Jerry Chau Chun-lok extended his lead in the race for the Tony Cruz Award when he made the most of limited opportunities to boot home a double at Sha Tin on Saturday.

Wins on Cody Mo Wai-kit’s Jolly Jumper and the Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained Effortless Win boosted Chau’s seasonal tally to 37 – eight clear of the next best home-grown rider, Vincent Ho Chak-yiu.

“I had only four rides today, but they have ability and the track today is good for our horses. So, I’m very happy to get the job done,” Chau said.

Jolly Jumper was the first leg of doubles for Chau and Mo when he claimed the Class Five Pok Fu Lam Public Riding School Handicap (1,400m).

The Belardo galloper returned to the winner’s list for the first time since May last year after Chau sent the four-year-old forward from a wide draw in gate 13 to sit outside the leader, taking the lead in the straight en route to a stylish victory by a length and a quarter over Superb Guy.

Mo was pleased with Jolly Jumper’s second career triumph at start 23 following a series of gear changes.

“He got the bad habit before of hanging in. So the last few races I just put the one-sided blinkers on and the hanging in problem was solved. This time back to the 1,400m, I put the visors on to make him concentrate more,” Mo said.

Effortless Win clinched Chau’s double when he continued a handy season for Lor’s Trainer Syndicate by winning the Class Three Lei Yue Mun Park Handicap (1,200m) on his Hong Kong debut.

Arriving in the city with a slow track win at Doomben, he was right at home on the good to yielding Sha Tin track. After tracking the leaders Gold Patch and Superb Capitalist, Chau issued his challenge 300m from home. Tackling the favourite Gold Patch, he put him away and then held off the late challenge from the fast-finishing Thriving Brothers to win by a neck.

“He trialled a few times in Hong Kong, he had some gate speed. So that’s why I asked Jerry, try to go forward if you can. So he did, similar to the trial and got a little bit lucky and he won the race here,” Lor said after Effortless Win joined Numbers and Salon S as winners this season for his syndicate.

“I thought he would be close. I was a little bit surprised he won the race because you can see Zac Purton’s horse [Gold Patch] is quite good and his draw of 11 was maybe a little bit difficult for him – so a little bit lucky for me today.”

Oneshot scored for Mo at just his third start and on a six-day backup after being sent out as a $70.35 chance in the Class Four Lei Yue Mun Public Riding School Handicap (1,000m).

The son of Wrote was brought back to the 1,000m trip and had the cheek pieces applied for the first time, with Karis Teetan riding him up on the pace and lifting the outsider to victory over Master Payment by three-quarters of a length.

Oneshot had produced a solid fifth on debut down the 1,000m straight last month, but was sent out at a big price after a distant last of 14 over 1,200m at Sha Tin second up.

“You could see at the first start at 1,000m he ran fifth and after the winning post he kept going. You could see at the second start, last start, two times he got in trouble, so it was very unlucky,” Mo said.

“So after two races the fitness and everything has improved, and he went back to the 1,000m and I put the cheek pieces on to make him concentrate more. So luckily he got a win.”

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