Mr Ascendency thrived on a five-day backup to seal a double for Ricky Yiu Poon-fai and help Luke Ferraris continue his hot form with victory in Wednesday night’s Class Two Tsun Yip Handicap (1,650m) at Happy Valley.

On the quick turnaround from a close second to stablemate Green N White at Sha Tin, former United Kingdom galloper Mr Ascendency stormed home from second last to claim his fifth victory from 32 starts in Hong Kong.

Yiu, who notched the first leg of his Valley double with Hayday in the first section of the Class Four Wai Yip Handicap (1,200m), didn’t hesitate to back Mr Ascendency up after he “pulled up really well” from the Lunar New Year meeting.

“I couldn’t fault him,” Yiu said.

“I kept monitoring him every morning because it’s only five days between runs. Up to this morning, I knew he would perform again. He’s nearly up to his peak.”

Fresh from his biggest Hong Kong success on My Wish in last Friday’s Classic Mile, Ferraris confidently speared Mr Ascendency through a tight gap between rivals at the 150m en route to victory.

The seven-year-old snatched the lead from pacesetter Telecom Fighters at the 50m and won by three-quarters of a length. Telecom Fighters held second, a length ahead of last-start Group Three January Cup (1,800m) winner Helene Feeling.

“He’s a lovely horse, this little fellow,” Ferraris said of Mr Ascendency.

“He’s another one who lacks size, but makes up for it in heart. I had a dream run throughout and the splits came when I needed them to and he hit the line really hard.

“Credit to Ricky and his team, he’s backed up over a short period and he’s never felt better and he’s won a good race.”

Yiu was impressed by 23-year-old Ferraris, who sits fourth in the jockeys’ championship with 25 wins this term.

“Luke Ferraris is riding with a lot of confidence these days. He’s a good jockey,” the veteran handler said.

Hayday kept on gamely to repel Super Sixty by a neck, handing Matthew Poon Ming-fai his 100th success at the city circuit.

The Deep Field gelding went one better after a close second to Spirit Of Peace on his previous start.

“It’s nice to win on this horse,” Poon said.

“I won on this horse twice last season and the owner, Paul [Lau Yiu-sing], and Ricky have been very supportive of me. It’s nice to win for them.”

In the midst of a strong season of his own, Poon later clinched a double when guiding the David Eustace-trained Fortune Whiskey to a barnstorming triumph in the Class Four Volunteers’ Challenge Cup (1,200m).

The 31-year-old sits right behind Ferraris in the jockeys’ title with 23 wins this season.

Seven-time champion jockey Zac Purton also fired in a double, booting home David Hall’s Northern Beast in the Class Four Hoi Yuen Handicap (1,800m) and the David Hayes-trained Soleil Fighter in the Class Three Yue Man Handicap (1,650m).

Douglas Whyte also chimed in with a double after Lyle Hewitson lifted Glory B to victory in the third section of the Wai Yip Handicap and Red Elegance claimed the Class Three Mut Wah Handicap (1,000m) under Hugh Bowman.