From Racing Post HK www.racing.scmp.comA photo-finish in the final race was the difference that saw Brett Prebble hold sway in the Jockey Challenge at Happy Valley last night but the story of the night was the return to form of star apprentice Matthew Chadwick. Chadwick had notched up 47 straight losing rides going into last night's fixture but bounced back with a treble as he and Prebble sliced the programme up between them and left little for anyone else."Matthew's got his head screwed on

From Racing Post HK

www.racing.scmp.com

A photo-finish in the final race was the difference that saw Brett Prebble hold sway in the Jockey Challenge at Happy Valley last night but the story of the night was the return to form of star apprentice Matthew Chadwick. Chadwick had notched up 47 straight losing rides going into last night's fixture but bounced back with a treble as he and Prebble sliced the programme up between them and left little for anyone else.

"Matthew's got his head screwed on properly again and I'm sure he'll get the ball rolling now," said Tony Cruz, to whom Chadwick is apprenticed. "He just needed to get his confidence back and this night will do him the world of good."

Chadwick drew first blood with Topping Light for Caspar Fownes in the second before adding Cruz's Bullish Win in the sixth and Supernova for David Ferraris in the night's featured Wayfoong Centenary Bowl, 1,650m.

"It changes so quickly. One minute he had no confidence, the next he's full of confidence again and it makes such a huge difference," said Ferraris, who had been a little surprised to see Supernova somewhat closer in the run last night. "I said to Matthew to take the horse back as usual, let him find a spot where he's comfortable, but after the race he told me the horse began well enough to be where he was so he left him there and got cover and it worked. Supernova had been promoted out of Class Four without winning but I just looked at this race tonight and thought with five pounds off he had to be a great chance."

Prebble also landed a three-timer aboard Victory Mascot and Nugget Warrior for Fownes, sandwiching Electronic Master for Manfred Man Ka-leung in between them, but the night soured when he copped a 2-day careless riding ban for his effort in the sixth on Happy Ambassador. The Australian went into the final event just trailing Chadwick in the Jockey Challenge, but fortunes swung on the narrow margin between Nugget Warrior and True Intelligence and the camera came down Prebble's way to give trainer Fownes a three-timer as well. "I can't tell you how happy I am to win with this horse," Fownes said of Nugget warrior.

"When he first got here last year, he was all ready to go to the races and he tore a muscle just above his hock. A really unusual injury but it really set him back. It has been a long road but he's been getting better each run and I'm rapt to win with him."