David Eustace secured his first Group Three victory in Hong Kong with a gritty win from $43.8 longshot Light Years Charm in the Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.

The British handler recorded the milestone at just his second season training in the city, following six years as co-trainer alongside Ciaron Maher in Australia.

The pair trained 30 Group One winners together, including the 2022 Melbourne Cup victor Gold Trip, while achieving the title of Australian champion trainer in 2022–23 and Melbourne champion trainer for three consecutive years.

“Group races in Hong Kong are probably like winning Group Ones anywhere else. They’re hard to win and they don’t happen that often – but a Group One is on another level. It’s a big thrill,” Eustace said.

Eustace was able to breathe a sigh of relief when his fellow trainers confirmed the win from a blanket finish of three across the line.

“I wasn’t sure – luckily a few of the senior trainers around gave me the nod that we got up, but had to wait for the slow-mo. It was close, luckily he’s a big, long horse and he’s got a long neck,” Eustace said.

Eustace and jockey Jerry Chau Chun-lok have enjoyed a successful partnership this season, striking at over 14 per cent with seven winners from 47 starts together. Chau currently leads the charge for the Tony Cruz award on 41 wins for the season, 10 ahead of the next highest-placed local jockey Vincent Ho Chak-yiu.

It was Chau’s second Group Three for the season after teaming up with Manfred Man Ka-leung to win the Korea Sprint (1,200m) at Seoul with Self Improvement in September.

“He got a beautiful ride from Jerry. Jerry rides very well and is sort of adaptable to the races, which you need here, and it's nice to share a partnership 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 ideal draw of barrier one were two factors that contributed to the triumph, with the big, rangy son of Rubick able to utilise the draw to his advantage following a series of slow starts.

From the inside, Chau angled through to follow the well-supported Winning Ovation, who jumped at $1.9. While the favourite peeled out to challenge Copartner Prance, a perfect inside run appeared for Light Years Charm.

The race developed into a thrilling finish with the veteran Beauty Joy running on along the inside rail, Copartner Prance lifting and Sky Jewellery also making a late bid. However, Eustace’s runner showed tenacity to finish over Beauty Joy by a short head.

“It’s amazing. Before the race, we just talked about saving ground and try to beat the good horses – and we did,” Chau said.

“It was very close. When I took the lead, I felt him look around and on both sides the horses were coming and I was very nervous after the race.”

The Australian import was ultra-consistent in his first term, scoring four wins and three placings from nine starts, followed by one win and a placing from eight starts this season before the shock Group Three success.

All starts bar one had been over the 1,400m trip, with Eustace believing a step up in distance would be key to his progression.

“He’s just been a great horse and I’d say worked through his grades really well. We always felt a mile would suit him and it’s probably the first time we’ve really tried a mile where everything’s actually gone well going into the race, and he’s had a nice weight,” Eustace said.

“I just really felt if we were going to get improvement, we’d need to step him up in trip. Both Dylan [Browne McMonagle], who rode him, and Hughie [Bowman] said ‘don’t worry, he’ll get the mile’. So that obviously helped give me a bit of confidence. Of course the draw helped him, and a relatively sedate tempo for a horse who’s got a good turn of foot helped him. Everything went his way, which you need.”

Looking ahead, Eustace will aim to step Light Years Charm up in trip again when he sets his sights on another target in three weeks.

“There’s an 1,800m race in three weeks, so I’d like to try for that, I don’t see why not. Otherwise he has a break. I’ve always felt he would stay so while he’s going well, I’m not really looking for another option,” Eustace said.

Chau also went to clinch a brace aboard the David Hall-trained Ka Ying Attack in the Class Three Hong Kong Ka Ying (Meizhou) General Chamber of Commerce Cup Handicap (1,200m). The four-year-old put a margin on his rivals at the top of the straight and never looked in danger, winning by an impressive two and a quarter lengths over late closer Crossborderpegasus.

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