Ferraris out to keep the ball rolling: ‘He felt nice and sharp in his trial’

Jockey Luke Ferraris earns the approval of connections after saluting aboard Harmony Fire on Wednesday night. Photo: Kenneth Chan

Feeling good after opening his account aboard Harmony Fire at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, Luke Ferraris hopes he can help trainer Michael Chang Chun-wai continue his strong start to the season by prevailing aboard the veteran handler’s only runner at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Gummy Gummy, who is having his first start for Chang after coming across from the retired Benno Yung Tin-pang, impressed Ferraris when winning a trial earlier this month and the South African is eager to see the six-year-old carry that form into the Class Three Oi Tung Handicap (1,200m) on the dirt.

Sunday’s union between Ferraris and Gummy Gummy continues a relationship that netted a course-and-distance second and a turf seventh in the final weeks of last season.

“He’s back on his preferred surface and he felt nice and sharp in his last trial,” said Ferraris. “He’s got a bit of a deep draw [in gate nine] but if he can overcome that, he’s feeling great and hopefully that trial can transfer to the races.”