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The Hideyuki Takaoka-Derreck David association were in fine form on Friday night after they combined for a winning double, never mind if they came in the lower divisions.
While the Japanese trainer is currently in Japan buying horses, it has not stopped his two horses Heavenly Hand and Danger Zone from putting their ability to winning effect, helped in no small measure by the South African jockey’s sheer determination at the business end.
David has actually slowly become an integral team of the Takaoka team this year as not only he seems to take the bulk of their rides, but he also rides a lot of work for them, a fact that senior track rider Ryo Hatano did not fail to highlight at the winner’s circle.
“Derreck helps us a lot at the stables. He rides a lot of trackwork and gives us good feedback,” said Hatano.
“He knows the horses well and that’s a huge advantage. I think he’s ridden more than half of our winners (13 from 25), and we thank him for that.”
Hatano said while Heavenly Hand ($80), who was shedding her maiden status at her 16th outing, was a bit as a surprise winner in the $35,000 Class 5 Division 2 race over 1200m, Danger Zone ($41), who himself has not found the line in 917 days, richly deserved his third success in the $35,000 Class 5 race over 1800m.
“Heavenly Hand surprised us a bit, even the jockey, I think, but we expected a good run from Danger Zone,” he said
“Even though he has not won for such a long time, I think Danger Zone has been running well and I was quite confident he would run well tonight.
“My only concern was the Polytrack as he runs very seldom over that, but he was very strong to the line.”
Coming off a midfield spot, Danger Zone improved steadily to shape up as a main chance upon straightening with that impression cemented further when he collared Military Alliance (Nooresh Juglall) to go and post a 1 ¾-length win from Dragon (Barend Vorster). The winning time was 1min 53.45secs for the 1800m on the Polytrack.
Heavenly Hand was not the best away, but under hard riding from David, she gradually gained the ascendancy over Always A Winner (Barend Vorster) to poke her head in front 700m out.
As she swung for home, she drifted out a touch but with the bit between his teeth, David threw everything bar the sink at the Exceed And Excel five-year-old, who kept grinding away towards the post, repelling a stinging challenge from Perfect Challenger (John Sundradas) to survive by a short head. Happy Joy (Mohd Zaki) finished third another 2 ¾ lengths away. The winning time was 1min 12.96secs.
The jockey of Lebanese descent is certainly enjoying a prolific run at the moment, having already racked up 27 winners to leap over John Powell to eighth spot on the ladder.
“It’s great to ride two winners for Mr Takaoka who has been a great supporter of mine for a while now,” said David.
“Danger Zone has been improving at his last runs and I really liked his gallop on Tuesday. We found the right race for him.
“I could have stayed on the inside, but I decided to go three wide and it’s paid off.
“As for Heavenly Hand, there is not much of her. She works so well but she is always disappointing.
“Going back on the Polytrack probably helped her, too. She only won by a short head. That’s about her mark, I would say.”
The mare was at her 16th start for her Japanese owner Satoshi Maeda and bringing up her maiden Kranji win with a second and a third as her best results prior to Friday’s result, but she did win one race from five starts in Australia.