PAUL O’SULLIVAN STARTS OFF THE NEW YEAR WITH THREE BANGS!

As he has done for the past three years, trainer Derek Cruz saddled up a winner on January 1.

The horse was Wrath Of Fire and which posted back-to-back wins as it came from last to win Race 7 of the day.

With its last win being over 1800 metres, some thought the 2000 metres it tackled today might be beyond it.

But despite being last in the field, it gobbled up the ground and beat Goodview Successor and was another very good, intelligent and patient ride by the much-improved Keith ML Yeung.

As for the most successful trainer on January 1, it was not to be Derek Cruz.

Brother Tony trained two- Ekraah Emperor and Best Eleven, as did John Size with Gamekeepers and Fay Fay.

However, it was the low-key and affable Paul O’Sullivan who took training honours by racking up three winners- Rain Of Thunder, Finezza and Aashiq.

Plus, O’Sullivan also took out today’s Cup race- the Chinese Club Challenge Cup.

And what great rides were given to these three horses trained by O’Sullivan by his former apprentice Derek KC Leung, Olivier Delouze and Jeff Lloyd, respectively.

It really was a team effort and huge applause to all.