Raceday review: Chadwick's daring rails run, Lui's rising star continues climb and Top Dragon swoops

By Jack Dawling 

Ride of the day: Matthew Chadwick - Light Years Glory

Matthew Chadwick weaved his way to a shock win at Sha Tin on Sunday with a stellar ride aboard 44-to-one chance Light Years Glory.

The Cody Mo Wai-kit-trained gelding was not fancied by punters for his debut but the three-year-old griffin shook off his big odds under a Chadwick at his brilliant best to lead in the closing stages and prevail by a neck.

The rider settled Light Years Glory towards the rear of the field on the rail and began urging his mount forwards turning for home.

Despite appearing one-paced 300m from home, the galloper charged towards the line in the final 200m and squeezed through a tight gap between runners 50m out as he was produced to pinpoint perfection by Chadwick.

Training performance of the day: Francis Lui - Packing Hermod

It was a successful afternoon at Sha Tin for Francis Lui Kin-wai on Sunday and last year’s champion trainer is hoping there is still more to come from Packing Hermod after his four-year-old recorded his fourth win of the season.

Lui opted to run Packing Hermod in Class 2 company under top weight of 135 pounds on Sunday instead of next weekend’s G3 Lion Rock Trophy over the same distance of 1,400 meters and his decision was well and truly vindicated.

“It was a nice win,” Lui told The Standard. “He can have a look around when he gets to the front sometimes but he still did a good job - I’m happy.”

Zac Purton chased the speed aboard Packing Hermod and hit the front on the odds-on favorite 150m from home. Despite slightly “having a look around” when in the lead, the promising galloper kept on well enough to repel Dancing Code and Young Champion.

“He will go to the G3 Premier Cup (1,400m) next month,” Lui added.

Horse to follow: Chris So - Top Dragon 

Top Dragon stamped himself as a horse with a nice future when he came close to a class record time and outbattled another up-and-coming galloper in the finale at Sha Tin on Sunday.

The betting market for the 1,400-meter Class 3 contest could not get enough of John Size’s Super Express but it was Top Dragon who came out on top after a thrilling battle up the Sha Tin straight.

Top Dragon, who stopped the clock only 23 hundredths of a second slower than the class record time, was ridden quietly by Purton and made smooth headway turning for home.

Once Purton pushed the button 300m from home, the response was immediate, and Top Dragon burst into contention alongside Super Express.

Top Dragon kept on best to deny Super Express as the pair pulled nearly three lengths clear of South Star in third.