Eustace scores group success with Light Years Charm
David Eustace and Jerry Chau – two of Hong Kong’s brightest racing talents – combined in memorable circumstances at Sha Tin on Sunday to land the HK$4.2 million Group 3 Lion Rock Trophy Handicap (1600m) with Light Years Charm (124lb) as Caspar Fownes edged closer to a fifth Hong Kong trainers’ championship with a double.
In one of the best finishes of the season, Light Years Charm prevailed by a short head over veteran Beauty Joy (125lb) with a nose to Copartner Prance (135lb) in 1m 33.58s. Sky Jewellery (119lb) and Winning Ovation (124lb) both finished only half a length behind the winner in fourth and fifth placings, respectively.
Settling comfortably in fourth place behind Copartner Prance and Winning Ovation, Light Years Charm angled along the rails in the straight for Chau before taking a slender lead at the 200m as 2022 Lion Rock Trophy winner Beauty Joy drove desperately hard to just fail to post his third minor placing in the race.
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A multiple Group 1 winner in Australia in partnership with Ciaron Maher, Eustace exulted in the finest success of a burgeoning Hong Kong career with the hulking Light Years Charm, who arrived at Sha Tin on a rating of 64 and has since reached 100.
“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.
“Of course, the draw (barrier one) helped him, and a relatively sedate tempo for a horse who’s got a good turn of foot, helped him. And he got a beautiful ride from Jerry. Everything went his way, which you need. (Jerry) rides very well and is sort of adaptable to the races, which you need here and its’s nice to share a partnership with him.
“Group races in Hong Kong are probably like winning Group 1s anywhere else. They’re hard to win and they don’t happen that often – but a Group 1 is on another level. It’s a big thrill.”
Chau said his heart was in his mouth when he hit the front, with the swoopers coming late.
“It’s amazing. Before the race, we just talked about saving ground and try to beat the good horses – and we did,” he 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.”
A maiden winner over 1410m in 2024 at Lismore, Australia, Light Years Charm improved his overall Hong Kong racing record to six wins from 18 starts and earnings of more than HK$13.8 million.
Maintaining hopes of securing his first Tony Cruz Award as leading homegrown jockey, Chau sealed a double with success on David Hall-trained Ka Ying Attack (127lb) in the Class 3 Hong Kong Ka Ying (Meizhou) General Chamber Of Commerce Cup Handicap (1200m) to have 41 wins for the campaign – and a 10-win lead over Vincent Ho with 12 meetings left in the season.
Patch Of Stars (121lb) continued impressive progress with victory in the HK$4.2 million Group 3 Sha Tin Vase Handicap (1200m) for Manfred Man and jockey Karis Teetan after staving off Raging Blizzard (135lb) by a short head with Tomodachi Kokoroe (126lb) third in 1m 07.94s.
Fractious in the barriers before jumping cleanly and settling fifth, Patch Of Stars posted his fourth course and distance victory of the season as the four-year-old fended off a charging Raging Blizzard.
“It’s a nice to pick up a nice ride in this race. When I looked at the form, I thought it was gonna be a nice ride in this race with the weight, with the draw (gate one). I actually got a smooth passage today and he was very well through the week when I worked him and when I pressed the button today, he responded really well,” Teetan said.
“All the credit to Manfred and his team and thanks to the owners for supporting me.”
Fownes was the first to strike in the battle for the Hong Kong trainers’ championship with the narrow triumph of Papaya Brose (135lb) under Joao Moreira in the Class 4 Federation Of Associations Of Native Hing Ning Residents In Hong Kong Cup Handicap (1200m) and finished the day with a brace after Family Jewel’s (122lb) win in the Class 3 General Association Of Hong Kong Heyuan Societies Cup Handicap (1600m) for Moreira.
The double left Fownes (58 wins) with a slim buffer over Danny Shum (56), Mark Newnham (55), Francis Lui (50), David Hayes (49) and John Size (46).
Newnham struck with Oldtown (126lb) under Zac Purton in the Class 4 Hong Kong Federation Of Guangzhou Associations Cup Handicap (1200m) and debutante Joyful Joy (127lb), who claimed the Class 4 Federation Of Qing Yuan Associations (Hong Kong) Cup Handicap (1400m) for James Orman.
Ka Ying Lightning (127lb) made an impressive debut for Hall and Andrea Atzeni with victory in the Class 4 Hong Kong Mei Zhou Association Cup Handicap (1000m). The All Too Hard three-year-old was given eight trials in preparation and delighted Hall with his application.
“He’s always shown good ability from day one. He’s had quite a few trials but hasn’t put it all together – he’s either missed the start or over-raced,” Hall said.
“We were hoping he would run really well today, but a lot depended on how he jumped. You saw he didn’t begin that well and the favourite pushed him to the outside fence, which might have done him a bit of a favour.”
Atzeni sealed a double when Aeroinvincible (122lb) clinched the Class 3 Hakka Cup Handicap (1400m) for Pierre Ng before Ho piloted Man’s Double Win (130lb) to victory in the Class 4 Hong Kong Federation Of Huichow Associations Cup Handicap (2000m).
Hong Kong racing continues at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
