While Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens week was gaining momentum thanks to the first night of the Tradition HKFC 10s at Happy Valley, the city’s racing was consigned to the Sha Tin dirt on Wednesday and it was left to a long-priced Michael Chang Chun-wai double to add a touch of lustre to a typically dull all-weather card.

After snaring the Class Five Kap Shui Mun Handicap (1,800m) with $7.15 chance Joyful Champion, Chang orchestrated a boilover when taking out the Class Four Stonecutters Island Handicap (1,650m) with despised $43.75 outsider Forever Folks.

“It’s nice to get a double,” said Chang after moving to 10 winners for the campaign thanks to his biggest haul since his treble in March last year. “[Forever Folks’] half-brother won eight races on the dirt in Japan. That’s why I had always planned to run in this race.

“He disappointed a few times on the turf so I wanted to give him a change. I checked his pedigree and his half-brother did so well on the dirt. He had a good gate, a fast pace and the jockey rode a perfect race saving ground on the inside.”

Ben Thompson was the man in the saddle, with the Australian landing his third Hong Kong winner by spearing Forever Folks up the inside from behind midfield.

John Size was the other trainer to land a double, following up Must Go’s success in the second section of the Class Four Ting Kau Handicap (1,200m) with Bundle Of Charm’s victory in the Class Two Hong Kong Chinese Importers’ & Exporters’ Association 70th Anniversary Cup (1,200m).

“It’s always nice to win a race. I haven’t got many horses for the dirt track, but if they can win a race on it, well it’s a really good thing,” Size said after moving to 41 winners for the campaign, 13 behind championship leader Pierre Ng Pang-chi.

While Must Go was saluting in his first all-weather run to break his Hong Kong maiden at start 10, Bundle Of Charm pocketed his second dirt success of the season to go with four turf placings.

“We’ll keep going and see what we can find for him. He’s been so honest and consistent this season that he’s handicapping himself out of a few races now. But he just keeps turning up so we’ll keep hoping,” Size said of Bundle Of Charm, who will find himself on a rating in the high 90s after Wednesday night’s victory.

Ridden patiently behind midfield by Alexis Badel, Bundle Of Charm reeled off a final 400m of 22.15 seconds to swamp his rivals in the straight and salute by a length and a quarter from Wonder Kit.

“Great form, great performance – he’s been doing his very best recently. I was hoping he was going to give me another great performance and he did,” Badel said after Bundle Of Charm maintained his unbeaten record on the dirt, with both victories coming under the French jockey.

“He was a bit stiff not to win the Class One in Happy Valley [when second in February] because he had the advantage and he lost it on the line. That was a bit frustrating but today is a great victory and well deserved.”

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Karis Teetan took riding honours with a brace of his own, opening his account aboard Joyful Champion before tasting repeat success aboard Mark Newnham’s Sing Dragon.

Successful under the Mauritian jockey at the course and distance last month, Sing Dragon continued his rise with a fighting triumph in the Class Three Yau Kom Tau Handicap (1,200m) to take his Hong Kong record to two wins from four runs.

Earlier, Matthew Chadwick secured a welcome winner aboard Cody Mo Wai-kit’s Super Joy, with the jockey ending a 44-ride run of outs with victory in the Class Five Sham Tseng Handicap (1,200m).