Former top class performer Obrigado Mais has bounced back to form at the right time with a thrilling dead heat alongside top sprinter Mister Kaopu in Saturdays Class 1 Handicap over 1200 metres.

Ridden by Filipino jockey Breinell Yamzon, Obrigado Mais burst out of the pack from the two hundred and put in giant strides late to hit the line together with Mister Kaopu who had enjoyed the perfect run under Eric Cheung. The judge couldn’t separate them declaring a dead heat, with Bow Noculars (Shogo Nakano) a length back in third.

Obrigado Mais was one the stars of last season winning both the Winter Trophy (1800) and the Spring Trophy over 1500 metres, both Group 2 contests. The grey had lost all form this season and his three runs before Saturday appeared to signal that his better days were over; however it was the old Obrigado Mais back on track even if it appeared beforehand an unsuitable race over the 1200 metres.

The name Obrigado Mais translates to “thank you more” in Portuguese and owner Mr. Tam Vai Lam has plenty to thank the gelding for, with nine victories and five placings from his 27 starts to date in Macau and over $2.8 million HKD in prize money. The six year formerly raced in Australia as Boganaire when prepared by Robert Smerdon, winning a maiden race on the all weather at Geelong from only three runs in Victoria. Trainer Victor Chan will now aim the grey at next month’s Group 2 Spring Trophy over 1500 metres in an effort to make it back to back wins.

Second placed Mister Kaopu prepared by Sio Cheong was given the perfect run in transit by apprentice Eric Cheung box seating off the leader Bow Noculars, and looked all over a winner until Obrigado Mais sprouted wings and then had to be content to share the victory. Mister Kaopu has been another great buy out of Australia and after Saturday his record stands at eight wins and four placings from his 24 Macau starts, and over $2.2 million in prize money. The son of Redoute’s Choice raced in Australia as Intrusion and won a Newcastle maiden from his 11 runs there under Gerald Ryan; however the gelding had sound 2YO form around horses like Group 1 winner Japonisme. After Saturday he is now Macau’s highest rated sprinter on 120 points.

Éclair Lightning is another Australia import that is assured of a nice future after a superb win in the Class 2 & 3 over 1500 metres Saturday.

The four year old son of Darci Brahma (NZ) parked off the pacemaker One More Again until heads were turned for home before finding plenty under Japanese rider Shogo Nakano to hold off Luen On Eagle (Wayne Smith), with One More Again (Kevin Leung) staying on for third.

Prepared in Macau by Peter Leyshan, Éclair Lightning is a former South Australia galloper who raced there under the same name when trained by Phillip Stokes, winning a maiden race at Gawler over 1215 metres. With time the gelding has furnished into an impressive big strong individual going to scale at over 1250 pounds. The gelding is out of the New Zealand Group 2 winning mare Spin ‘N Grin who was placed up to 2000 metres in Group 2 company at Ellerslie, so Éclair Lightning will no doubt get a good 1500 metres and could be a possible Derby contender on the strength of Saturday’s victory.

Jonie Pescuiso is earning the title of the longshot king after his win on the Alan Tam trained Hey Hey Companion in the Class 6 over 1510 metres on Friday nights sand card.

Sent out friendless at odds of $334.00 for the win, Hey Hey Companion burst through along the inside over the last one hundred metres to score from the fast finishing River Double (Oscar Chavez), with Broadus (Breinell Yamzon) running in third.

Pescuiso’s first winner for the season was the Stanley Chin God Get People at odds of $590.00 for the win also on the all weather surface.

The good fortune didn’t end there for Pescuiso with Pearl Win Win at odds of $98.00 saluting under a perfect ride from the Filipino born horseman in Saturday’s Class 4 over 1500 metres.

Trained by K H Leong, Pearl Win Win was put into a great spot off the back of race favorite Beat the Market (Peter Ho) in the run. They say that “patience is a virtue’ and it certainly rang true for Pescuiso as he waited until one by one the runners shifted of the rails in front of him. It’s always been the shortest way home and that will never change, and Pearl Win Win received full advantage of that to score a nice win.

After Saturday Pescuiso has five winners from the season from only 33 rides giving him the equal third best win strike in the enclave at 15%.