A perfect ride by Macau’s Champion jockey Ruan Maia gave victory to River Control in the 27th running of the Group 1 Macau Gold Cup over 1800 metres on Sunday at the Taipa racetrack.

River Control enjoyed the run of the race fourth on the rail before angling out into space on straightening to power right over the top of Rose Gold Alloy (Matthew Chadwick) to win by three quarters of a length, with the stablemate River Treasure (Oscar Chavez) running a mighty race at odds of 50/1 a neck away in third spot.

Prepared by former Champion trainer Sio Cheong, River Control is a son of the Champion sprinter Choisir from the Galileo mare Glam Girl. Sundays win took his record to eight wins and twelve placed efforts from 38 starts, picking up over $2.2 million in prize money along the way.

The win capped off a magnificent season for Brazilian Ruan Maia who closed off the season with 60 winners and 81 placings from his 287 race rides for the year. In second spot in the rider’s standings was former four times Macau Champion Luis Corrales on 39 victories, with last year’s leading rider Peter Ho in equal third spot on 32 wins with Irishman Wayne Smith.

After an intriguing battle for most of the season Tony Fung claimed his first trainers title holding on for victory by a one win margin with 34 wins over Danny Wong on 33 winners, with Sio Cheong third on 29. Former Hong Kong apprentice Kevin Leung was the season’s best junior rider with seven winners.

Trainer Geoff Allendorf has a real star in the making with his highly promising Luen On Dance Kid who bolted away with the Macau Race Horse Owners Association Bowl over 1200 metres.

Ridden by Oscar Chavez, Luen On Dance Kid enjoyed the run of the race before peeling off the back of the leader Happy Roaring at the top of the straight to race away for a big win. The Moon’s Back (Peter Ho) ran on well for second, with Big Alloy (Ruan Maia) finishing in third.

Luen On Dance Kid has been a real bargain buy for owner Thomas Lau who purchased the horse on the advice of Geoff Allendorf who bought the gelding out of the Magic Million Tried Horse Sales last October for the modest sum of $14,000 Aud. The chestnut was originally bought by the China Horse Club for $180,000 NZD at the Karaka Premier Yearling Sale in 2016, but proved to be a real handful as a colt and failed badly in two trials for Team Snowden in Sydney. After being gelded the youngster was then sent to Kris Lees in Newcastle where he won a trial before being put through the sale ring.

After Sunday’s win Luen On Dance Kid’s race record now reads four win and two thirds from his six starts and $630,000 HKD in prize money.

“He just keeps on improving. I was a little wary of the step to 1500 metres but he’s a nice strong horse and is a real trier and it was a good win.” Allendorf said.

“He’s certainly been a bargain buy and I’m really happy for the owner Thomas Lau who had been a great supporter of my stable.

“I’ll just take my time with him and look towards the four year old classics for next year.”

“He’s out a of Sadler’s Wells mare so he might get the Derby distance but we’ll just take it as it comes.”

The Danny Wong prepared Winter Snow (Roger Yu) won the Macau Racehorse Owners Association Cup over 1200 metres in a thrilling finish to win by a head from Golden Thumb (Kevin Leung), with China Paradise (Ruan Maia) a head away in third spot.

It was win number four in Macau for Winter Snow a former Melbourne galloper who raced there as Havildar winning a maiden at Sandown when prepared by Ciaron Maher.

The final race of the season the Macau Racehorse Owners Association Plate over 1200 metres was taken out by the 50/1 longshot Tuhao Power who powered home late under Frankie Choi to down the favorite Winning Express (Ruan Maia), with Lucky Mate (Wayne Smith) in third.