David Eustace landed his first Sha Tin success in perfect style on Sunday, training the longest-priced winner of the season while watching on with his parents, James and Gay.

While Eustace has enjoyed four Happy Valley winners through the early stages of his Hong Kong career, he’d gone 20 Sha Tin runners without a winner – including five recent placegetters – before Silvery Breeze delivered at $70.85 on Hong Kong debut.

“It’s obviously a great thrill and a bit of relief. We’ve been racing well here and just knocking on the door,” said Eustace.

“It’s great to get the first winner and lovely to have my parents here as well. I’m delighted to get the win.”

Victorious in a Geelong maiden from six pre-import starts in Australia, Silvery Breeze failed to beat a runner home in his three Hong Kong trials.

“We’ve always really liked him and I said to Karis [Teetan] to ignore his trials on the dirt,” said Eustace after Silvery Breeze snared the Class Three BOCHK BOC Pay Handicap (1,400m).

“He just wasn’t able to travel at the strong tempo on the dirt, but his trial on the grass here down the straight was much more encouraging for a horse who will stay.

“Seven furlongs is definitely his minimum and he’ll undoubtedly get a mile and he just might get 2,000m as well.”

Mo builds momentum

Two races, two horses from barrier two, two winners each by two lengths.

That was the scenario for Cody Mo Wai-kit at Sha Tin on Sunday, with the second-season handler landing a race-to-race double courtesy of promising debutant Meowth and fellow four-year-old Markwin.

Defying his $40 quote in the Class Four BOC Life Handicap (1,200m), Meowth capitalised on a soft run from the draw under Luke Ferraris to make a perfect start to his career.

The Showtime gelding, named after a character from popular Japanese franchise Pokemon, settled on the back of leader Colourful Winner and burst clear after pouncing at the 300m.

“He’s been up in Conghua and shown good early speed in a couple trials,” Mo said.

“The pattern suited him and he was a bit fresh for his first race. He has ability, but he still needs to learn more.”

Half an hour later, Markwin followed suit to notch his first win at start three in the Class Four BOCHK Banking TrendyToo Handicap (1,400m).

Ridden by Derek Leung Ka-chun, the son of I Am Invincible ran on powerfully from fifth on the turn to easily account for Happy Park and Amazing Run.

Markwin showed potential on his previous two starts, charging home for a luckless second to Aeroinvincible before a close third to Master Of All.

“In his first race he found traffic inside and behind but showed good dash to run second,” Mo said after recording his 11th success of the season.

“Last race, unfortunately he was wide around the turn and he could not chase. This time he had a good barrier and a clear run, so it was easy. This horse has ability and I hope he can keep winning.”

Network dials in

Talented sprinter Fast Network relished the addition of blinkers to thump his rivals in the Class Three BOCHK Wealth Management Handicap (1,000m).

Sitting just off the speed for Zac Purton, the Dennis Yip Chor-hong-trained gelding made the straight dash a one-act affair when he cruised to the front at the 300m and exploded clear to score by four and a quarter lengths.

A brilliant winner of his first two starts, Fast Network had blinkers added after his unlucky third behind Alpha One last month.

“I thought the blinkers would help him to jump out the gate because his last two races, he hasn’t jumped very quickly,” Yip said.

“He hasn’t raced in a month and half, so he was a bit fresh and he surprised me and Zac. I’m very happy, he’s improved a lot and the blinkers helped him a lot.”

American sprinter a chance for HKIR

There could be an American representative at December’s Longines Hong Kong International Races for the first time since 2017, with Nobals reportedly bound for Sha Tin after claiming Grade Two honours at Woodbine racecourse in Canada.

On Sunday morning Hong Kong time, Nobals fought on gamely in the Grade Two Kennedy Road Stakes (1,200m) on the dirt and could be set for a match-up with David Hayes’ Ka Ying Rising in the Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) on December 8.

The Larry Rivelli-trained gelding returned to the winners’ enclosure for the first time since he triumphed in the Grade One Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (1,000m) at Santa Anita last year.

Rivelli sent Nicole’s Dream to the Hong Kong Sprint in 2005 and will hope Nobals can go better than that mare, who finished 12th when the contest was run over 1,000m.

Nobals may be joined at Sha Tin by this year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Starlust, who broke through at the top level at Del Mar on November 2.

The Ralph Beckett-trained three-year-old has claimed six wins from 18 starts in England, France and America.

“We’ll probably think about Hong Kong and then a holiday,” Beckett told Daily Racing Forum after the speedster’s shock win at $34. “I think he’s very well suited to the six furlongs.”

Elsewhere, the first three home in Sunday’s Group One Mile Championship at Kyoto racecourse may take on the Group One Hong Kong Mile, with the trio nominated for Sha Tin’s marquee meeting.

Soul Rush ran out an emphatic two-and-half-length winner with Elton Barrows and Win Marvel battling on to fill the minor money.

Soul Rush, who could only manage fourth behind Golden Sixty in last year’s Hong Kong Mile, broke through at the top level with a dominant victory as the $5.3 fourth favourite.