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Brazilian rider Fausto Henrique enjoyed his best day in Macau a long while with a treble on Sunday's turf program at Taipa.
Henrique got off to a flying start with a win in the first of the day the Class 4 & 5 Handicap on the Geoff Allendorf newcomer Colonel Mordaunt who narrowly defeated his stablemate Draft Camp (JB Hamel) by a neck, with Tuhao Choice (Oscar Chavez) a neck away in third place.
For the second week running Allendorf has produced a nice youngster in Colonel Mordaunt and the same can be said about his runner up in Draft Camp. Both horses were making their raceday debut but had been well schooled prior, with a number of barrier trials in Victoria.
Colonel Mordaunt trialled on eight occasions winning three of those trials at Cranbourne. Draft Camp who appeared to be the superior of the two coming into Sundays race, took part in four trials and won two at Cranbourne.
Geoff Allendorf could not hide his delight after the event and predicts a bright future for both horses.
"I bought both of them off David Price on the basis of their good trial form in Victoria. These two were part of a three horse deal and we have got the quinella which paid $1163 so my owners are pretty happy.
"David Price knows Asian racing well and I've been buying off him for years with a lot success.
"They are both nice horses with plenty of upside. I thought that Draft Camp might have been slightly the better of the two at this stage but as it turned out there was nothing between them."
The first three runners across the line were all debut runners. As well as the Allendorf pair the run of the Jakkalberry (Ire) three year old Tuhao Choice who was also a trial winner in New Zealand, was a cracker after coming from near last on the corner.
The time for the 1200m of 1.10.5 compared very favorably to the both divisions of the Class 2 & 3 later in the day.
Henrique had to wait until the fourth of the day for his second win on the very promising Mountain Tiger from the Stanley Chin stable who made it two wins from his five starts in the Class 2 & 3 over 1200 metres.
Sent out even money favorite Mountain Tiger enjoyed the run of the race in third spot behind the pacemakers Destiny Choice and Thehorseiswithme, before pouncing on Destiny Choice (Roger Yu) once in the straight and forging away for a good win. Golden Fans (Peter Ho) ran on strongly for third.
Henrique's day was capped off with another Geoff Allendorf runner when Me Whee powered home right over the top of the $1.8 race favorite Golden Key (Peter Ho) to win the 2nd Division of the Class 2 & 3 over 1200 metres.
It was win number four in Macau for Me Whee who is raced by David Price, and gave Allendorf a double.
Former Derby winner Pearl Green was back in the winner's circle per medium of lovely ride by champion rider Ruan Maia in the Class 1 & 2 over 1500 metres.
Maia rode the six year old hard out of the gates to hold his position from gate three and from then on enjoyed the run of the race box seated the rail behind pacemaker Farson. Once heads were turned for home Maia angled between runners and then burst away from his opponents for a big win over Royal Garden (Luis Corrales), with the stablemate to the winner Pearl Lucky (Frankie Choi) running home well from the back for third.
It was win number 11 in Macau for Pearl Green with 10 placings from 25 starts, and close to $5million HKD in prize money for the good looking son of Fastnet Rock (Aud).
The hard luck story of the race was the $1.5 favorite Sacred Capital who was coming of two dominant wins in the Derby in July and the Macau Gold Cup in August.
Sacred Capital began tardily under Peter Ho and then struggled to hold a prominent spot early. The son of 'Reilly looked to have recovered by the eight hundred, but was then shuffled back further in the run before encountering a nightmare time in the straight looking for an out before being severely checked.
The gelding was eased down late by Ho to finish eighth beaten just over nine lengths. In the aftermath Japanese rider Shogo Nakano was suspended for two racedays for the interference caused to Sacred Capital at the 100 metres.
