Lucky Day won the Class 3 St Andrew's Challenge Quaich Handicap (1200m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
Tony Cruz's charge was in playful mood entering the track but knuckled down once the race was on. The seven-year-old quickened through a tight gap at around the 200m mark to lead under Neil Callan and, despite flicking his ears upon seeing daylight, held on by a head from the Nash Rawiller-ridden Charity Glory.
"It was tight there in the straight but it was the only option I really had," Callan said of the 23/1 shot.
"He had a nice trip and my only option was to go between them because Nash was going quite well on my outside so I couldn't really hammer him out of the way. I managed to keep him balanced and wait for the gap to open, and as soon as it opened enough for me to go I didn't need another invitation.
"He travelled well, but I knew he felt well because when I went out on to the track he was trying to buck me off, which is not like him – it just meant that he had a spring in his step.
"I never hit him. Once he quickened through he was always going to prick his ears but because he quickened through quite easily I was reluctant to give him a belt – it keeps him sweet and he's come back looking like he doesn't know he's had a race." -HKJC
Tony Cruz's charge was in playful mood entering the track but knuckled down once the race was on. The seven-year-old quickened through a tight gap at around the 200m mark to lead under Neil Callan and, despite flicking his ears upon seeing daylight, held on by a head from the Nash Rawiller-ridden Charity Glory.
"It was tight there in the straight but it was the only option I really had," Callan said of the 23/1 shot.
"He had a nice trip and my only option was to go between them because Nash was going quite well on my outside so I couldn't really hammer him out of the way. I managed to keep him balanced and wait for the gap to open, and as soon as it opened enough for me to go I didn't need another invitation.
"He travelled well, but I knew he felt well because when I went out on to the track he was trying to buck me off, which is not like him – it just meant that he had a spring in his step.
"I never hit him. Once he quickened through he was always going to prick his ears but because he quickened through quite easily I was reluctant to give him a belt – it keeps him sweet and he's come back looking like he doesn't know he's had a race." -HKJC