Francis Lui Kin-wai continued his remarkable 2026 with another double at Sha Tin on Saturday, spearheaded by the impressive success of Turquoise Velocity in the Class Three TVB Midlife, Sing & Shine Handicap (1,000m).

The 2023-24 champion trainer topped the charts in January in tandem with David Hayes, securing 10 winners, and February has seen him continue his rampant period.

Lui raced to five winners in February thanks to a pair of smart winners, with Turquoise Velocity looking a very smart recruit after making it two wins from three starts.

A winner on debut in brilliant fashion, he struggled off top weight in a mystifying defeat next up, beaten 10 lengths and forced to pass both a veterinary exam and a barrier trial as a result.

His jockey Keith Yeung Ming-lun kept things simple on his return to the races, with Turquoise Velocity smashing out of stall 11 and virtually making all, charging home to win by half a length from Looking Bright.

There will be plenty more to come from the Zoustar galloper according to Lui.

“He’s fast and the light weight helped – I think his second run was ‘second run syndrome’ with top weight, and he was a bit nervous,” said Lui.

“He’s more mature and after this run he’ll have more confidence. He ran a very quick time.”

Lui kicked off his double when Amazing Partners defied a difficult trip to run riot in section one of the Class Four TVB Yan Oi Tong Charity Show Handicap (1,400m).

Posted three-wide without cover down the back straight, his jockey Vincent Ho Chak-yiu was forced to make ground on the turn and swung into the straight after covering plenty of extra ground.

Ho never panicked, however, and the pair made a sustained run up the middle of the track to pick Light Years Glory’s pocket late by a game neck.

“He will keep improving and I don’t think Class Three will be a problem,” said Lui. “I rate him highly and I think he can step up in distance too.”

There was also a race-to-race double on the card for jockey Andrea Atzeni, who kicked off his quick-fire success aboard the Ricky Yiu Poon-fai-trained Chill Buddy in the Class Three TVB Yan Chai Charity Show Handicap (1,200m).

Well backed into a $2.55 favourite, the pair always travelled well in the perfect stalking position of third, wheeling into the lead at the top of the straight and quickening on smartly to score by three-quarters of a length.

Atzeni doubled up when the Tony Cruz-trained Serangoon caused a $16.8 upset in the Class Four TVB Pok Oi Charity Show Handicap (1,800m), with the top trainer completing a double of his own when the well-punted California Star secured the Class Four TVB Queen Of News Handicap (1,650m) on dirt.

Gor no bore for Crawford

Brett Crawford’s impressive first season in Hong Kong continued with yet another stable transfer winner when Gor Gor claimed the Class Four TVB Lok Sin Tong Charity Corner Handicap (1,200m).

Boosting the South African handler’s tally to 16 wins this term, Gor Gor struck on his second start for the stable when he ran on from midfield to pip Incredible Moment by a nose.

“Long may it continue this way, Hong Kong is a place where you’ve just got to keep driving the results up. It’s just so nice to see the horses keeping their form from the trials into the races,” Crawford said of his top form.

After an eye-catching fourth at the Valley on his stable debut, Gor Gor settled on the rail from gate 10 under Karis Teetan before being hooked out to the centre of the track to make his run in the straight.

Incredible Moment, who was brown-lamped late into $7, surged down the outside but Gor Gor lifted inside him to prevail in a thrilling finish.

“It was a very close finish, I had to watch the replay a couple of times and I wasn’t sure if we actually got up – I thought we had a chance but it was really close,” said Crawford.

“He ran a really nice race at the Valley last time and made up good ground. We expected further improvement today but we were a little bit concerned about the draw in stall 10.

“A lot of credit has to go to Karis, as he managed to get him on the fence from stall 10. It was a really good and strong ride, so I’m very happy. He’s got to go further – we kept him at 1,200m as he ran a good race over it but he clearly showed today that he’s wanting at least 1,400m.”