Hugh Bowman warmed up for his ride on this weekend’s raging-hot Classic Mile favourite Helios Express with a dominant 4,639-1 four-timer at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

The Australian rider lit up the city circuit thanks to the victories of Hercules, Telecom Speed, Noble Pursuit and Happy Golf and ensured he will head to the first leg of the four-year-old series full of confidence.

“A four-timer, it’s been a good night,” Bowman said. “I thought I had some nice rides, but I had some sticky draws for the evening. The horses have all run very well.”

It has been a stop-start season for Bowman, with injury and suspension a constant throughout the past three months, but the 43-year-old rider continued his remarkable streak at Happy Valley with victory aboard $17 shot Hercules in the Class Five Fleming Handicap (1,200m).

Negotiating gate 12, the Dennis Yip Chor-hong-trained gelding led in the closing stages to prevail by a short head and ensure Bowman has landed at least one winner at the past thirteen Valley meetings he’s ridden at.

Bowman has spent plenty of time in the stewards’ room since his return from injury on Boxing Day and he once again found himself exchanging pleasantries with Jockey Club officials after securing a race-to-race double on $11 chance Telecom Speed.

En route to his three-and-a-quarter length victory in the second section of the Class Four Jaffe Handicap (1,200m), Telecom Speed was clipped by the chasing Fast As Rocket at the 1,000m marker, sending jockey Jerry Chau Chun-lok flying into the turf.

After Vincent Ho Chak-yiu was dislodged from his mount on the all-weather programme last Wednesday and Bowman and Keith Yeung Ming-lun took tumbles on Sunday, Chau was the latest rider to be unseated.

Fortunately, Chau and Fast As Rocket both came through unscathed and the 23-year-old jockey resumed his riding duties half an hour later for the Class Four Hong Kong Football Club Centenary Cup (1,000m), won by $17 shot Circuit Seven.

Bowman, who was cleared of any wrongdoing by stewards, did not have to wait long to notch his third triumph of the night when he stretched out to a comfortable win on $6.6 chance Noble Pursuit in the Class Four Luard Handicap (1,650m).

After tracking the leaders, the Caspar Fownes-trained gelding immediately responded to Bowman’s urgings to find the front 150m out. Edging clear in the closing stages, Noble Pursuit hit the line with plenty of conviction a length and a quarter ahead of Sure Joyful in second.

“Noble Pursuit was tardy away last time,” Bowman said. “I thought that if he jumped better, I could take the gamble and be handier in position up in trip. The gamble paid off.

“He’s a horse with, in my opinion, a class edge on tonight’s opposition. But that said, he’s still got some learning to do. He’s won with authority, but I think there’s more in store.”

Before Fownes bagged a midweek brace in the first section of the Class Three Lockhart Handicap (1,200m), with Nicconi County getting the job done under Karis Teetan, Bowman topped off his evening with a narrow success aboard Happy Golf in the first section of the Jaffe Handicap.

After making steady headway up the straight, Happy Golf got his nose in front in the final stride in a contest where E Universe refused to leave the gates.

“Happy Golf is the only one that really drew a good [gate] and I was able to get him into a nice rhythm. I’ve had a good association with him – that’s my third win on him,” Bowman said after his successful evening.

“With the others, I had some sticky draws for the evening. Telecom Speed did a really good job and so did the first one, Hercules. It’s nice.”

Karis Teetan landed a race-to-race double when Tomodachi Kokoroe reeled in warm favourite Beauty Waves in the second section of the Lockhart Handicap.

Bowman could not add a fifth win for the evening aboard Lean Hero in the finale, but the rider will be hoping to keep his momentum going on Sunday’s programme before beginning his five-meeting suspension.