Bring Me Speed wrapped up the Lisboa Series with another sterling performance in Saturday’s Listed event over 1500 metres on the turf.

With regular rider Wayne Smith in the saddle, Bring Me Speed unleashed his customary powerful late finish to beat Big Alloy (Horace Lam), with Luen On Eagle (Andrew Calder) back in third.

The eye catching chestnut with the taffy mane and tail has now made it three wins on the trot and brings his record to six wins and two seconds from 10 starts, and has now earned just over 1 Million HKD in prize money for owner Mr. Tam Vai Lam.

Bring Me Speed won the first leg of the Lisboa double the Lisboa Juvenile (Listed) over 1200 metres (turf) in an amazing last to first performance from barrier 14 on March 4.

By the 2008 Golden Slipper winner in Sebring (Aus), Bring Me Speed is out of the Keep The Faith mare Jessica Rose a metropolitan winner. The three year is the perfect type for Macau being just as adept on both the turf and the sand, and trainer Victor Chan will no aim the gelding at the Macau Rising Star Cup a Group 1 contest over 1350 metres for the 2 & 3YO’s on Derby day July 28.

Second placed Big Alloy was game in defeat coming from well back in the run and the further he goes the better he will like it. The third horse Luen On Eagle who was presented with a dream run through on the inside of the pace maker The Pirate King momentarily bursting to the front, failed to run out a strong 1500 metres and weakened late.

Wayne Smith took riding honors for the afternoon with a winning double having won the previous race the Class 3 & 4 over 1200 metres on the K H Leong trained Lucky Mate.

New Zealand import Royal Garden is another horse with a specific target in his sights with trainer Stanley Chin aiming him for the Group 1 Macau Guineas over 1500 metres on June 17.

Royal Garden under jockey Peter Ho was super impressive in the way dealt with his opposition in the Class 2 & 3 Handicap over the Guineas distance of 1500 metres on the turf Saturday. The son of Remind (USA) was put into a perfect spot by Ho to travel fourth with the run of race soon after the start, and from then on was never off the bit until he was asked to quicken at the top of the straight. Royal Garden went to the line strongly to beat one Belt One Road (Eric Cheung), with race favorite Spring Thunder (Fausto Henrique) running on for third.

A top three placing in the Macau Guineas would seal a start for the gelding in the SJM Macau Derby over 1800 metres on July 28, which is no doubt Stanley Chin’s long term goal for the four year old who was only 1.9 lengths away in the Group 3 Manawatu Classic over 2000 metres in New Zealand, when prepared by Jim Wallace at Opaki.

Former Champion trainer Sio Cheong’s stable stalwart River Bobo bounced back to winning form with a brilliant last stride victory in the Class 1 & 2 Handicap over 1050 metres on the sand Saturday.

Ridden by Luis Corrales, River Bobo literally sprouted wings to fly late and down the well bet Gem Eagle (Ruan Maia) by a nose, with Evergreen Star (Peter Ho) in third.

River Bobo has been a wonderful money spinner for owner Mr. King Ho and has now won 12 races in the enclave, 11 of those on the all weather, and placed a 10 times from his 35 race starts. After Saturday the six year old son of Elusive City (USA) has earned over $3.8 million HKD in prize money.

The race bought to an end of the speedy Irish import Fasuba’s unbeaten record in Macau. The $1.5 race favorite was completely off his game on the day which was evident with his tardy beginning. Once the gelding hit his stride under regular jockey Martin Wepner he soon surged to the lead, however it was clear soon after straightening he was in bother and he weakened late to finish seventh beaten four and a half lengths.

Andrew Calder has relinquished his riding license in Macau and has returned home to New Zealand for family reasons.

Calder and his wife Natasha have decided to head back to New Zealand with their one year old twin boys Tye and Jax to be closer to family.

Natasha is a former jockey and is part of the famed Collett racing family along with her brother Jason who is based in Australia, and her sister Alysa who is currently in second spot on the New Zealand jockeys premiership behind her cousin Samantha. Their parents are the successful training team of Richard and Judy Collett from Pukekohe.

Calder is best remembered in Macau for his wins on the Paddy Busuttin trained Imabayboy who won the Group 1 double the Macau Guineas and the Macau Derby back in 2011. Best Of Luck prepared by Danny Wong also capped of a great year for Calder in 2016 with an all the way win in the Macau – Hong Kong Trophy.

Once of the coolest and most patient riders you would see, Calder’s expertise at positioning a horse in the run has been on many occasions the difference between winning and losing.

With a total of 187 winners notched up in his time in Macau, Calder will be sorely missed but has not ruled out the possibility of coming back to ride on some of the feature race days.