3 minute read

Comeback jockey Peter Lao showed that he has lost none of the riding skills that once made him the idol of Macau race-goers with a winning double at Taipa on January 18.

In an unusual twist Peter Lao’s first winner Yang Jiang Star in the Class 2 actually came by default, with Lao originally booked to ride Total Management for trainer Kim Cheong.

Lao was unable to make the allocated weight of 116 pounds on Total Management and was replaced by Wil Pao, copping a HKD $2000 fine to boot.

Brazilian rider Leo Salles was initially booked to ride Yang Jiang Star however was unable to continue after race two injuring his shoulder, and Lao was snapped up by trainer Rambo Tse as the replacement.

Lao rode a perfectly rated race off the front to win 1700 metre contest handsomely in the testing heavy conditions.

It was win number two in Macau for Yang Jiang Star and continued the wonderful strike rate for first season conditioner Rambo Tse giving him 11 winners from only 33 runners this season.

Yang Jiang Star a four year old grey son of Minardi arrived in Macau with a win in a Toowoomba maiden against his name from his two starts in Queensland when prepared by Darryl Gollan.

The gelding has shown his liking for the all weather sand surface with a win and two placed efforts, and judging by his win on Saturday will be well suited by the wet winter tracks on the turf.

Lady luck was again riding on Peter Lao’s shoulders with his second winner One Belt One Road initially on the reserve bench, gaining a run only after the scratching of Great China.

The bold front running son of Haradasun was again rated to perfection by Lao before striding away to romp home in the last of the day the Class 3 over 1500 metres.

Trained by K C “Kit” Chong, One Belt One Road has won two of his three starts in Macau and by the ease of Saturday’s victory will be good enough to win in the top grade here with his ability to handle firm and heavy tracks.

The four year old is named after the “One Belt One Road” initiative that will see the linking up of the old original Silk Road with the Maritime Silk Road to provide a faster route for trading to improve China’s market access.

• FILIPINO rider John Cordero is making the most of his new found opportunities kicking home another winner with It’s A Round World for trainer Kim Cheong in the 0 to 55 Handicap over 1500 metres.

Cordero rode a nice race on the seven year who is a noted slow beginner to slowly weave his way through the field from the half way mark, and be in a challenging role in the best part of the track on straightening before racing away for a big win.

It’s A Round World beat Luck Of The Dragon (Peter Lao) by six lengths with All Thrills (Wil Pao) a head away in third.

Cordero has ridden over 700 winners in the Philippines but the 34-year-old has found the going tough in Macau with just two winners from 103 rides prior to the New Year.

Cordero was struggling with the different style of racing in Macau, plus the tighter racing on the turf, and was inclined to let some of his mounts run a bit freely.

In fairness the majority of his rides have been huge double figure quotes but he still managed to place on few long priced one’s that on form were easily written off

For the past couple of months Cordero has been attending the video race replay session with the Apprentices School and focusing on improving his riding style with particular emphasis in the turf.

It paid dividends for Cordero when he produced a fine ride on the 28/1 shot Arabian Hawk to win for Tommy Tse on the first race day for the New Year.

Cordero went very close to making it a quick double on Saturday when he went down by a bob of the heads on River Colour to Andrew Calder on Macau Lightning, in the very next race the Class 4 & 5 over 1200 metres.

Macau Lightning prepared by Geoff Allendorf was sent out the even money favorite and was on the tail of River Colour at the top of the straight.

However it took the entire length of the Taipa straight and all of Calder’s skills to get the last stride bob in over Cordero who just kept getting a kick out of River Colour.

Macau Lightning is raced by well known Brisbane racing identity Doug Forbes and looks to have a nice future ahead of him.