While it was a sore and sorry Alexis Badel who hobbled back to scale following his first victory in the Group Three January Cup (1,800m), the Frenchman was all smiles after repeating the dose at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

Thrown to the ground when the victorious Simply Brilliant knuckled soon after the finish of the 2019 January Cup, Badel was pleased to snare the race in more traditional style aboard Happy Together.

“A lot of memories, I remember it just like it was yesterday. I broke my wrist after the line,” Badel said. “I fell off so there were a lot of ups and downs but Hong Kong is always full of surprises. I’m glad that I won this race again for [Frankie Lor Fu-chuen].”

Both of Badel’s January Cup successes have come for Lor and the prolific local trainer has snared the Valley’s only Group contest three times in the past six years after also saluting with Money Catcher 12 months ago.

“You’re right, I like this race – I’ve won it three times. He’s been great and I think he can still improve. Alexis knows this horse and what it takes for him to perform,” Lor said of Happy Together.

After one win from 10 starts for Richard Gibson, Happy Together has now prevailed in four of his five runs since joining Lor at the end of last season.

Settled two back on the rail from gate three in a race with plenty of pace, Happy Together put the race to bed swiftly after being eased off the fence turning for home.

“He’s a great horse, he’s got a lot of personality. I really like him,” Badel said after $4.15 chance Happy Together beat home La City Blanche by three quarters of a length, with favourite Helene Feeling third. “He’s got a great turn of foot, he’s got ability.

“I had a great barrier. I just tried to put him to sleep on the rail. The pace was even and comfortable for everyone, I thought.

“I just had a look at the last corner to find a way out. I managed to get my way around them and he won brilliantly.”

Lor suggested the Group Three Centenary Vase (1,800m) at Sha Tin on February 4 could be next for Happy Together, with the trainer confirming he’ll need to see further improvement from his five-year-old before considering elite-level contests.

Meanwhile, apprentice jockey Ellis Wong Chi-wang took another step forward on the undercard, booting Lyrical Motion to victory for his boss Caspar Fownes to taste success with just his second Happy Valley ride.

Granted permission by stewards to make his debut at the city circuit following eight wins from 87 rides at Sha Tin, Wong’s first taste of the Valley saw him finish fourth aboard Benno Yung Tin-pang’s Multimore.

Things got a whole lot better for the 23-year-old with his second and final mount of the evening, with Lyrical Motion a comfortable winner of the first section of the Class Four Great George Handicap (1,200m) as the $2.85 favourite.

Wong positioned Lyrical Motion two back on the rail before driving the six-year-old between runners in the straight and urging him home.

“It feels very special to have my first winner in Happy Valley,” Wong said after Lyrical Motion rung up consecutive victories by beating home runner-up Super Eagle by a length and a half.

“The horse drew a good barrier and we just kept the position behind the leaders and he came away strong to win very easily.

“This is very meaningful for me to get this win in Happy Valley because he is the ‘King of Happy Valley’,” Wong added of Fownes.

Ricky Yiu Poon-fai also made a big impact, with Simply Maverick’s two-length success at $1.35 in the second section of the Class Four Kingston Handicap (1,650m) headlining the veteran’s treble.

Mega Bonus also delivered for Yiu, the six-year-old surprising his rivals at $18 in the second section of the Great George Handicap to land his second victory of the season, while Prime Minister really shocked punters with a boilover Class Three Cleveland Handicap (1,800m) triumph at $37.