Three for Ricky Yiu
Trainer Ricky Yiu has his string in fine form and bossed the early part of the card at Happy Valley last night (Wednesday, 20 November) with wins in three of the first four races. That treble took his tally for the season to 17 and lifted him to the top of the premiership.
Chad Schofield made all on Yiu’s 28/1 shot Kanbeki Molly in the opening Class 5 Aster Handicap (1650m). Vincent Ho repeated that trick in the next, the Class 4 Dandelion Handicap (1200m), setting the tempo on 4.6 third-favourite Loriz for a length and three-quarters win.
Alex Lai got his first win in two and half years just 11 days ago and the rider drove Indigenous Star home to give Yiu – in New Zealand for the Ready to Run Sale – his third win of the night in race four, section one of the Class 4 Hibiscus Handicap (1650m).
Ho hadn’t ridden a winner at the Valley this season before tonight but bagged a double when the Fownes-trained Naboo Star (126lb) sealed his first win at start nine in section two of the Class 4 Hibiscus Handicap (1650m), ahead of the Yiu-trained Forever Bright (119lb).
That brace sealed Ho’s place in the International Jockeys’ Championship at the city track on 4 December.