Matthew Poon wins Tony Cruz Award from Derek Leung in countback thriller
Matthew Poon has withstood an inspired season finale push from Derek Leung to claim his first Tony Cruz Award as Hong Kong’s leading homegrown jockey in dramatic circumstances at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
With Leung’s wins on Me Tsui’s Vulcanus (Lean Mean Machine) in the Class 4 Let Me Fight Handicap (1200m) and Frankie Lor’s Regal Gem (Zoustar) in the Class 3 Sun Jewellery Handicap (1200m), officials reverted to a countback based on third placings after both Poon and Leung finished the season with 36 wins and 38 seconds.
Poon ultimately claimed victory with 56 thirds to Leung’s 35.
“It’s a really great competition. It’s good motivation for all of us. We stay very focused and hungry throughout the season,” Poon said. “All of the local jockeys improve as a result. I think it really encourages every local jockey to improve.
“I’m so glad I can get there and it means a lot to win my first one – hopefully I will win a second one as well.”
Without a win in 39 rides since June 4, Poon’s second placing on Ragnarr (Olympic Glory) behind Speedy Smartie (Satono Aladdin) in the Class 5 Silver Grecian Handicap (1200m) proved decisive.
The destiny of the Tony Cruz Award hovered in the balance until the 847th and final race of the season with Chadwick still able to clinch the coveted prize for the second time with a win on Thriving Brothers (U S Navy Flag), while Poon could have sealed victory with success on Copartner Fleet.
Thriving Brothers loomed to take the lead in the straight before finishing fourth, while Copartner Fleet (Nicconi) faded into ninth place, leaving Leung to celebrate aboard Regal Gem.
Leung finished the season in a blaze with seven wins across the closing eight meetings.
Leung said: “The competition is positive for the local jockeys. It’s a good result for me and I hope I can bring this form for next season and have a good start – tonight, I can’t catch the (Poon) Train.”
Eight-time champion jockey Zac Purton took his season tally to 138 wins with a race-to-race double on Francis Lui’s Highland Rahy (Hard Spun) in the Class 3 Sweet Orange Handicap (1650m) and Tony Cruz-trained Beauty Waves (Starspangledbanner), who won the Class 2 Lucky Patch Handicap (1200m) in course record time of 1m 08.10.
Eclipsing the mark of 1m 08.26s set by Rewarding Together (Pierro) in 2022, Irish-bred Beauty Waves was eased down by Purton in a dominant display of speed and power to comfortably defeat Tomodachi Kokoroe (Written Tycoon) and Aurora Lady (Star Witness).
“The horse is just in a rich vein of form, he just loves Happy Valley but he won the race at start,” Purton said. “He just flew the gates on the bridle and just cruised around under his own steam the whole way. It’s a lovely way to finish the season.”
Benno Yung’s training career closed in triumph when Speedy Smartie landed the Class 5 Silver Grecian Handicap (1200m) under Luke Ferraris. Marking his imminent retirement, 66-year-old Yung posted his 361st winner since receiving a trainers’ licence in 2013/14.
“Last meeting and (winning) the first race – it’s quite meaningful for me,” Yung said. “He’s been struggling for a while. He’s been down to Class 5 and drawn wide for a couple of times. Most of the time he’s had a bad draw and a bad situation, so it was lucky today.”
Caspar Fownes reclaimed his King of the Valley title as Happy Valley’s leading trainer of the season when James Orman piloted Monarch County (Per Incanto) to victory in the Class 4 Star Shine Handicap (1200m).
Fownes, who holds the record for the most wins by a trainer at Happy Valley with 628 victories, topped the city circuit’s standings this season with 27 to Newnham’s 24.
“It’s good to finish with a winner on the last night of the season and it’s good to get a winner for Caspar,” Orman said. “I remember when I first came here, I messaged him and asked for rides, so it’s good to get a winner for him and end the season on a high.”
Newnham completed a strong season when Tactical Command (Charm Spirit) speared up the inside fence under Andrea Atzeni to land the Class 4 Fast Most Furious Handicap (1200m), giving the Australian horseman 44 wins for the term.
S J Tourbillon (Galileo) continued a stunning run of form with a third successive victory for Dennis Yip in the Class 4 Turin Redsun Handicap (1800m) under Karis Teetan. Formerly trained by Aidan O’Brien in Ireland, the Galileo gelding was placed at Group 3 level in England where he raced as Roman Empire.
The seven-year-old closed the season in devastating style with a surging sprint to add to previous victories at Happy Valley and Sha Tin before David Hayes scored with Amazing Run (Zoustar) in the Class 4 Super Oasis Handicap (1650m) to give Teetan a double.
The Hong Kong Champion Griffin Award was won by John Size-trained and Tung Moon Fai-owned Sky Jewellery (The Autumn Sun), who rose from 52 in the ratings at the start of the season to 79 with three wins and a second.