From RACING POST in Hong KongPunters who paid heed to the Jockey Club's new fondness for statistical pointers were happy after the two all-weather races yesterday, when last season's highlight performers, jockey Olivier Doleuze and trainer Sean Woods, took the spoils. "King of the Dirt" Doleuze cleared out to win his first race of the new term in emphatic style aboard the Andy Leung Ting-wah-trained Smart Choice in the Huizhou Handicap (1,200m) after the club had highlighted his pre-em

From RACING POST in Hong Kong

Punters who paid heed to the Jockey Club's new fondness for statistical pointers were happy after the two all-weather races yesterday, when last season's highlight performers, jockey Olivier Doleuze and trainer Sean Woods, took the spoils.

"King of the Dirt" Doleuze cleared out to win his first race of the new term in emphatic style aboard the Andy Leung Ting-wah-trained Smart Choice in the Huizhou Handicap (1,200m) after the club had highlighted his pre-eminence among the jockey ranks last season with eight winners on the surface.

But those stats didn't go far enough, with the French star rider actually holding a lead in dirt racing stretching back five seasons, not just the last one.

In that time, Doleuze has won 37 races on the surface, giving him a tick under 10 per cent of the all-weather events staged, and a lead of one over Douglas Whyte and four over Brett Prebble. "That's nice, but unfortunately they don't have that many races on the dirt each season," laughed Doleuze after a steering job on Smart Choice to win by more than six lengths. "We have done plenty of work with this horse since the start of the season so he was quite fit but he seems to like the wet dirt. He's been on it twice before and run well, although he didn't win."

Trainer Leung said he was not unhappy to see Smart Choice break his maiden in a manner that will get the handicapper's attention, he was just happy to see the four-year-old successful after five previous minor placings.

"I'm not worried about a big penalty. I thought the horse was a sure winner so I don't mind that he won easily," he said.

Doleuze said he hoped Smart Choice would earn enough of a penalty to enable him to stay on the gelding if he is raised to Class Three, but was circumspect about yesterday's win.

"It wasn't much of a field today and that was more like a barrier trial win - but it will be interesting to see how he handles a better class," he said. "He does everything right."