Owner Mr. Cheng Ting Kong enjoyed his best day ever at the Taipa track with a winning treble on Sunday’s turf card.
Popularly referred to as the “Sunshine” owner Cheng Ting Kong has made a huge investment in Macau racing in the past 12 months and at last count has some 26 horses in training.
Sunshine Tacker was the first of Cheng’s winners when he stretched late under jockey Luis Jurado to beat Sunshine Full Life (Fausto Durso) in the first of the day the 2 & 3 Year Old Handicap over 1200 metres.
Prepared by Patrick Lee, Sunshine Tacker is a nice strong type by the multiple European Group winner Trade Fair and looks to have a good future ahead of him.
The gelding was sent out a warm favorite at his first two runs on the all weather and raced well enough after appearing a bit lost on the surface.
Sunshine Wealthy again ridden by Luis Jurado was the second of Mr. Cheng’s winners when he simply destroyed his opposition to win by a massive 14 ¼ lengths in the Class 3 & 4 over 1950 metres.
It was the first win in seven runs for Sunshine Wealthy who has shown marked improvement since being stepped up in distance and the gelding reveled in the heavy conditions for the biggest win seen in awhile at the Taipa track.
With the rainy season arriving early this year and the definite possibility of more wet tracks, Sunshine Wealthy will make merry in the staying races and could reach the top bracket over a distance on wet ground.
Sunshine Wealthy is prepared by Y Y Choy who is part of a combined yard with trainer Y T Lam, with Choy handling the bulk of the Sunshine horses along with Patrick Lee and K C Hoi.
Sunshine Spirit was the final leg of the Sunshine treble when he showed plenty of courage under Fausto Durso to win the Class 3 & 4 over 1200 metres.
No one rides a wet track in Macau better then Durso who made full use of his wide gate to amble across to lead but always in a position to skirt deeper before the turn in search of better ground.
After being headed at the two hundred metres Sunshine Spirit found plenty when Durso got to work and was pulling away at the end for a good win over China Cheers (Frankie Choi), with My Lucky Baby (Wil Pao) in third.
Sunshine Spirit is a three year old son of the crack Australian sprinter California Dane and is trained by Patrick Lee.
Cheng Ting Kong has been racing horses in Macau for some time now, his most notable being Sunshine Sure Win who won the Macau Guineas – Derby double in 2009 the first two legs of Macau’s first Triple Crown.
With currently 26 in work Sundays treble gave Cheng 22 winners for the current season, and over $4.7 million HKD in prize-money to date.
The bulk of Cheng’s horses are three year olds who are lightly raced and have not yet reached their full potential.
