The promising Patch Of Cosmo (blue headgear) looked impossibly hemmed in with 200m to go on Sunday at Sha Tin but after the split eventually came he used his long stride to prevail by a short-head under Luke Ferraris. (Picture: HKJC)
Luke Ferraris has had three wins in his last two meetings, including a double at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, and more pleasing is that his winner at Sha Tin on Sunday, Patch Of Cosmo, looks to be a most promsing sort and he will retain the ride.
On Sunday at Sha Tin Luke rode Patch Of Cosmo in the latter’s second career race outside of the Griffin races he took part in last season.
He had won on his seasonal reappearance in a restricted class 4 event for three-year-olds over 1200m despite being slow away from draw 12 out of 13 and having to loop the field for his run. On that occasion he made up the ground quite effortlessly with long strides and just got up to justify being backed into HK$4.80 second favourite.
On Sunday Patch Of Cosmo was in the same restricted class 4 over the same 1200m trip, but off a six point higher mark, meaning he had to carry top weight of 132 pounds and he had a tricky draw of eight out of 13.
He was a bit better away this time but turned for home in fourth last place and had a wall of horses in front of him.
Luke attempted to switch him to the outside for a clear run but Zac Purton was not budging on his mount and kept him hemmed in.
Luke kept his position on the inside of Purton and made his presence felt, but he was quickly running out of racetrack. However, at the 100m mark he finally got through the gap and with long strides the Manfred Man-trained New Zealand-bred Super Seth gelding got up by a short-head once again, converting favouritism at HK$2.70.
Luke said about the horse, “He’s done nothing wrong and he’s improving. I’ll retain the ride and he’ll run on the 9th of November.”
An indication of how much he has improved is that he was beaten three times in Griffin Class last season by Santorini, despite receiving weight from the latter, and at Sha Tin on Sunday he gave the latter one pound and a 5,25 length beating.
Hopefully, Patch Of Cosmo amounts to something, because an association with top horses is what the ex-pat South African trio of jockeys most seem to lack.
At Happy Valley tonight (Wednesday night) Luke rode a 376/1 double.
He led from start to finish on the Ricky Yiu-trained Victorythirtythree in a class 4 event over 1000m. He got the four-year-old to break cleanly following, an awkward break from the horse with another rider aboard last time. The All To Hard Australian-bred gelding roared to the front and after winning easing up by 0,75 lengths, paying HK$29, the commentator said, “Gee he is good from the front is Luke.”
Luke was aboard the New Zealand-bred eight-year-old Ferlax gelding Colonel two races later over 1200m in another class 4 event and he confirmed the commentator’s opinion by winning from the front again. He opened up an early three length lead, but then let him come back to them before kicking away from them again as he approached the final turn. He ultimately held on by half-a-length, paying HK$13 for the win. Colonel is trained by Luke’s probable chief supporter Mark Newnham.
Luke is now on six wins for the season, so is the leading SA rider in Hong Kong by a margin of two from Lyle Hewitson, whilst Keagan de Melo is on two wins after not enjoying much support.
Luke has only had 45 rides so is keeping up a fine strike rate of 13.33%.
