He’s had an underwhelming season in the saddle by his own high standards, but Matthew Chadwick was left with plenty of reasons to celebrate after claiming a third Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m) win aboard La City Blanche at Sha Tin on Sunday.

La City Blanche led home a Tony Cruz-trained one-two, with the $22 chance overhauling stablemate Five G Patch in the closing stages as Chadwick landed his first win at Group level in nearly three years.

After recording only 17 victories through the first 68 meetings of the 2023-24 campaign, Chadwick was relieved to return to the winner’s enclosure after the race he took out with Chefano in 2020 and the Cruz-trained Super Pistachio in 2011.

“Any race is nice to win and it turned out it was a Group race, so I’m very happy,” Chadwick said. “The past is the past, and hopefully there are more [wins] for the future.

“We knew he was a top stayer, we knew he was fit and healthy and had no weight on his back. I’ll stick with him for the [Group One] Champions & Chater Cup [2,400m].”

Chadwick settled midfield behind the breakneck speed set by leading pair Moments In Time and Ka Ying Generation, with the duo covering the first half of the contest a rapid 2.59 seconds quicker than standard time.

Under pressure turning for home, La City Blanche made steady headway in the straight before snaring the lead in the closing stages and recording the fastest time in the contest since 1995. Favourite Five G Patch finished a neck away in second with Unbelievable a length and three-quarters back in third.

It was veteran trainer Cruz’s fourth victory in the HK$4.2 million contest and marked Chadwick’s first win at Group level since September 2021, which also came aboard a Cruz-trained galloper in Buddies.

“I had a lovely run,” Chadwick said. “Before the 600m he hit a flat spot and then he picked up again and really fought to the line.

“When they had me a bit tight around the turn by the 700m, he just thought about it a bit, so I just had to help him through that. It’s great to sit on Tony’s horse and hopefully more wins to come.”

Cruz said he was always confident he would be celebrating the quinella after the race and confirmed both La City Blanche and Five G Patch will work towards the Champions & Chater Cup on May 26.

“[La City Blanche] has no early speed and he likes the good ground and today Matthew Chadwick rode a perfect race,” Cruz said. “I expected Five G Patch to win the race. I said to my owners, ‘I think my two horses will be first and second today’.

“They’ll definitely go [to the Champions & Chater]. A mile and a half is perfect for them as long as the ground is good.”

La City Blanche sealed a race-to-race double for Cruz after Brenton Avdulla steered Beauty Glory to a shock victory in the Class Four Monaveen Handicap (1,400m).

Prominent throughout the contest, the six-year-old son of Toronado charged home to salute at $71 and end a relatively long time between drinks for the 33-year-old Australian in the process.

Avdulla had gone winless from his past 45 rides but produced Beauty Glory to perfection, stopping the clock around three lengths inside standard time.