Frankie Lor Fu-chuen ended the longest drought of his career at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, with debutant Golden Long handing the star handler his first victory since November 11.

Lor endured 55 losers in that period, with the 2021-22 champion trainer sliding to eighth in the premiership in the process.

“Yes, it’s nice to have a winner. No [I haven’t felt any pressure], the horse has to be healthy to win the race,” said Lor, who set a first-season record with 65 wins in his debut campaign in 2017-18 and has amassed 409 victories overall.

“In that time, some horses have had problems or a fever, so it’s difficult. We are the trainers, and we try and keep the horse healthy first before we put them in the race. If the horse has a problem, we cannot get them going.”

Sent off $8.95 for the second section of the Class Four Kwun Tong Handicap (1,200m) despite impressing at the trials, Golden Long was a bit wayward early before settling forward of midfield and showing plenty of promise with a purposeful run to the line under Matthew Chadwick.

“In the morning, he’s still a bit green, and I’ve trialled him four times already. He has been fighting with the jockey quite a bit, so in his last trial, I asked the jockey to let him relax,” Lor said.

“I don’t want the jockeys to fight with the horse, and now he looks much better. He’s still a little bit green, but he won the race well. He finished well, and I hope he can be a really good horse.”

Golden Long also delivered his jockey a welcome success, with Chadwick breaking his 54-ride run of outs dating back to November 8.

Chadwick and Lor were not the only ones breaking droughts at the midweek meeting, with 2021 Group Three Bauhinia Sprint Trophy (1,000m) victor Explosive Witness returning to the winner’s circle 1,076 days and 24 starts after the biggest success of his career.

Boosted to a mark of 99 after that New Year’s Day victory, Explosive Witness had dropped 25 points in the ratings before his win in the Class Three Choi Wan Handicap (1,000m).

“He’s a nine-year-old, but he’s raced extremely well all season. Every run, he’s given us a great effort, and he’s certainly one horse who’s deserved to get that win,” said trainer Caspar Fownes.

“We worked hard to get him there. We worked hard to maintain his fitness and present the horse in good form, so he was well deserving of that victory.”

Racing under superstar Kiwi jockey James McDonald for the second time, Explosive Witness went back from gate seven of nine but was allowed to make ground throughout on his way to his fifth Hong Kong win from 39 local starts.

“Last time he just jumped too good – he flew the gates – and he was there, and that wasn’t him,” Fownes said.

“[McDonald] was keen to ride him again, and I just told him today, ‘just jump and fifth or sixth is fine, and he’ll really launch for you’.

“He’s gone out when he should have gone in. He’s had a few things that just haven’t panned out for him, but his runs have been sensational.”

Explosive Witness completed a double for Fownes after the earlier win of Super Contented, who saluted following his switch from the extended mile on the dirt to the Happy Valley equivalent.

“I think it doesn’t matter [which track] with him. It was just a case of him toughening up and starting to understand what it was all about,” Fownes said of Super Contented, who broke his maiden at start nine in the Class Five Sau Mau Ping Handicap (1,650m).

“We’ve had to get him to the races more often and just say, ‘Right boy, this is your profession, so get the job done.’”

McDonald also enjoyed a brace, winning the finale aboard Copartner Ambition for Danny Shum Chap-shing, while Karis Teetan shared the riding honours after saluting aboard Douglas Whyte’s Double Show and Dragon Star for runaway premiership leader Pierre Ng Pang-chi.