Aashiq made New Year’s Day a red letter day for trainer Paul O’Sullivan as the front-running six-year-old saw off 11 high-class rivals to take the afternoon’s feature event, the HKG3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup.

Carrying bottom-weight of 113 pounds in the 1400m handicap, Aashiq jumped to the lead from Gate 8 under jockey Jeff Lloyd and maintained his position deep into the home stretch. But victory looked far from assured with 250m remaining when the highly progressive four-year-old Captain Sweet (126 pounds) began a powerful run for home under Darren Beadman.

John Moore’s charge drew alongside Aashiq at the 200m mark and briefly took the advantage, but with the winning post rapidly approaching, Lloyd summoned a final triumphant effort from his mount and sealed victory by three quarters of a length. The win was Aashiq’s first in Pattern company and gavethein-form trainera three-timerfollowing thesuccessesof Finezzaand Rain Of Thunderearlierin theday.

“Before the race, I thought Aashiq was at his best but probably not good enough,” revealed a delighted O’Sullivan. “He had never ever worked so well. His track work is always pretty average and I said to the owner, he has never worked like that, ever, and if he could take his track work into raceday,hewasgoing to run up to hisbest,ifhewasgood enough.

“The 113 [pound] counted in the last 50 yards. He just got his own way in front, he got them off the bit a long way out and then when you watch the replay, when he got to the 100m he changed strides and came again. They either change stride and stop or change stride and come. The weight just counted in the end, so full credit to Jeff, he rode him at 113 – he could have ridden him at 115 and would probably have been beaten.”

Lloyd also felt that the receipt of 13 poundsfrom Captain Sweet proved decisive. “I’m glad that I was able to ride the horse at 113,” commented the veteran rider. “I felt the horse deserved every opportunity – this was his race in the handicap system. He had a chance today to pick up the big race of his career. It was great, I got down to the weight and he made it worth my while. “I was a bit concerned when Captain Sweet came to me because normally when this horse is headed, that’s him. Obviously he only had 113, he got an easy lead and he had everything his own way, so there was still more to come when he was challenged and he switched legs and went again.”

Fat Choy Oohlala from the Dennis Yip stable took third, with the Moore-trained Admiration fourth behind Aashiq, who clocked 1m 21.99s.