Dennis Yip Chor-hong had his biggest day at the races since Boxing Day when Lean Master headlined a race-to-race double in the Class Four Sports Club Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup (1,000m) at Happy Valley.

The 57-year-old posted a treble at the city circuit a day after Christmas and got his Wednesday night off to a great start when Lean Master thundered home.

The Havana Grey galloper enjoyed a midfield trip and in a race where the leaders fell away late on, he got rolling off the top of the home straight and was well on top at the 100m pole to win going away.

The victory broke a 16-race losing sequence for jockey Harry Bentley and Yip was full of praise for his tenacious five-year-old galloper.

“It was a nice win and he’s a nice horse, but this race the rating is 43 to 54, so it’s not strong,” said Yip. “But I think my horse is very honest at the 1,000m and 1,200m at Happy Valley because the shorter straight is better for him.”

Things got better for Yip just 35 minutes later when Thriving Brothers lived up to his name in the Class Four Cochrane Handicap (1,200m).

The four-year-old was given a perfect ride by Matthew Chadwick, sitting in the box seat behind the leaders before being angled for a run off the top of the home straight.

Long-time leader Candlelight Dinner kept on stoically under James Orman but Thriving Brothers was galvanised in the final 100m and got up in the nick of time to collect the prize.

Meanwhile, trainer David Hayes cut the gap down to five in the trainers’ title race when Harmony N Blessed saluted by the narrowest of margins in the Class Three Wyndham Handicap (1,200m).

The eight-year-old stalked O’Liner throughout the journey and just as he overtook that rival, $1.6 favourite King Miles surged past them both to take what looked to be the winning lead at the 200m pole.

That was not the case, however, as the game Harmony N Blessed refused to lie down and fought back to the lead in the final strides to win by just a nose.

Hayes was full of praise for his wonderful servant, who will likely retire in the coming months.

“He’s a wonderful horse. It looked like [King Miles] had him cold but he really lifted and fought back strongly. It was a very good ride by Luke [Ferraris],” Hayes said.

“He’s quite an old horse. He’s won nearly HK$15 million and he was one of the original horses that came when I arrived [in 2020-21] and it’s lovely to still have him racing well.

“I would say he would probably retire towards the end of the season but we have to try again at the Valley, don’t we?”