WONG'S NEW YEAR'S EVE "GIFT" ARRIVES
- John Curtis
- 10 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The Hawkesbury trainer won the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1000m) with new recruit Platinum Gift.
Ridden by Louis Beuzelin, the $8 chance overcame a wide run to defeat Itszarbaby ($2.90 favorite) and Gooloo Bucky ($10).
It was Wong’s 49th career victory and the Hawkesbury training base’s 80th this season.
Platinum Gift, a four-year-old son of Sooboog, was an $85,000 purchase by Hong Kong owner Joseph Choi (who races under the Strike Thoroughbred banner) at the 2023 Magic Millions yearling sale at the Gold Coast.
He raced 12 times (10 for Gold Coast trainer Adam Campton) for a Grafton win in February last year and four minor placings.
“Platinum Gift lost a bit of confidence, and Joseph transferred him to me hoping a change of scenery might help,” Wong said today.
“I have trained horses for Joseph before, and have a couple for him at present.
”Platinum Gift didn’t do a lot at his first trial for me (last of eight over 1000m on November 17), but then won an 800m trial at home on December 15.
“I made a number of gear changes on him for the Nowra race, and it worked well.”
Wong took a tongue control bit off the gelding, and added both pacifiers and a tongue tie.
Start number 13 looked unlucky in running at Nowra after Platinum Gift drew awkwardly and never saw the inside rail.
However, despite making the home turn deep, he quickly gathered momentum and surged home for an excellent victory.
Whilst Wong understandably was thrilled to get an overdue win on the board, he isn’t rushing to bring his seven-times winner Desi Emperor back into work.
Desi Emperor, who was successful over 1100m at Canterbury last July, hasn’t raced since early November at Kembla Grange.
“He had a long campaign, and I’m going to give him a good three months’ spell,” Wong said.
“Hopefully we can get him back and win more races.”
