THERE was no luck for Irish breeders Kevin Molloy and vendor Paddy Kelly in the Hong Kong Derby last Sunday as Eastern Express could only finish ninth behind the winner Werther.

Hugh Bowman claimed his first international Group 1 with a narrow win aboard the New Zealand-bred Werther, the favourite, for trainer John Moore who also trained the second, as Victory Magic – ridden by fellow Australian Zac Purton – was just beaten, the official winning margin was a head.