Matthew Poon illuminated a rain-drenched Sunday at Sha Tin with a four-timer capped by victory aboard the courageous Perfect Match in the Class 2 Butterfly Handicap (1400m).

The Danny Shum-trained Perfect Match defied a 130lb burden to gallop with resolute heart through yielding ground and claim the afternoon’s finale by half a length from the fast-closing Mongolian King (126lb).

“I didn’t expect this; I didn’t expect four winners today,” Poon said. “The rain we had meant that conditions must have suited my horses and they were able to perform, so I had all the benefits – I’m very happy and lucky!

“Perfect Match was brave but in the last 200 metres I wasn’t too confident because he carried top-weight; he had worked hard early because other horses made the pace strong so I thought he might tire. I was careful not to hit him too early and he showed he was fit and tough enough. Danny Shum put him in a turf gallop and that just put him spot on and made the thing happen.”

The rider bookended the action: he teed up the quartet with a success in race one, the Class 5 Wu King Handicap (1200m), aboard Great Son for trainer Paul O’Sullivan.

“Great Son had a perfect run,” Poon said, “he was just behind the fast pace and travelled comfortably so he was able to give me a little kick.”

Between times, Poon was on the mark with the Ricky Yiu-trained Mighty Valor, followed by the Jimmy Ting-ridden Hello Daddy in the Class 3 On Ting Handicap (1600m) – the New Zealand import, winner of the G2 Waikato Guineas (2000m) last year, opened his Hong Kong account at the seventh attempt.

Poon’s four-timer was his second in Hong Kong and first at the big track, having achieved the feat at Happy Valley on 13 September, 2017.

Perfect Match and Matthew Poon, picture Hong Kong Jockey Club

 
Yiu inches towards first title

Poon had the luxury of enjoying an eased-down cruise past the post on Mighty Valor in section two of the Class 4 Po Tin Handicap (1200m), a success that gave the long-time premiership leader Yiu a welcome five-win cushion over his nearest rival, Francis Lui. 

Yiu knows every victory is precious at the tail end of any Hong Kong season but when a championship is on the line, those victories are priceless. With 10 of 87 race meetings still to get through, keeping the athletes fresh and happy is as paramount as fitness and placement.

Yiu had the foresight to give Mighty Valor a break after the maiden’s form faded out in mid-February, sending his charge to the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s facility at Conghua in late March before returning the gelding to Sha Tin earlier this week, primed to go again. 

“He’s really benefitted from his time in Conghua,” Yiu said. “He’s more settled, he’s healthier – you can see in the sheen of his coat – overall, he’s much more relaxed now.”

And the handler is hoping his charge will give further aid to his cause before the season ends on 15 July.

“We’ll run him again at the same distance – today I took the blinkers off because he’d been showing me he had enough speed,” he added.

Such was Mighty Valor’s dominance that Poon dropped his handful of rein low on the three-year-old’s neck through a free-wheeling final 50 metres.

“He trialled very well on the dirt in Conghua and I think since he’s had a rest he’s come back fitter and he was able to handle the wet conditions, so that’s why it looked so easy,” Poon said.