Apprentice Nichola Yuen Hang-yiu continued an encouraging start to her Hong Kong career with another double at Sha Tin on Sunday, while Frankie Lor Fu-chuen chimed in with a brace of his own.

Yuen, who started her local career on April 1, moved to nine winners after guiding Pierre Ng Pang-chi’s On The Lash and the Lor-trained Run Run Smart to strong front-running victories on Sunday.

Bouncing back from a disastrous 13th on the dirt when trapped wide throughout last start, On The Lash was sent straight to the front by Yuen and kept on strongly to deny Rosewood Fleetfoot by a length in the Class Five Buffalo Hill Handicap (1,800m).

It was the son of Savabeel’s third victory this term, with all wins over 1,800m at Sha Tin.

Run Run Smart clinched Yuen’s double with a powerful performance, dictating from the front to dominate his rivals in the second section of the Class Four Lung Fu Shan Handicap (1,400m).

Fired out from gate nine to find the lead, the British import broke clear early in the straight and was never in danger as the well-supported $3.55 favourite.

He comfortably accounted for Solid Car by three and a quarter lengths, with Yuen’s 10b claim proving to be crucial.

“Nichola’s claim definitely helped, he’s an easy horse who can jump and lead. He seemed to like the wet track and he’s become more consistent with age; he’s also taken a bit of time to adapt to Hong Kong,” Lor said after Run Run Smart’s third Hong Kong triumph.

“He will have to go up to Class Three next time and I will have to ask Nichola again if she can ride him again.”

Run Run Smart also helped Lor complete a brace after Enjoy Golf broke a long drought in the Class Five Eagle’s Nest Handicap (1,200m).

Winless since his only career success in June 2024, the five-year-old dominated from the front under Harry Bentley despite jumping from gate 11 to bolt in by two lengths from Double Bingo.

“This horse, for me, he’s been quite disappointing. You can see in Class Four he’s been tried over 1,200m, 1,400m, 1,600m – sometimes he leads in front, sometimes he sits behind the leader – he still does not show too much,” Lor said.

“Only in Class Four down the 1,000m straight, he looks better. But now he’s dropped down to Class Five and it’s not easy to find Class Five races down the 1,000m straight.

“It’s difficult when you draw 11. Anyway, he jumped really quick and then he led by himself all the way. Maybe he likes the track, I don’t know.”

Japanese raiders arrive

Rousham Park joined fellow Japanese stayer Deep Monster in Hong Kong on Sunday as the pair prepare to take on Romantic Warrior in Sunday’s Group One Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) at Sha Tin.

Deep Monster was the first of the duo to arrive on Friday, getting his first look at Sha Tin with some light work on the dirt on Saturday before completing a turf gallop on Sunday.

He will be ridden by Joao Moreira in Hong Kong’s final Group One of the season, while Hugh Bowman is booked to ride Rousham Park.

Embroidery silky smooth

Embroidery notched her third Group One success with a flashy performance to win the Victoria Mile at Tokyo racecourse on Sunday.

The Kazutomo Mori-trained filly was sent off the warm $1.8 favourite to collect the prize and her backers never had much worry, with jockey Christophe Lemaire always cutting a confident figure.

Settled just behind the leaders in around sixth, Lemaire peeled the daughter of Admire Mars out at the top of the straight and the pair soon marched up to long-time leaders Erika Express and Nishino Ti Amo to take over 180m out.

Embroidery quickly settled the race and was ultimately not hard pressed to beat Kamunyak by a length and a quarter, taking her career tally to seven wins from 11 career starts.

The victory could set her back on the path towards December’s Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin, a race she finished 11th in last year after a torrid trip saw her wide throughout.

Elsewhere on the weekend, newly licensed Hong Kong jockey Ethan Brown was on target at Doomben on Saturday, winning the Group Three JRA Chairman’s Handicap (2,000m) aboard Middle Earth for trainer Ciaron Maher.

At the same meeting, Zac Purton was unable to notch another Group One success back home, with the well-fancied Grafterburners finishing a disappointing 13th in the Doomben 10,000 (1,200m). He didn’t leave empty-handed, notching a double aboard Kaluakoi and War Eternal.

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