It only took Hollie Doyle four rides to get back in the Hong Kong groove as Run Run Smart got her short-term stint in the city off to the perfect start in the Class Four Japan Racing Association Trophy (1,200m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

It was a sense of deja vu for the British rider, who rode Run Run Smart – named Asktheboss at the time – to victory in a Chester novice race in June 2024 for Adrian Keatley.

Paired up with him for the first time since, Doyle wasted no time in letting the weighing room know she was back by making all of the running on the Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained $21.35 chance.

Taking up the lead at an early stage when getting the better of a speed duel with $1.7 favourite Lunar Dash, Doyle never relinquished that advantage, surging up the straight to win by one and a quarter lengths.

It was the start that Doyle would have dreamed of and the rider is fully focused on building her tally.

“Obviously, he jumped really clean and had the gate speed he showed last time over 1,400m. Back down to the 1,200m on the sharp track, I just made use of him but I was going a bit too quick, to be honest,” said Doyle.

“I managed to get a little breather into him and he went again and managed to get his head in front.

“I’m pretty lucky to have had the opportunity to ride a horse like this with a good chance – I don’t take it for granted. I just want to ride winners.”

Doyle, who was drafted in earlier this year as injury cover for a pair of meetings in February, has plenty of Hong Kong experience to call upon thanks to her International Jockeys’ Championship appearances.

That was very apparent in her ride on Run Run Smart, with Lor happy to let Doyle do as she saw fit.

“She rode this horse in England and won on him, so that’s why we put her on,” said Lor. “He had an outside draw and I asked her to try to be midfield or go forward and she said he had early speed, so she just let him go to the front.”

Lor doubled up later on the card when the in-form Regal Gem soared home to win the Class Three Nakayama Handicap (1,200m).

The Zoustar galloper was settled midfield on the fence and his jockey Derek Leung Ka-chun took the brave route in the straight, splitting horses and getting up by three-quarters of a length to knock off Spicy Gold.

“He got a good draw and everything went perfect. I was still a bit worried in the straight as some horses went past him on the outside, but he has a big heart,” said Lor.

“I need to have a look at the programme as there aren’t many Class Two options at Happy Valley for him. Maybe we’ll go back to Sha Tin but I need to see.”

Regal Gem’s jockey Leung also had a double, earlier winning section two of the Class Four Tokyo Handicap (1,650m) aboard Fortunate Son.

There was also a double on the card for trainer Ricky Yiu Poon-fai, headlined by the smart performance of Tourbillon Golfer in section three of the Class Four Kyoto Handicap (1,200m) under Zac Purton.

He doubled up later on the card when Charming Babe was a comfortable winner of section two of the Kyoto Handicap.

In typical fashion, there was a brace for the runaway jockeys’ premiership leader Purton, who also scored aboard Uranus Star in the concluding Class Three Hanshin Handicap (1,650m).

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