Confirming his prodigious talent, Luke Ferraris sailed past the 100-win milestone in Hong Kong with a double at Sha Tin’s all-dirt meeting on Wednesday night (18 December) to continue an excellent season.
Ferraris, 22, reached the landmark with victories on Excellent Daddy in the Class 5 Banyan Handicap (1200m) for Benno Yung and Mojave Desert in the first section of the Class 4 Sha Tin Wai Handicap (1200m) for Mark Newnham – one of the South African’s biggest supporters.
The son of former Hong Kong-based trainer David Ferraris, Luke Ferraris was raised at Sha Tin before moving back to South Africa to pursue a riding career in 2017, subsequently advancing to two champion apprentice titles in South Africa while collecting a string of feature wins.
“It feels good. Going back to being a kid, watching the racing here, to participating in it and riding a century here, it feels great – credit to Mark,” said Ferraris, who is one of the youngest jockeys to reach 100 wins in Hong Kong.
“He (Newnham) has really supported me throughout the season so far and (I’m) very pleased to ride the 100th on one of his horses. I’m delighted and hopefully things can just keep ticking over the way they are.”
Ferraris started his Hong Kong riding career in 2021/22 and enjoyed his best campaign to date with 35 wins in 2022/23.
With nine wins of his stable’s 21 wins this season in tandem with Ferraris, Newnham was delighted for the young horseman.
“I’m pleased I was able to provide it (the 100th win). He’s a good, young jockey and we get on well, he’s easy to work with and he’s a good asset to the stable,” Newnham said. “Luke gets on well with him (Mojave Desert) and he rode him exactly the same in his latest trial. It’s nice when a plan works.”
Never Peter Out continued Frankie Lor’s impressive run of form with success in the Class 4 Prince Of Wales Hospital 40th Anniversary Cup Handicap (1650m) under Keith Yeung before John Size posted his seventh win in eight days when Sight Supreme charged from the rear to clinch the Class 4 Ngan Shing Handicap (1650m).
With a double last Wednesday (11 December), a quartet on Sunday (15 December) and tonight’s victory in combination with Brenton Avdulla, 12-time Hong Kong champion trainer Size has boosted his seasonal haul to 12 wins.
Dragon Air Force broke through for his first Hong Kong win, snaring the second section of the Class 4 Sha Tin Wai Handicap (1200m) for Ricky Yiu and Matthew Chadwick, who picked up the ride after Zac Purton was indisposed.
“All of a sudden (Zac) wasn’t feeling well so I picked Matthew Chadwick. I’ve always liked this jockey because he’s full of experience,” Yiu said. “It’s just his sixth start and I don’t think he’s just a 1200m horse, he might get 1400m or a mile eventually. He’s still learning and he has a good heart.”
Purton’s absence also cost the seven-time Hong Kong champion the winning ride on Danny Shum’s Packing Bole, who scored in the Class 3 Siu Lek Yuen Handicap (1200m) under Jerry Chau.
Dennis Yip took training honours after Yeaboi’s win in the Class 5 Sha Lek Handicap (1800m) under a well-timed drive from Matthew Poon, who was subsequently stood down with a foot issue, paving the way for Angus Chung to pilot Young Brilliant to victory in the Class 3 Yuen Chau Kok Handicap (1650m) for the HKJC Racing Club Limited.
Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on Sunday (22 December).
By Leo Schlink
