Peter Ho Leung is daring to dream after edging ever closer to the Jockey Club’s trainers’ benchmark with his 14th victory of the season at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

Single-site trainers must land 16 wins a campaign – with only two in Class Five counting – to avoid the ire of the licensing committee, something Ho has failed to achieve in the past two seasons.

A third strike would almost certainly see him forced into retirement. However, the 62-year-old is hopeful he can eke out the remaining two victories he needs in the final six meetings of the campaign.

“For me, I am positive, but you need a little bit of luck. I am so keen to train next season because my interest and my hobby is horses. This is why I never give up. I’m keeping my fingers crossed,” Ho said.

With Splendid Star’s midweek win under Keith Yeung Ming-lun coming in the Class Five Camellia Handicap (1,800m), Ho has now used his quota of cellar-grade successes and must conjure up two victories in Class Four or higher.

Following Splendid Star’s victory off a mark of 11, Ho gave the impression he was not expecting the gelding to become the lowest-rated winner of the 2022-23 season.

“It’s unbelievable. Actually, after the trial he won last month – maybe he learned something from that trial,” Ho said.

“Today, he had a bit of luck because the pace was fast, so he could settle at the back easily. In the back straight, he just followed the horse that led him into the race. He carried a feather weight, and he’s only four.”

Dennis Yip Chor-hong also took a step closer to avoiding a strike – albeit his first – thanks to the victory of Yeaboi under Angus Chung Yik-lai in the first section of the Class Four Thistle Handicap (1,650m), with the 2012-13 champion trainer now four victories in better than Class Five grade shy of the benchmark.

The in-form Pierre Ng Pang-chi was among the winners again, following up his weekend treble with a double thanks to victories from Turin Mascot and Turquoise Alpha.

“Hopefully, the stable can keep going until the season ends,” Ng said after moving to 40 winners for the campaign, adding that 45 victories this season “should be manageable”.

Turin Mascot broke his Hong Kong maiden at start six in the Class Three Aster Handicap (2,200m), with Zac Purton settling the four-year-old near the back of the field before taking off about 700m from home and prevailing in a head-bobbing finish with Total Power.

“I knew he had a chance, and he just got there. Hopefully, he will mature next season, and he will get more straightforward so he can win by a bigger margin than tonight,” Ng smiled.

Denfield chose an opportune time to break through for his first win, with the top lot from last season’s Hong Kong International Sale saluting 48 hours before this year’s event.

A HK$7.8 million buy, Denfield’s win in the third section of the Class Four Dianthus Handicap (1,200m) came at the seventh start of his maiden campaign.

“He’s improving. He’s more relaxed than before. Earlier this season, he wasn’t there – he’s still only three years old. He has a bright future next season. He should handle 1,400m, even 1,600m,” said trainer Danny Shum Chap-shing.

Ricky Yiu Poon-fai was the other trainer to land a double, scoring with Solar Partner and Splendid Living.

Apprentice jockey Chung enjoyed a brace of his own thanks to wins aboard Yeaboi and Turquoise Alpha, while Vincent Ho Chak-yiu continued his phenomenal season with successes aboard Denfield and Wonder Kit.