner and we’ve been able to tick that box; it gets the monkey off my back and I’m looking forward to what’s ahead. I feel relieved and happy that I can get an early winner – because it’s not easy to do.”
Brown, who will travel to Hong Kong until the end of the season on July 15, has been second-carded to ride Sunlight Power in Sunday’s Group One Champions Mile at Sha Tin.
However, the Ricky Yiu Poon-fai-trained gelding must undergo vet checks on Thursday and Saturday after being found to have a sprained elbow on her left front leg.
Elsewhere in the Valley, Zac Purton prepared for Sunday’s FWD Champions Day meeting with two aboard Vigor Eye and Thunder Prince.
Purton and trainer David Hayes, who will be joined by star sprinter Ka Ying Rising in the Group One Chairman’s Stakes (1,200m), with Eye of Vigor when the consistent runner broke into sixth at the start of the Grade Four Lavender Handicap (1,200m).
Sent the $2.3 favourite, the four-year-old Time Trial went one better last start at Sha Tin when he beat pacesetter Captain Link by a short head in a close finish.
“He’s a solid horse. I thought he’d win easily, but he got the job,” Hayes said.
“If you look at him, he has six matches and has entered the silver five times, so I think he is a solid horse who will win again in this class.
“Zac said he was very green tonight, he was still learning, that’s why I think he can recover.”
Thunder Prince finally delivered the goods at the start of 22 in the city for trainer Jamie Richards and connections, using the first gate to close by two lengths in the Grade Four Lusitano Challenge Cup (1,200m).
“She is a 21-year-old girl and had never won a race before she arrived, either. She was Group placed in Australia, but thankfully the owners have been very patient and deserve every bit of success they get with this horse because she has been here for a while and has eaten a few tickets along the way,” Richards said.
“So, I’m glad that he was able to put his head forward and sometimes you never know – he can take courage from that and get on with it now.”
The Great Winner sealed a double for Richards and jockey Alexis Badel with an all-round success in the Grade Three Roselle Handicap (1,200m). The two goals brought up Hong Kong’s 300th win for Badel, who also struck on Me Tsui Yu-sak’s The Auspicious on Wednesday night.
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