Accustomed to the stratospheric heights of Hong Kong racing as a 13-time champion jockey, Douglas Whyte savoured one of his sweetest moments as a trainer when Mister Snowdon delivered on meticulous planning to win the Class 2 Ip Jug Handicap at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Whyte identified Sunday’s feature as the objective for 78-rater Mister Snowdon after the talented British import’s strong Happy Valley trial and luckless debut on 13 June – and his instinct proved decisive.
Mister Snowdon wins the Class 2 feature (Pic-HKJC)
On a day when Joao Moreira rocketed past the 150-win milestone for the third time in the Brazilian’s burnished Hong Kong career, Whyte bristled with satisfaction.
“This one means a lot,” he said. “There have been a lot of disappointments, the Derby and those sorts of things on a very important day but when you nail one like this, it’s great.”
Owned by Michael Caddy, one of Whyte’s most loyal supporters as a jockey and trainer, Mister Snowdon was given a wonderful ride by apprentice Jerry Chau, leaving Whyte to reflect on Caddy’s support.
“I can only thank one person and that’s the owner, Mike Caddy – he’s never put a day’s pressure on me and I gave him (Mister Snowdon) one barrier trial and I gave him a race straight away, which is not my normal style,” Whyte said.
“I explained why I did that and he (Caddy) fully understood and I planned this race more than six weeks ago and he said ‘Ok’ and he agreed with me and, well, I’m just happy that the horse produced the result because it’s not often that this kind of thing pays off and an owner has that confidence in you to do that.
“But he’s a different horse and I think he’s going to be a very nice horse going forward. He’s finished now (for the season). He’s done his job – that (race) was his job.
“For a guy like Mike – he owned him there (in England) – to bring him to Hong Kong for the firm tracks and good on (Mister Snowden’s original trainer) Richard Hughes for advising that, because he couldn’t get enough firm tracks to run.
“So, I gave him one trial at Happy Valley and Alexis Badel rode him – and he was due to ride him (today) – and gave him a beautiful trial at Happy Valley and he just said ‘This can run’ and I think the trip over there, plus the trial put him in good stead for this performance today.
“That race the other day, he drew wide and got back and Jerry and I had a long conversation the next day about it and wasn’t one of his best rides but that’s what Jerry’s about and what I’m there for him – to discuss things like that.
Michael John Caddy (right) with Douglas Whyte (middle left) and Jerry Chau (middle right) (Pic – HKJC)
“Instead of finding a position behind Zac (Purton) and going forward, he went back and he was caught three-wide, last. You look at the sectionals – they don’t lie. He had the quickest or second-quickest time of that race and where he came from and where he finished off the one trial, that put the writing on the board and put this race on the cards.
“It’s just nice. He (Chau) just walked away from there (winners’ enclosure) and he said ‘Boss, you gave me the confidence to ride that race, I can’t thank you enough’.”
Moreira reached the 150-win milestone with a facile ride on Breeze Of Spring in the Class 5 Swaine Cup Handicap (1400m) for an appreciative Caspar Fownes.
“It was a tricky draw in barrier nine, but Joao got it perfectly right – as he so often does,” Fownes said of Moreira’s display. “It was a good win and a great ride.”
The Brazilian continued a familiar spree aboard Michael Chang’s Steel Win in the Wong Cup Handicap (1200m, dirt), fending off Harry Bentley and Everyone’s Victory in a desperate finish.
Moreira finished day on 152 wins – a tally bettered by hauls of 170 in 2016/17 and 168 in 2015/16 – with three meetings remaining after partnering Beauty Fit to victory in the Class 3 Chow Silver Plate Handicap (1600m) for John Size.
- Hong Kong racing continues at Happy Valley on Wednesday.
