Derek Leung takes the January Cup on Flame Hero, but trainer Peter Ho pays tribute to Olivier Peslier

Local jockey Derek Leung Ka-chun gave a faultless display to bring home Flame Hero in the Group Three January Cup at Happy Valley last night, but it was to champion French rider Olivier Peslier that the winning trainer felt most indebted.

Flame Hero has been a leader or on-pace runner most of his 28 starts, but trainer Peter Ho Leung believed the six-year-old was too highly-rated in recent times to continue to pull that trick off and win.

The winner of six races prior, Flame Hero had not added to his tally since January 4 last year, and Ho felt that a change of plan was necessary at this stage of the gelding’s life.

“On international day, he ran in a 1,400m at Sha Tin, which was too short for him but I asked Peslier to not bustle him but let him relax and run to the line,” said Ho. “He did a great job in that race and I think the horse learned a lot from it. So tonight, Derek was able to ride him behind over a more suitable distance and the horse really finished the race off. Flame Hero has been a very good horse for my stable, he is so genuine and never stops trying.”

The gelding arrived in time to beat Romantic Touch by a half length at odds of 18-1 on a night when it rained outsiders.

French rider Vincent Cheminaud started the ball rolling in the second race with Derek Cruz-trained Rocket Let Win at 26-1, and Howard Cheng Yue-tin delivered a welcome Happy Valley winner for John Moore – just his second there since July – at 25-1, but Richard Fourie topped them all on China Delight when his 62-1 victory in the fifth made Chad Schofield even sicker than he had started the night.

Schofield had been stood down from his rides during the afternoon due to a stomach illness that had left him unable to keep food down, and Fourie was his replacement on the Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained eight-year-old.

Jockeys on the first three in running, Zac Purton (Bright Concept), Karis Teetan (Pearl Warm Warm) and Douglas Whyte (Happy Spirit) seemed obssessed with keeping each other in their sights and set a torrid pace that allowed China Delight to come from his usual position towards the tailend and win.

“He has always been a very honest horse,” said Lui. “It was a surprise to see him win tonight but when he got that strong pace, that gave him his chance.”

Tony Cruz just missed out in the feature with Romantic Touch but did claim a win with Jolly Gene (Keith Yeung Ming-lun) breaking through after nine prior runs without placing.

“He had a lot of problems last season and he even started late this season – his first run was last month – because of ongoing ill health,” said Cruz. “But he seems to be coming back to himself now. He led tonight and got a fairly easy time but I think he’s better if he doesn’t lead.”

Cheminaud is nearing the end of his short stint, with his final meeting on Sunday week, but his second win aboard Rocket Let Win took him to four victories and he believes the whole experience has made him a better rider.

“It’s fast racing, I think I have improved at it while I’ve been here and it will make me a sharper jockey,” he said.

Karis Teetan opened the card with a win for Tony Millard on Master Viking to give him a century of Hong Kong successes, while other notable milestones were Dennis Yip Chor-hong passing the century mark of runners since his last win and jockey Douglas Whyte again getting some stick from spectators as his losing run climbed into the eighties – almost double the next longest of his 19-year career here.