Numbers announced himself as a genuine player in the Hong Kong Four-Year-Old Classic Series with a performance of authority at Sha Tin on Sunday, 8 February, brushing aside a quality field to land the G3 Centenary Vase Handicap over 1800 metres.

Trained by Frankie Lor, the Tivaci gelding took control early and never relinquished it, dictating from the front and steadily squeezing the life out of six rivals who all brought established Group credentials into the HK$4.2 million contest. The margin—two lengths—was comfortable, but the manner was even more telling.

Installed a firm $1.7 favourite after a sharp front-running success in December, his first win since arriving in Hong Kong, Numbers carried 117lb despite an eight-point rise from the handicapper. That still left him at the foot of the weights against a more seasoned group, a factor he used to full advantage.

Breaking from gate two, Derek Leung allowed the four-year-old to stride forward and claim the rail, controlling the tempo with Ensued and Andrea Atzeni tracking closely under 125lb. Turning for home, Zac Purton asked Chancheng Glory to apply pressure, briefly ranging up to Numbers’ outside, but the response was immediate. Once Leung went for him, Numbers quickened decisively and opened daylight.

Speed Dragon, carrying 126lb for Lyle Hewitson, stayed on to claim second, while Encountered, also at 126lb and ridden by Karis Teetan, filled third.

“He was still a bit nervous in the gates, but he did a good job,” Leung said. “He handled himself pretty good. After he relaxed, I started to pick up at the 800m. He listened to me, and he made my job pretty easy.”

Leung believes that adaptability could be a decisive weapon as the series progresses, particularly heading toward the BMW Hong Kong Derby over 2000 metres on 22 March.

“He can lead, or if someone’s going faster than him, he can be second or third – just whatever he wants to be,” Leung said. “He loves to chase a horse. So, it doesn’t matter … he loves the challenge.”

The next step is the Hong Kong Classic Cup on 1 March, and on this showing, Numbers shapes as the horse the others will have to beat as distances stretch. His stamina credentials are already proven: his final run in Australia before export was a battling second in the G1 Queensland Derby over 2400 metres.

Trainer Frankie Lor is comfortable pressing on.

“I have a lot of hope. You can see in Australia he already has form over 2400m, so I don’t think there will be any problems and we’ll just go for it,” he said.

Elsewhere on the card, Andrea Atzeni enjoyed a standout afternoon, riding a treble to lift his seasonal tally to 25. He opened his account aboard Francis Lui’s King Dance (116lb), a son of Nyquist who finally broke through at the seventh attempt in the first division of the Class 4 Lung Yat Handicap over 1200 metres on dirt.

Atzeni doubled up in the second division of the same race, grinding out a first career win on David Hall’s Good Chap (118lb). Hall pointed to equipment and surface as key factors in the Deep Field gelding’s improvement.

“It wasn’t a big surprise. He’s always shown a bit of ability,” Hall said. “We’ve had a few soundness issues with him. I think with the breed – Deep Field – they certainly love the surface, and I think they love a set of blinkers. He trialled well with them, so he took his trial to the races.”

The Italian completed his treble with John Size’s Flow Water Flow (115lb), who made a successful transition into Class 3 company by taking out the Yau Oi Handicap over 1800 metres. The Proisir gelding now boasts two wins to go with three seconds from a promising debut preparation.

Mark Newnham continued to apply pressure at the top of the trainers’ table when Lucky Ranger (128lb) captured the first division of the Class 4 On Ting Handicap over 1400 metres. The three-year-old again overcame a wide draw, delivering Luke Ferraris his 22nd winner of the season and keeping Newnham one clear on 35 wins.

The Brett Crawford–Karis Teetan partnership stayed hot as Island Buddy (128lb) landed the Class 4 Yan Oi Tong Cup Handicap over 1200 metres. Teetan has now ridden eight of Crawford’s 14 winners since the trainer’s move to Sha Tin, and Island Buddy has notched back-to-back wins since joining the yard.

Progressive three-year-old Emblazon (124lb) made it three straight victories—and four for the season—when Cody Mo’s Hong Kong Derby nominee took the Class 3 Yan Tin Handicap over 1400 metres, once again under the two-pound claim of Jerry Chau.

Chau later completed a double alongside Francis Lui when Galactic Voyage (121lb) prevailed in the Class 3 Tai Hing Handicap over 1200 metres, lifting Lui to 25 winners for the campaign and Chau to 21.

Manfred Man and Dylan Browne McMonagle combined successfully with Aurora Patch (125lb), who claimed the Class 3 Wu King Handicap over 1200 metres on dirt for his third win of the season. Ricky Yiu’s The Concentration (128lb) earned a fourth career victory in the Class 5 Fu Tai Handicap over 1400 metres, with Maxime Guyon steering home his 14th winner of the term.

David Hayes closed the gap at the top of the trainers’ standings when All Round Winner (129lb), ridden by Harry Bentley, scored in the second division of the Class 4 On Ting Handicap, bringing Hayes’ seasonal tally to 34.