Jerry Chau savors the moment after Ladies' Purse win

Jerry Chau Chun-lok was in no rush to look past the moment after Speed Dragon swept home in the Group Three Sa Sa Ladies' Purse (1,800m) at Sha Tin yesterday.

The 26-year-old's third Group win in Hong Kong strengthened his bid for a place in the International Jockeys' Championship at Happy Valley on December 9, but Chau wanted to enjoy it for what it was.

"There are so many things I want to achieve, but every Group race helps me put my name out in the world – that Jerry Chau can ride," he told The Standard.

Chau moved to 17 wins, third in the jockeys' championship behind Zac Purton (30) and Nichola Yuen Hang-yiu (18). Purton has already qualified for the IJC as last season's champion and Yuen is ineligible as a claiming apprentice. Chau sits three clear of Vincent Ho Chak-yiu and six clear of Derek Leung Ka-chun, and the leading home-grown rider – or next best ranked if the other qualifier is a local – also earns a start.

Chau had only sat on Speed Dragon in trackwork and trials before yesterday and he said that he “let the horse do the thinking”. He settled near the tail of the 13-runner field but had a firm grip as the horse towed him into contention. He collared Gentlemen Legacy late to land the feature by a neck in the race's 180th anniversary year.

"That was the first time I rode him today – I had ridden him in trackwork and trials," Chau said. "He is a mature horse and he showed me how to do it. He took me into the race and gave me a very good finish. I was very lucky in the race, it was very smooth for me, and to get the job done, I'm always very happy."

Chau had the option of Derby winner Massive Sovereign but chose Speed Dragon, and Purton's mount had to settle for third, a length and a half back.

"I am very grateful to the horse's owner, Mr Peter Chu (Ka-lok), and the trainer, Francis Lui (Kin-wai)," Chau said. "He gave me the confidence to plan the race, ride the race and just be patient. At that point I thought he could finish in the first three, but he was able to win."

The always understated Lui kept it brief. "Of course, very happy," he said. "Yeah, I expected it from him because the last run at Happy Valley was encouraging. I just told Jerry to be patient."

The win was part of a double that lifted Lui into 10th in the trainers' championship. Speed Dragon also delivered Lui's 1,000th Hong Kong winner in January's Group Three January Cup – a race the trainer nominated as his horse’s next target.

Chau broke Matthew Chadwick's record for wins by an apprentice in a season when he rode 58 in his first full campaign and claimed his first Tony Cruz Award as leading local rider last term on the back of 48 wins, including the Group 3 Lion Rock Trophy on Light Years Charm.

Chau is facing a suspension that would cost him two of the five meetings left before IJC places are decided after the November 25 Happy Valley meeting. Chau has appealed, but no date has been set for the hearing.

He also copped a two-meeting ban for careless riding near the 100m on Speed Dragon, but that one doesn’t start until November 29, after the IJC qualifying window has closed.

The two market leaders, Sky Jewellery and Numbers, were both disappointing on face value, finishing sixth and 11th respectively.

Numbers’ jockey Derek Leung Ka-Chun was forgiving of the effort under 129lbs. 

“He was first up and the horses around him had a fitness edge, and coming back to 1800m from 2400m late last season, he was just a bit one-paced,” Leung said. “He will be better in the G2 Jockey Club Cup on November 22.” 

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓