3 minute read

No one is riding better in Macau than New Zealander Andrew Calder, who has booted home seven winners in the past six race days.

Whilst Best Of Luck might have proved disappointing after a super ride in Sundays feature, Calder struck early in the day with Magician Code in the Class 4 over 1500 metres.

Calder gave the Geoff Allendorf trained galloper a ten out of ten ride finding the rails straight out of the gates, and from then on just bided his time midfield waiting for the runs to come his way.

Everything fell into place at the right time with Magician Code bursting to the front late and ended up with a short head to spare over the fast finishing Machmaster (Luis Corrales), with Florence Elite (Charles Perkins) in third.

The Peter Leyshan prepared Wyoming gave Calder a quick double off another superb ride in the Class 2 & 3 over 1700 metres on the turf.

Wyoming has been a much travelled galloper initially starting his career with Chris McNab at Cambridge in New Zealand where he won a maiden race at Hastings, before going across the water the stables of Melbourne Cup winning trainer Darren Weir.

Wyoming only managed to win one race at Ballarat for Weir but was good enough to run second at Flemington over 2000 metres and third at Moonee Valley over 2500 metres.

Peter Leyshan stated early in the week if the track came up good the gelding would take a power of beating.

“He needs it good and with all the rain we’ve had lately he has not had a good track and a suitable distance for awhile.” Leyshan said.

“He is a real stayer and at 1700 he was just warming up. The problem here now is that there is not enough staying races on for horses like him.”

Andrew Calder also kicked home a winner on the Friday night sand card with the very promising Chok King from the K H Leong stable.

Chok King had won a barrier trial at Warwick Farm on the synthetic track racing as Washington General before being exported to Macau.

The three year old showed his ability in Macau in trials, but his first trip to the races was not successful with the gelding going off in the gates and was withdrawn.

At his next attempt he went out a hot favorite for a third to Prosperity Star after getting himself worked up badly behind the gates.

On Friday night Calder gave the gelding time to get into his stride and was not fazed at all by having to travel a bit deep in the run preferring to have the youngster racing comfortably, before unleashing a powerful burst down to outside to power away for a good win.

A son of Globetrotter Chok King will win plenty more as he learns to relax and settle in to his racing.

French rider Ryan Curatolo was back in the winner’s circle with a lovely ride on the Kenny Seo trained Sweet Korean in the Class 3 & 4 over 1200 metres.

Curatolo could have easily pushed on through to lead from gate three but wisely let the speedy Lobor Treasure and Cheerful Fish cross to get the run of the race third against the rails. Sweet Korean was cut loose by Curatolo at the two hundred and sped away for a big win over the fast finishing Great China (Charles Perkins) with Lobor Treasure (Luis Corrales) holding on for third.

Sweet Korean had been desperately unlucky in recent weeks with wide draws and wet tracks coming against him. His time of 1.08.9 for the 1200 metres suggests better days are ahead with Australian import with suitable track conditions.