Trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing and jockey Harry Bentley combined for their first winner in tandem since 2022 on their way to doubles, while some familiar colours were carried to victory at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

The victory of Eighteen Palms in the Class Three Hong Kong Park Handicap (1,650m) was Shum and Bentley’s first as a duo in 486 days, completing a brace for the veteran handler after the earlier success of Romantic Fantasy.

Bentley parlayed Eighteen Palms’ win into a race-to-race double aboard Watch Buddy, with Ricky Yiu Poon-fai’s smart four-year-old ringing up a third win from his past four starts in the second section of the Class Three Victoria Park Handicap (1,200m).

“It’s obviously great to get a double, whether it’s here or Sha Tin – they always mean a lot,” said Bentley. “I’m very happy. I’ve ridden two nice horses. Watch Buddy is a very generous horse, he’s got a big heart.

“I was always very comfortable with how I was going and I thought I had the leader Healthy Healthy covered a long way out but, fair play to that horse, he really battled it out with me and two big-hearted horses going at each other – a proper race.”

Earlier, Benno Yung Tin-pang unveiled a three-year-old with potential in the second section of the Class Four Kowloon Park Handicap (1,200m), with Super Joy N Fun sticking on to salute at $13.6.

Racing in the same colours as Joy And Fun, Super Joy N Fun was sent forward from gate nine by jockey Jerry Chau Chun-lok before eventually electing to settle outside leader Divine Era in a race without any great pace.

Quick to respond when asked to extend in the home straight, Super Joy N Fun quickly took control before holding off fast-finishing $2.2 favourite Beauty Infinity by a head.

Johnny Wong Chun-nam and his fellow owners will be thrilled if they’ve unearthed a galloper who becomes even half the horse Joy And Fun was.

Owned by Wong and his wife, the Derek Cruz-trained Joy And Fun won Dubai’s Al Quoz Sprint (1,200m) in 2010 when it was a Group Three – one of seven overseas raids that featured two Royal Ascot appearances – and also took out the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) at Sha Tin in 2012 when it held Hong Kong Group One status.

Another owner who has tasted his fair share of success is David Boehm, most notably thanks to Dan Excel’s 2013 Group One Champions Mile success and back-to-back Group One Singapore Airlines International Cup (2,000m) victories, and he was among the winners on Wednesday night with Dan Attack.

Unlike Super Joy N Fun, however, Dan Attack has taken his time to put it all together. Second last as the $1.7 favourite on debut in April last year, Dan Attack had disappointed a further five times – while also compiling a sizeable list of niggles – before taking out the first section of the Kowloon Park Handicap.

“He’s been a very frustrating horse. He’s always shown a lot of ability, but his top two inches have let him down,” said trainer Jamie Richards.

“I must give a big thank you to David Boehm. He’s been patient and very loyal. That’s something that’s not always easy to find in Hong Kong.

“It’s great to get a winner for him because he deserves it. I don’t think he’s going to be a Dan Excel, but he’s won a race and hopefully the horse can get a bit of confidence.

“The boys at home have done a wonderful job with him because he hasn’t been the easiest. It’s very rewarding when you get a horse to win that you’ve always thought a bit of and that has underperformed. Time and patience, it’s a wonderful thing.”

Ho faces extended stint on sidelines; Bowman banned after causing his own fall

Meanwhile, Matthew Poon Ming-fai has received a five-meeting ban for his role in Vincent Ho Chak-yiu’s fall at Sha Tin on January 24.

In a hearing that resumed before the races at Happy Valley, Poon was found guilty of careless riding aboard Absolute Sunshine “in that near the 450m, whilst riding his mount along, he allowed Absolute Sunshine to shift out, resulting in Absolute Sunshine making contact with Romantic Charm and as a result of that contact, Romantic Charm fell and dislodged Ho”.

Poon will begin his suspension on February 25, while Ho continues his recovery from finger surgery and has no set return date.

In other news, Manfred Man Ka-leung has confirmed it will be James McDonald who replaces Zac Purton aboard Lucky Sweynesse for the Group One Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) on March 10, while Caspar Fownes has booked Blake Shinn to ride Elliptical in the Classic Cup (1,800m) on March 3.