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All You Wish returned to form with a thundering Class One win in the Chevalier Cup (1600m) today at Sha Tin.
The Dennis Yip-trained five-year-old settled last in the run, travelled well throughout, before lengthening nicely under hands and heels ride from 13-time champion jockey Douglas Whyte to down Khaya and top favourite Divine Calling near the line. The winning time was 1m 33.89s.
All You Wish won five races in his first campaign before struggling in bigger companies, including in last season’s BMW Hong Kong Derby behind Designs On Rome.
Trainer Yip gave the son of Thorn Park a deserved break after the Derby flop. He returned on 12 October with a disappointing effort. Yip had done a great job in getting All You Wish back on track and his trial effort up the straight 1,000m course on 4 November was the good indicator.
All You Wish finished 3rd in this race last season behind Designs On Rome.
“He (All You Wish) raced against the likes of Able Friend and Designs On Rome in Group races last season, and therefore it was not that disappointing he was beaten in those races. He has no health issues, just the opponents were too strong in those races,” Yip said.
“This time he was racing in Class One and he has the class to win in this kind of race. I told Douglas to shift him to outside at the straight to get clear running. This is one of the keys to success today.”
Exciting Divine Calling, trained by Tony Millard, jumped well and stayed in midfield under the guidance of Joao Moreira, who replaced Zac Purton today as the Australian was competing in the World Super Jockeys Series in Japan. The four-year-old got clear running at about 350 metres and looked the winner before coming up one-paced in the closing stages.
Whyte completed a three-timer after winning on Up And Coming (race 2) and Full Talent (race 9), while Moreira clinched his first five-timer in Hong Kong aboard Sparkling Sword (race 1), Sight Seeing (race 3), Top Act (race 6), Celestial Smile (race 8) and Brilliant Dream (race 10), and won the Jockey Challenge of the day.
