RACEDAY REVIEW: Mo’s Mighty moment, Newnham’s trifecta masterclass and Etalon Or breaks through

The Standard's racing writer Jack Dawling reviews Saturday's mixed surface meeting at Sha Tin. 

RIDE OF THE DAY: Dylan Mo Hin-tung

Mighty Strength / Ricky Yiu Poon-fai — 1st, Race 10, Nam Long Shan Handicap, Class 3, 1,800m (85-60)

About the only person at Sha Tin not shocked by 55-to-one winner Mighty Strength was jockey Dylan Mo Hin-tung, who produced a smooth and composed ride to notch his first victory of the season in Saturday’s finale.

“I’m not surprised at the win,” Mo said. “I just followed Ricky’s instruction — keep him quiet, don’t move out too fast, and he’ll show a good sprint.”

The six-year-old gelding had drifted in betting but travelled kindly under Mo, who settled him behind the speed before timing his run to perfection, surging past Ariel and holding off Gentlemen Legacy to score by three-quarters of a length.

Mo, who had just three rides heading into Saturday’s meeting, hopes the breakthrough win will open more doors.

“Now with one win I’ve got some more confidence and I hope it gives me some more opportunities,” he said. “Whoever gives me a chance, I’ll give 100%.”

BEST TRAINING PERFORMANCE: Mark Newnham

Sing Dragon / Andrea Atzeni — 1st, Race 8, High West Handicap, Class 2, 1,650m (100-75), All Weather Track (Sealed)

Mark Newnham dominated the feature race on Saturday afternoon thanks to a trifecta in the Class Two contest that was led home by dirt specialist Sing Dragon.

Sing Dragon was heavily backed into 4.4 and duly obliged when he made all in the High West Handicap over 1,650 meters with Talents Ambition and Mojave Desert filling the places.

Newnham said it was the first trifecta of his career, let alone since he moved to Hong Kong for the 2023-24 season.

“It's hard to get three in a race here, let alone run first three in a race,” Newnham said. “They all ran to their best, but today was Sing Dragon’s day.”

Newnham suggested the late move that saw Sing Dragon shorten drastically from 13 into 4.4 in the last 10 minutes before the race may have been due to the way the track was favoring horses on the speed.

HORSE TO FOLLOW: Etalon Or

Etalon Or / Alexis Badel — 1st, Race 6, Pak Tam Au Handicap, Class 4, 1,400m (60-40), Going: Good to Firm

It may have taken him 14 starts to return to the winner’s enclosure, but the Ricky Yiu Poon-fai-trained Etalon Or looks the type of horse who could surge up the ratings this season after he got his head in front at Sha Tin on Saturday.

The five-year-old gelding became accustomed to hitting the crossbar last term — finishing second on five occasions and filling the third-place spot three times — but finally got his first win on the board at Sha Tin under a cool ride from the in-form Alexis Badel.

Etalon Or followed a brisk early pace on the rail before he was produced in the straight by Badel, who urged his mount home in the straight to eventually prevail by three-quarters of a length.