Irishman Neil Callan secured his first win for season 2020/21 aboard the Ricky Yiu-trained Excellent Chariot (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) in the second section of the Class 4 Shek Lei Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday which gave the reigning champion handler a double.
“Everyone just wants to get the first winner out of the way – I’ve been here long enough not to be panicking,” Callan said. “I’ve been riding some nice races and I’ve been riding some nice horses but most of them just have not been ready.”
The Jimmy Choux gelding broke cleanly to settle midfield before pouncing to the front at the 200m mark for a one-and-a-quarter length win.
“I think he looked like a versatile type when he was trialling last season, so I asked Ricky (Yiu) if I could I get on him this year and he stayed true to his word and let me do a little bit of work on him early.
“His trial was very good behind Thanks Forever and Ka Ying Star and I knew that in the trial he gave me a nice comfortable feel, so I went in today very confident that he could win and I think he should be able to go on an upward curve,” Callan said.
Today’s win was Callan’s 256th in Hong Kong and he suggested the four-year-old New Zealand-bred, who was a three-time trial winner in his homeland before being exported, has a bright future ahead.
Trainer Chris So’s solid start to the season continued as Tianchi Monster (NZ) (Shocking) took the Lai King Handicap (1600m) under Vagner Borges.
“He ran well at his first run last year – he was only beaten by a little bit in Class 2 but now he’s in Class 3 and even his first-up run was very good – the small field helped a lot today,” So said.
A son of Shocking, Tianchi Monster was sold out of Rich Hill Stud’s 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Select draft.
He raced in New Zealand as Formidable where he won two races including the Listed 3YO Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie.
