It seems Joao Moreira has become the go-to guy for trainer Peter Ho Leung after the pair continued an incredible strike rate that stretches back to the Magic Man’s 2012 win in the International Jockeys’ Championship. It was a last-stride win on Ho’s Noble Deluxe that clinched a dramatic IJC triumph for the Brazilian that year and while the pair didn’t take long to recombine when Moreira arrived full-time early in the 2013-14 season, the combination is really hitting a high point now. Be There Ahead’s one length win, the horse’s first in 29 starts for Ho, was Moreira’s 14th win for the stable from just 28 total rides. Yet this season the Moreira-Ho strike rate is even more incredible, with the lightweight scoring on nine of 12 for the trainer and finishing unplaced just twice. Michael Cox

Injured Yeung to make return at Happy Valley after missing out on winner

Keith Yeung Ming-lun was still sporting stitches from a nasty incident at trackwork during the week but declared himself ready to ride at Wednesday’s Happy Valley meeting. Yeung suffered a badly cut lip when David Ferraris’ unraced three-year-old Rage Of Earth flipped before a barrier trial on Tuesday and the jockey subsequently withdrew from the midweek meeting. The 27-year-old was initially named, albeit with standby riders, for yesterday’s meeting but again withdrew when he was still feeling the effects from surgery. “I had six stitches in total, three on the outside and three on the inside, but I am feeling fine now,” said Yeung, who has 15 wins this season but missed a possible winner when a horse he was booked to ride, Happy Place, scored for Chad Schofield in the last. Michael Cox

Class drop makes all the difference for Man’s Brother

The simple expedient of a class drop was all it took for Courageous Brother to break through for a win yesterday after proving slightly frustrating for trainer Manfred Man Ka-leung and connections in a handful of starts. Courageous Brother’s form included a fourth to Brilliant Dream and a last-start fifth at Happy Valley before slipping back a class yesterday. “He kept running well enough in Class Three most of the time but the difference was getting to Class Four today,” Man said after a perfect Gerald Mosse ride on the son of Domesday. “He will be back up in class now but hopefully he will get some confidence from the win. He got a good ride but he also performed quite well to win by a clear margin.” Alan Aitken