Exciting three year old Thehorseiswithme continued on his winning way to make it four straight wins on Sunday’s final raceday for 2018 racing year at the Taipa racetrack.

Facing his toughest test to date as he lined up against a good quality Class 2 & 3 field, the impressive looking son of I Am Invincible (Aus) was set alight from his wide gate by regular rider Luis Corrales to easily clear the speed inside, and from then on was never in doubt. Thehorseiswithme ran out an easy four and a quarter lengths winner over Éclair Lightning (Shogo Nakano) who impressed in his Macau debut, with Luen On Eagle (Fausto Henrique) in third.

Prepared by Alan Tam, Thehorseiswithme has continued to lift the bar with every start and after Sunday’s win he now sits on a mark on 72 rating points, a rapid rise up from his debut mark of 35. The gelding’s time for the 1200 metres was a respectable 1.09.2 on a track that was not riding fast on the day.

Thehorseiswithme has an interesting tale behind his export to Macau after being originally purchased at the 2017 Melbourne Premier Sale for A $145,000 by Dynamic Syndications. A pre training accident as a two year resulted in an injury to his nearside eye that eventually clouded, over and the youngster was declared blind in that eye and therefore unable to race in Australia. With Macau being one of very few places worldwide that allows one eyed horses to race, the gelding was then purchased by James Moore for Macau owner Mr. Ng Kang So.

Sunday’s win was the gelding’s fourth win from his six starts in the enclave, and judging by the ease of his victory Thehorseisiwithme is heading straight to the top echelon.

For trainer Alan Tam the victory by Thehorseiswithme was the second leg of a double with his improving Denman (Aus) gelding Lucky Hugo winning the first of the day, the Class 6 over 1200 metres.

Lucky Hugo under Filipino jockey Jonie Pescuiso overcame an ordinary getaway to drive forward quickly and set up a commanding lead, and then maintained a strong gallop to the wire to beat Tyson (Luis Corrales), with River Double (Oscar Chavez) running on well for third.

Tam has virtually resurrected Pescuiso’s riding career this season with Sundays win his third winner from 25 rides for the new racing year. Pescuiso was a former Champion Apprentice when attached to Alan Tams yard winning the title in the 2009 – 2010 season with 22 winners. A decision to return to the Philippines to continue his riding career proved unsuccessful; with close to 100 registered jockeys competing there, opportunities were far and few between resulting in Pescuiso giving the game away for a spell. Returning to Macau in 2015 as a trackwork rider, Pescuiso was relicensed last season but it was lean pickings with only one winner for the year. The link up with his old master has been a boon for the natural lightweight with Alan Tam currently leading the trainer’s premiership table on 16 wins, and is strongly tipped to take out his fourth Championship title this season.

Breinell Yamzon is another young rider looking for a better year in racing and it’s looking very positive for him judging by his perfect exhibition on Iced Jade in the Class 4 & 5 Handicap over 1800 metres on Sunday.

Yamzon gave the six year old son of Minstrel Court (Aus) a lovely run in transit in fifth spot against the rail before getting on the back of the race favorite Pearl Win Win (Ruan Maia) around the home turn. Pearl Win Win surged to the front at the two hundred but could not hold off the powerful finishing burst of Iced Jade, who went home right over the top of him to win by a length on the line.

Yamzon who also hails from the Philippines has now posted three winners the season which is shaping up better than his last season, where he could only manage five winners after considerable time off through injury.