3 minute read

A winning double on the sand program at Taipa on November 4 continued the great start to the new Macau season for trainer Tony Fung.

Fresh off a treble from the weekend before, Fung started his night early with the consistent Wine Buddies taking out the first of the night the 25 to 45 rated event over 1050 metres.

Ridden by Peter Ho, Wine Buddies stalked the speedy Her Time before pouncing on the mare quickly in the straight. Win Perfectly (Luis Corrales) tried to come with Wine Buddies but the seven year old gelding kicked away near home for a nice win.

It was win number five in Macau for the son of Snowland, all of them at the 1050 metre distance.

Tony Fung’s second winner for the night was the 26/1 shot Brave Flying Hawk who showed an amazing turn of foot in the home straight to power away for a big win in the Class 2 & 3 over 1350 metres.

In a race run at hot speed Brave Flying Hawk (Ryan Curatolo) was well back in the run and still spotting the tear-away leader Harbour Star eight lengths at the top of the straight. Curatolo weaved a path between runners with the five year old charging out of the pack for a dominant win.

Brave Flying Hawk has now won seven races on the all weather surface with four of them at the 1350 metres distance.

The gelding had not seen the winners circle since June 2015 after not coming back as well last season. Judging by the ease of Friday night’s win against a top quality line up, Brave Flying Hawk will pick up a few more wins this season on the sand for his connections.

Whilst it’s only early days yet, Tony Fung sits at the top of the tree in the trainers standings with eight winners from his 25 runners for the new season. That gives him the best strike rate by far with a 32% winning rate and a 44% place rate

Fung has never had a big team of horses under his command but has always been in the top bracket of the trainers in his seven years of training.

This season Fung has a stable of 24 horses with some nice new imports and he is looming as a real chance of picking up his first Trainer’s title.

The biggest threat to Tony Fung will no doubt come from Stanley Chin who is in his second year as a trainer. Chin a former outstanding jockey that rode successfully worldwide has built his team up to 32 to start the season with. And like Fung he has some nice newcomers.

Stanley Chin was successful on Friday night with the New Zealand bred Desi Star who took out the 0 to 55 Special Conditions race over 1050 metres.

Ridden by Martin Cangas, Desi Star had put together a few nice efforts leading into the race and will develop into a handy enough galloper for connections.

The three year old was a bargain buy of just $8,000 NZD at the 2015 Karaka Ready To Run Sale that was broadcast live to the Macau Jockey Club members lounge.

Stanley Chin currently sits in second spot on the trainers standings with seven victories.

Australian Import Tyson lived up to his name when he showed plenty of fight to come back again and snatch victory from River God Choi in the last of the night on Friday the Class 4 over 1350 metres.

Ridden by Luis Corrales Tyson had to dig deep after being headed by River God Choi (Martin Cangas) at the top of the straight with the four year old gelding diving back right on the line to win.

Prepared by Peter Leyshan, Tyson is a son of Redoute’s Choice from the Encosta De Lago Mare Lago Ovation. The gelding was originally a $500,000 Aud purchase at the 2014 Sydney Easter Yearling Sales.

Racing in Australia as Valyrian Steel, the gelding had five starts under trainer Paul Messara for a win in a Muswellbrook maiden and another victory at Armidale in Class 1.

Tyson is not an overly big horse, but is a nice type and well put together. Being a well bred and lightly raced young horse there is plenty of scope for improvement