A pair of last-start place-getters give Angus Chung Yik-lai hope of breaking his season duck at Happy Valley on Wednesday night after a frustrating opening month that has brought plenty of close calls but no winner.
Chung has still been around the mark, recording three seconds, two thirds and 10 top-four finishes from 33 rides, and much of his season has been tied to Tony Cruz’s similarly slow start.
Twenty-two of Chung’s rides have come for Cruz, producing two seconds and two thirds, while the trainer himself remains winless after 50 runners despite collecting five seconds and five thirds.
Georgian Sigma has contributed one of each since joining Cruz this season, finishing third and second in his two starts despite drawing wide on both occasions. Barrier seven should allow Chung to use less of his mount early on Wednesday.
“Having his third run this season will help him,” Chung said. “His fitness should be 100 percent now.
“Last start the barrier didn’t help him. We had to use a bit too much energy at the beginning, but he still finished well.”
Daryl Flash gives Chung another good chance after making up plenty of ground to finish second, beaten half a length, first-up. He again starts from barrier six.
“We probably want to have him a bit more forward this time, if we can,” Chung said. “It looks like this race might be a little easier for him.
“He sort of missed the start last time because the horse outside us was playing around in the barriers and he lost focus, so he jumped a bit slowly. But eventually we got into a good position, he travelled well and finished well.
“The winner dominated from the front that day, so I thought our horse ran a big race.”
Chung also rides Lightness Of Being, Do You Just and Gustosisimo for Cruz, and believes Do You Just is in for a good campaign as the four-year-old resumes over 1,650 meters.
“I think he’s a better horse than last season because he was always looking around in trackwork and in his races,” Chung said. “He seems more mature now. We’re stepping him up in distance, which should suit him better.”
