Tony Cruz continued his hot form when Righteous Arion, Lovero and Atomic Beauty delivered the legendary handler his first treble in a year at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

Cruz became just the third trainer to reach 1,500 Hong Kong wins last month and kept the good times rolling when landing a quinella in last Sunday’s Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m), courtesy of La City Blanche narrowly beating Five G Patch.

The 67-year-old teamed up with three different riders – Hugh Bowman (Righteous Arion), Angus Chung Yik-lai (Lovero) and Brenton Avdulla (Atomic Beauty) – in his first three-timer since May 3 at the city circuit last year.

“I’m very happy tonight,” a beaming Cruz said.

“All the jockeys rode a good race, especially Brenton Avdulla. I told him to have the horse handy and he went to the front and he still won from the front. I’m thrilled by it.”

Righteous Arion overcame a wide run early to claim the Class Four Sports Club Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup (1,200m) in style, with Bowman scything his way through the middle of the field in the straight to gun down Telecom Speed.

It was Righteous Arion’s first triumph since last November and third career win – all of which have been at Happy Valley.

“Top ride from Hugh Bowman,” Cruz said.

“Top weight, 135 [pounds] with gate 12, he rode a perfect race. I think the horse loves Happy Valley. I’ve been trying [him] at Sha Tin but the horse is just no good at Sha Tin. He seems to know this track here and loves this track.”

Bowman said Cruz’s move to take the hood off Righteous Arion after his last-start second to High Percentage at Happy Valley proved crucial.

“He travelled really well throughout. I had to deal with a bit of traffic around the home turn, which was concerning at the time, but when I got the space, he really let go,” the Australian rider said.

“He promised to do it last time but I had a wider run and he found his peak. But a little gear change and being smothered up for a late burst really suited him.”

Lovero also overcame a wide draw in gate 10 but was victorious from the opposite end of the race, sitting outside the speed and clinging on late to prevail in the Class Three Graham Handicap (1,650m).

In a busy finish, Chung lifted Lovero to beat the fast-finishing Star Contact by a short head, with Cruz’s consistent galloper Red Hare King a further short head behind in third. Zoom Boom (fourth) and Chain Of Gold (fifth) were beaten less than a length.

Chung drew praise from Cruz a week after graduating from his apprenticeship with victory on the trainer’s impressive speedster, Colourful Emperor.

“[Lovero] managed to hang on. Angus Chung is doing a good job. This lad is improving a lot and he’s getting results,” Cruz said.

Atomic Beauty capped Cruz’s big night with victory in the Class Four On Lan Handicap (1,650m).

Elsewhere, Douglas Whyte prepared a double with Ace Power in the first section of the Class Four Wyndham Handicap (1,200m) and Wings Of War for South African owner Mary Slack in the Class Three Shelley Handicap (1,200m).

“That’s probably the most satisfying winner I’ve had this season,” Whyte said of Wings Of War’s first Hong Kong triumph.

“It means a lot for the owner Mary, her daughter Jessica [Jell] and Steven Jell. It’s been an unbelievable connection for me, I’ve known them my whole career.”

Harry Bentley completed a double on Wings Of War after also guiding David Hayes’ Precision Goal to victory in the Class Five D’Aguilar Handicap (1,650m).

Chung and Avdulla also had doubles, with the former also booting home Manfred Man Ka-leung’s Hero Star in the Class Five Cochrane Handicap (1,200m) and Avdulla successful on the John Size-trained Escape Route in the Class Four Glenealy Handicap (1,800m).