A delighted Matthew Poon Ming-fai secured his first win as a senior rider with Victory Machine and then made it a double when Nuclear Power produced the run of the day, to put him in serious contention for a spot in next month’s International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley.

The 23-year-old collected his 70th winner to complete his apprenticeship last month and he only had to wait until his second meeting as a senior to taste success.

Victory Machine put his head down on the line to edge out Music Addition in the Class Three Panasonic RF Ultrasonic Beauty Device Handicap (1,200m), before Nuclear Power rattled home from last to take out the Class Three Panasonic System Kitchen Handicap (1,200m).

Nuclear Power was out of the picture – literally – on the turn, before growing wings and running over the top of his rivals.

“I’m so happy, both horses are very special to me,” Poon said. “Victory Machine is just so tough, he has won three times for me – he is amazing, I have no other words.

“Two times last season I nearly won on Nuclear Power, but he had no luck and got beaten and I was quite disappointed.

School is out: Hong Kong jockey Matthew Poon completes apprenticeship in quick time

“This season he was unlucky again first-up and I made a little bit of a mistake on him and then he couldn’t really finish.

“This is the second time I’ve ridden him this season – the pace was strong, he wasn’t really stretching out early, but once he balanced up he saw the gap and went through. He’s just an honest horse who’d had no luck a couple of times.”

The win takes Poon to 14 winners for the term, putting him outright third on the table and making the battle for IJC spots very interesting.

As it stands, Zac Purton and Karis Teetan are assured of taking their place – the former as the reigning champion of Hong Kong and the latter as the next highest on the table with 24 winners.

What challenges does Matthew Poon face now he is a senior jockey?

That leaves two slot available – one which goes to the next in line in terms of winners and one to go to the leading local.

The cut-off is after the meeting on November 21 and it looks like there are four jockeys in contention – Poon, Vincent Ho Chak-yiu (13 winners), Douglas Whyte and Chad Schofield (both 12).

One of Poon or Ho will get in as the leading local rider, but Poon will miss two of the remaining three eligible meetings through suspension.

“I’ll just do my best, there is nothing I can do but try and ride good races,” Poon said. “If I get in, that would be great, but if I don’t then hopefully next time.

Matthew Poon heading in the right direction after Sha Tin treble

“It is definitely something I would like to do, but it is something I cannot control because I got suspended.”

Either way, the future looks bright for Poon – provided he stays out of trouble with the stewards – as he has plenty of support.

John Moore, who trains Victory Machine, has a high opinion of the youngster and will continue to book him, a positive sign as he looks to establish himself.

“I know he’s only got three pounds but he rode a lot for me last season,” Moore said. “I’ll definitely keep using him, he makes mistakes like all jockeys but the fact is I think he does a good job and he will be successful.”

Poon will add to his international experience when he competes in Sunday’s Singapore Gold Cup meeting at Kranji – a venue where he has already tasted Group Three success twice.

“Singapore is quite special for me, it just feels very comfortable for me to ride over there,” he said. “The pressure is low and people support me, so I really enjoy it.”

Teetan and Chadwick hit with suspensions

Karis Teetan joined Zac Purton at the top of the jockeys’ standings for a brief moment after winning aboard Clement Legend in the opening race, but it came at a cost, with the Mauritian copping a two-meeting suspension for his effort.

Teetan will miss the cards on November 28 and December 2, but will be back for the IJC.

He wasn’t the only rider to earn the ire of stewards with Matthew Chadwick also outed for two meetings for failing to ride out Golden Effort in the third event. Chadwick will be on the sidelines for the first two race days in December.

Beauty keeps rising up the rankings

Beauty Generation’s performance in the Group Two Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy has lifted him to equal sixth in the latest Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.

The reigning Horse of the Year has gone to a different level so far this season with two dominant wins in handicap races, where he was giving weight to the rest of his rivals.

John Moore’s Beauty Generation enters ‘champion class’ with blistering Sha Tin Trophy win

John Moore’s superstar is now considered the best turf miler in the world, boasting a rating of 126, alongside Sir Michael Stoute’s Crystal Ocean and American dirt specialist Accelerate.

Mighty Australian mare Winx and Britain’s Cracksman share top billing with a rating of 130, while another dirt horse in Gun Runner holds third on 128. Poet’s Word and Roaring Lion are next in line on 127.

“Beauty Generation has improved throughout his career in Hong Kong, and has developed into a high-class miler,” Jockey Club chief handicapper Nigel Gray, who is also the co-chairman of the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee, said.

“He’s been impressive in his two victories this season, giving weight and a beating to some very talented horses, and it’s great to see a Hong Kong horse back in the top 10.”

Beauty Generation is Hong Kong’s highest-rated horse since Able Friend

Beauty Generation’s new rating leaves him just one pound behind the highest-rated horse in Hong Kong history – Able Friend.

The six-year-old will step out again in next weekend’s Group Two Jockey Club Mile before trying to defend his Hong Kong Mile title in December.

Two-time Group One winner Helene Paragon bows out

Speaking of multiple Group One winners from the Moore stable, Helene Paragon was retired this week.

The miler enjoyed a purple patch of form during the 2016-17 season when he took out the Stewards’ Cup and Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup after finishing second in the Hong Kong Mile.

The entire was still competitive early last season – he again placed in the Hong Kong Mile – but he suffered a suspensory injury as he was building up to his first start of this campaign.

Helene Paragon upstages Able Friend as John Moore takes a Group One trio

“We tried our best, but age caught up with him and in turn soundness,” Moore said. “The idea is to get him a home as a stallion, maybe in France, so that’s what we’re trying to do now.

“He was a very decent acquisition, he held a track record here for a while, he was very genuine and always hit the line.”

Helene Paragon came a long way from winning his first race at San Sebastian in Spain when known as Sir Andrew and going on to place in the Group One Prix Jean Prat, before making the move to Hong Kong where he won six of his 25 starts (placing seven times) to collect almost HK$30 million in prize money.