Former four times Champion Macau Jockey Luis Corrales enjoyed one of his best weekends at the Taipa racetrack with five winners over the two days racing, capped off by his last stride win in the Group 3 SJM Macau Derby Trial over 1500 metres (turf) on Winnie Star.

Corrales was in sparkling form and his win on the Patrick Lee prepared Winnie Star in the Derby Trial came as his crowning glory for the weekend.

In one of the most open Derby Trial fields for some years, Corrales settled the son of Medaglia D’Oro near the tail of the field before making steady ground from the eight hundred via the rail. Once in the home straight he peeled Winnie’s Star off the fence into clear running; and once balanced the four year old produced a brilliant turn of foot and powered down the outside to snatch victory by a short head over Star Of Yiu Cheung (Horace Lam) in a thrilling three way finish, with Hostwin Epanoui (Fausto Henrique) a short head away third.

Winnie’s Star has now won four of his six starts, his first three in a row and is looming as a great chance to give former Champion trainer Patrick Lee his first Macau Derby victory.

A former Godolphin bred horse Winnie Star was purchased by Patrick Lee for owner Mr. Chung Tat Fi for A$31,000 at the 2019 Gold Coast National Racehorse Sales.

His dam Outdoor by Redoute’s Choice is the dam of Trekking a winner of five stakes races including the 2019 Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm. Winnie Star was only really starting to let down over the last two hundred metres of Saturday’s 1500 metre contest, so the Derby trip of 1800 metres it seems will be perfect for the gelding.

Race favorite Hostwin Saturn (J B Hamel) had no joy from his wide gate (11) and was caught three deep in the run and spoilt his chances by overacing. He was one paced in the straight to finish sixth four and a quarter lengths away. The Nick Moore trained gelding was coming off a dominant win over 1800 metres prior and still looms as the horse to beat in the SJM Derby on July 19.

Second placed Star Of Yiu Cheung was another that raced fiercely in the run when travelling in the box seat third, and showed plenty of fight to go down narrowly. The son of Casino Prince (Aus) would need to relax a lot more in the run to get a strong 1800 metres.

The runs by both Hostwin Epanoui (3rd) and King Of Glamour (5th) were full of merit. Hostwin Epanoui came home hard along the rail from near the tail of the field to just miss in a head bobbing finish. King of Glamour was taken back from barrier eight by apprentice Eric Cheung and didn’t get the cart into the race he would have liked. He was only really getting into his work late and was only beaten four lengths. Beautiful Eighteen who was coming off a big win last start at 1500 metres was disappointing.

Modena Best was the first of Corrales winners for the weekend when he hit the line well on Friday night in the Class 3 over 1500 metres.

Prepared by Wayne Smith, Modena Best is a former Australian galloper who raced there as Underground, winning three races in country New South Wales when trained by Brad Widdup.

Other wins for Corrales on Friday night were Lucky Gold prepared by Joe Lau in the Class 3 & 4 over 1050 metres, and Blackjack Mok trained by W H “Rambo” Tse in the Class 4 over 1510 metres.

Saturday also seen Corrales quick off the mark when he ran away with the first of the day the Maiden over 1200 metres on the Danny Wong trained Special Charger.

Corrales has been on fire of late winning ten races so far for the month of May; and after Saturday is on 35 winners for the season leading Roger Yu (28) by seven victories, with J B Hamel in third spot on 23 winners. A fifth Senior Jockeys’ Championship is looming as a great possibility. Corrales also has won two Champion Apprentice Titles in Macau.

Patrick Lee has a few nice newcomers in his yard and as well as his Derby Trial victory over the weekend, Lee led in another two winners in Diamond Moonlight and Crispy Biscuit both ridden by Peter Ho.

Diamond Moonlight is a nice big strong looking son of The Wow Signal (Ire) who picked up his maiden win in the 2 & 3 Year Old Handicap over 1050 metres on the sand on Friday night.

Crispy Biscuit is a former Queenslander who raced there as Shaken Not Stirred winning three races when prepared by Matthew Park. The four year old son of Written Tycoon (Aus) done a great job to win Saturday’s Class 2 & 3 over 1200 metres.

Fired out of barrier 11 by Ho to zip across and sit off the leader Gem Glory, Crispy Biscuit really dug in well in the straight to go home too well for Hostwin Shadow (J B Hamel), with Gem Glory (Luis Corrales) in third. Saturdays win came off a good win on the all weather over 1050 metres on April 17.

Frenchman Stephane Ladjadj was back in the winner’s circle with a double over the weekend with Broadus and We Love Macau.

Broadus prepared by Peter Leyshan was the first of Ladjadj’s winners when he finished powerfully to take out the Class 5 & 6 over 1600 metres.

We Love Macau was the second victory for Ladjadj when we won the Class 5 & 6 over 1500 metres on the turf on Saturday. Prepared by Joe Lau We Love Macau was sporting blinkers for the first time after coming off three moderate runs prior.

On Saturday the three year old son of Fast’N’Famous landed in a great spot under Ladjadj to enjoy the run of the race fifth the rail. Momentarily held up at the top of the straight before finding clear running, the gelding sprinted quickly over the last one fifty metres to beat Impeccable Genius (Horace Lam, with House Of Power (Frankie Choi) in third.