Classic Mile-bound Chancheng Glory completes four-timer as Lyle Hewitson bags treble

Hong Kong Classic Mile contender Chancheng Glory made it four wins in a row and completed Lyle Hewitson’s first treble of the season at Sha Tin on Boxing Day when the pair teamed up in the Class Three Pak Tin Handicap (1,600m).

After recording a hat-trick of victories on his past three appearances over Sha Tin’s mile course, Chancheng Glory took another step towards the first leg of the Classic Series with his tenacious triumph in the finale on the 10-race card.

Hewitson settled Chancheng Glory in midfield to track a fast early pace – the first 800m were run more than one second inside standard time – before asking for the three-year-old gelding’s effort on the home turn.

Taking the lead 200m from home, Chancheng Glory kept on well to finish three-quarters of a length ahead of Flamingo Trillion, with Simple Hedge a further quarter of a length back in third.

The win of Chancheng Glory was particularly satisfying for Hewitson, who also claimed victories aboard Fun Elite and Northern Beaches, with the South African rider admitting he was forced to settle further towards the rear than he had intended.

“It’s been a fantastic day,” Hewitson said “It’s nice to get this sort of support, for which I am very grateful, and Chancheng Glory was a little bit of an extra special win.

“He’s an improving horse, and going for four on the bounce, we had to do it a bit differently. We had to go to Plan B when I saw everybody putting on pressure. It makes it a little bit more rewarding when that pays off.”

Chancheng Glory had made all on his two previous successes over the course and distance. His trainer, Francis Lui Kin-wai, said he was surprised Hewitson settled the son of Mor Spirit off the pace, but knew there must have been a good reason for it.

“The jockey knows this horse well. When he came back I asked why he sat so far back, and he said he didn’t want to chase the fast speed. He’s very smart,” Lui said.

Chancheng Glory brought up a double for Lui – Noble One saluted in the Class Five Yue Wan Handicap (1,400m) – and the 64-year-old handler suggested his in-form galloper could have one more outing before the Classic Mile on February 4.

“He hit the line well and the target is the Classic Mile. In between now and then, he could have one more race,” Lui said. “I think he can handle further distances in the future, but at the moment, I’ll keep him to a mile.”

Hewitson opened his account at Sha Tin’s final meeting of 2023 when the Benno Yung Tin-pang-trained debutant, Fun Elite, took out the Class Four Po Shek Wu Handicap (1,000m).

Heavily backed from $30 into $10 in the final half-hour of betting, Fun Elite travelled powerfully from gate four before stretching to a comfortable one-and-a-half-length win over Baby Crystal.

“He’s a lovely colt. He’s got a nice temperament, and he behaved himself well,” Yung said. “The way he jumped and travelled, he was very professional.”

Fun Elite’s victory was the fourth for Yung in the past five meetings, and the handler said he was not surprised to see plenty of money come for the son of Brazen Beau.

“I looked about 20 minutes before the race, and he was around 25-1. I thought that was good odds for him,” Yung said. “In all of his preparation, he’s done well. It was good odds, and somebody gave him good support.”

The second leg of Hewitson’s treble came when Northern Beaches justified $3.70 favouritism in the Class Three Hoi Lai Handicap (1,000m).

A luckless fifth on his latest outing down the Sha Tin straight earlier this month, Northern Beaches made amends as Hewitson teamed up with the gelding for the first time.