TITLE FIGHT CLOSEST IT’S BEEN SINCE EARLY NOVEMBER AS FRANCIS LUI CLOSES IN ON PIERRE NG

Veteran handler has all the momentum after a Sunday treble but the long-time leader is still five wins to the good

Not since early November has the fight for the trainers' championship been as close as it is now and after a treble at Sha Tin on Sunday to go with a swag of other recent winners, it is Francis Lui Kin-wai who boasts all the momentum.

After eight winners in March and five already in April, veteran Lui has trimmed long-time leader Pierre Ng Pang-chi's advantage to five, with the second-season handler managing only six victories in that same period as he continues to come back to the pack after a scintillating start to the season.

Having taken the lead way back on November 5, Ng opened up a six-win buffer on Lui thanks to a four-timer on November 11 and he has been the dominant premiership leader since.

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He led by 11 in late November and as much as 16 in late December, retaining that buffer at the conclusion of the New Year's Day fixture at Sha Tin.

While at times it was Caspar Fownes and Danny Shum Chap-shing closest behind Ng, since his Boxing Day double, it's been Lui leading the peloton while gradually reeling in the tearaway leader.

Ng was still 15 victories to the good at the end of the Lunar New Year card on February 12 and had plenty of breathing space on Lui when a dozen triumphs clear as recently as March 20.

But it's been pretty much all one-way traffic since, with Lui banking 10 wins - including two trebles - to Ng's three to close to within just five.

It's not the first time Lui has found himself in a title fight in recent seasons, duking it out with Ricky Yiu Poon-fai and Tony Cruz in 2019-20 before eventually finishing third, and the 65-year-old will be determined to snare a maiden premiership while he's still firing on all cylinders.

Both he and Ng have jam-packed stables for what is sure to be an eventful run home, with Lui armed with 71 gallopers and Ng 70, while there is also the small matter of 12-time champion John Size, who remains well within reach in third place with 42 successes.

It's likely to take north of 70 winners to get the job done this season and the battle for the 2023-24 premiership looks like it could go the distance, offering some much-needed excitement as the long Hong Kong season limps to the finish line through June and July.

Japan raider's arrival delayed

While the first of 11 FWD Champions Day raiders was supposed to arrive in Hong Kong on Monday, Japan's Golden Eagle winner Obamburumai's flight from Australia has been delayed until this Sunday after the galloper suffered a minor injury prior to his departure.

Most recently seen running 13th behind Celestial Legend in the Group One Doncaster Mile at Randwick earlier this month, officials are confident Obamburumai will still line up against Golden Sixty in the FWD Champions Mile at Sha Tin on April 28.

The other 10 overseas runners are also scheduled to land in Hong Kong this week, with Japan's Elton Barrows, Mad Cool, Prognosis and Sunrise Ronaldo expected to be the first to touch down, arriving in the early hours of Friday morning.