PIERRE NG ADDS TO TITLE LEAD AS BEAUTY WAVES’ GROUP THREE WIN HIGHLIGHTS SHA TIN DOUBLE

Talented sprinter's National Day Cup success delivers third-season handler first leg of running brace

Pierre Ng Pang-chi extended his lead in the trainers' championship with a double at Sha Tin on Tuesday, including victory in the Group Three National Day Cup (1,000m) with talented sprinter Beauty Waves.

Backing up a first-up second to boom speedster Ka Ying Rising, Beauty Waves firmed late into $2.2 favouritism and didn't let his backers down under a patient ride by Alexis Badel.

Badel had the Starspangledbanner gelding poised to strike in midfield and he edged clear at the 150m after taking the lead from Magic Control, who surged to the front at the 350m after being involved in an early speed battle with Nervous Witness.

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Beauty Waves stayed on strongly to prevail by half a length, with Whizz Kid a further length behind Magic Control in third.

Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) winner Invincible Sage was a well-beaten sixth first up under top weight of 135 pounds. Stoltz, the winner of last year's National Day Cup, was scratched minutes before the race when he was found to be lame.

A winner at one of two starts when known as Starspangledwaves in Ireland pre-import, Beauty Waves recorded his fourth win from seven starts since transferring to Ng from Douglas Whyte.

"He improves every race for me," Ng said. "Last time we were running against a very good horse and he still ran second. He did everything well today."

Badel wasn't concerned when Beauty Waves was left to make his run down the centre of the track without cover.

"I was confident. He's a good horse, he only got beaten last time by a very special horse," Badel said.

"Coming back to a shorter trip didn't worry me. He's got class and he's got speed. He began very well and I didn't want to face the breeze the whole way, but it went very smooth like this.

"He's improving, his fitness is getting there, his mentality is improving as well, so I don't know where this is going to end."

After stopping the clock at 55.72 seconds - more than a length inside the standard time of 55.90 - Beauty Waves could be bound for higher aims in the near future.

However, Ng stopped short of declaring the four-year-old would clash again with Ka Ying Rising in the Group Two Premier Bowl (1,200m) on October 20.

"I wouldn't say so yet," Ng said. "We'll see how many points he's going to be put up.

"If they give him a hard time and he's one hundred and something, we'll have to see. Otherwise, in January there's another straight race, [the Group Three Bauhinia Sprint Trophy], for him."

Ng made it a race-to-race double when Andrea Atzeni lifted Drombeg Banner to an upset win in the Class Two Beijing Handicap (1,400m).

"Winners are what we want and we just have to keep going into the winter," Ng said after boosting his tally to eight wins this term - one ahead of Danny Shum Chap-shing, Caspar Fownes and Mark Newnham.

Capitalising on a soft lead, $21 shot Drombeg Banner held on late to deny Patch Of Theta by a head.

Ng rebounded quickly from Sunday's disappointment with Mugen, who ran 13th in the Group One Sprinters Stakes (1,200m) in Japan.

"He pulled up very well," Ng said. "It seems like he didn't like the track conditions and the pattern of the race as well.

"It's a very good experience for the owners and us as well. We just look forward to the [Group Two Jockey Club Sprint in November]."