Andrea Atzeni armed with another solid book at Happy Valley

Andrea Atzeni has rocketed up the standings this season and heads to Happy Valley on Wednesday with another strong hand.

After finishing third in last season’s jockeys’ championship with 58 wins, Atzeni is on track to surpass that mark this term. He heads into Wednesday third on 46 victories, just one behind Hugh Bowman in second.

He rode 13 winners from 190 mounts at 6.8 percent through December 31, but since the turn of the year he has ridden 33 from 228 at 14.5 percent. March was his standout month, with 14 wins from 73 rides, and April has also begun well, with a winner at all but one meeting.

At Happy Valley on Wednesday, he turns to a pair of John Size-trained runners as he looks to keep the momentum going.

Size and Atzeni have been strong allies this season, combining for 14 wins, seven seconds and 10 thirds from 107 rides. Amazing Kid has provided four of those victories and is Atzeni’s most successful horse of the campaign by wins.

The pair will try to add a fifth in Race 9, the Class 3 Golden Point Handicap (1,200 meters), after he raced wide throughout from barrier seven last start and was beaten a length into third.

“He’s been a late-maturing type, but he always showed a bit of ability in the early days, it just took a bit of time for him to put it all together. And obviously, he’s in good hands with John,” said Atzeni. “He’s such a consistent horse. The draw beat him last time. I was three-wide all the way and turning in I thought, I can’t win. But when he let down I thought, wow, he’s going to win again. So I thought, considering the trip we had from the draw, it was a solid effort.”

Atzeni’s task has not been made any easier on Wednesday, however, with another awkward gate to overcome: “I’m drawn gate 12 tomorrow, so good luck everybody!” he said, before adding. “I won’t be three-wide tomorrow. One off with a bit of cover, hopefully.” 

In Race 7, the Class 4 One City Two Passions Handicap (1,200m), he hopes Master Lucky can bounce back from a last-start seventh and capitalize on barrier two after a poor trip from gate 10 over 1,200m at Sha Tin.

“He missed the break last time when we were in the gates for so long and when they opened he missed it and we were on the back foot,” said Atzeni. “The plan was to jump and go forward and obviously that didn’t happen and it was a bit of a messy race.”

After jumping awkwardly and losing ground from barrier 10, Master Lucky mustered quickly but endured a poor run, with a slowdown approaching the 800m mark forcing him to be steadied when crowded.

“He actually plugged away okay. So hopefully we can get a clean break from the good gate. He’s obviously shown a bit of speed having won over 1,000m, so he’s not slow and I don’t think it’ll be an issue for him coming to Happy Valley for the first time.”

That proved the case for Armor Golden Eagle last start, as the Mark Newnham-trained galloper made the switch from Sha Tin to Happy Valley after five runs and broke through in pillar-to-post fashion.

“It wasn’t really the plan to lead on him last time. The plan was to go forward because we didn’t think there was too much pace in the race, but not necessarily to lead.

“Every race before that we had just dropped him out. He kept drawing badly, we kept taking him back and he kept running on well at the end, so we thought we’d jump and go forward and try to sit closer. He ended up leading, which wasn’t the plan, but we had an easy time in front.”

The four-year-old goes back up to Class 3 in Race 8, the Scrum Half 1650m Handicap, as he chases back-to-back wins from the inside draw.

“At least now we know we can put him up there if need be. Whether he leads or sits second or third, it doesn’t really matter. At least we learned a bit more about him.”

Atzeni also rides a pair of Tony Cruz runners in Wah May Wai Wai in Race 1, the Celebrating 50 Years of the HK Sevens 1000m Handicap, and California Moxie in Race 5, The Hong Kong China Rugby Cup Handicap. He rides the latter for the first time and said the five-year-old acquitted himself well at his first try in Class 3 after racing too keenly in a slowly run contest from back in the field.

In Race 3, the Winning Try 1650m Handicap, he partners David Eustace’s Red Brick Warrior for the second time after a fast-finishing fourth at his first try at the course and distance, as trainer and jockey look to break through for their first win together this season at the 27th attempt.

“He’s drawn a good gate, but he’s been a slow learner. Last time, he obviously had a bit of a tricky draw, so we just went back on him and he actually finished off quite nicely.

“When he comes under pressure, he’s still a bit green. But I think once the penny drops, he’ll be alright. There’s definitely some ability there.”

Atzeni’s remaining rides include the consistent but non-prolific winner Romantic Fantasy in Race 4, the Successful Conversion 1800m Handicap, and last-start winner Motor in Race 6, the Racing With Rugby 1200m Handicap.