Caspar Fownes surged back to the top of the 2025/26 Hong Kong trainers’ championship with a double at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, showcasing both tactical finesse and the strength of his string. The victories not only nudged Fownes past Mark Newnham but also underscored a thrilling night of racing for long-time ally Vincent Ho, who dominated with a treble.
Fownes claimed wins with Love Together and Perfect General, bringing his season tally to 29 victories, just ahead of Newnham (28), Danny Shum (25), and David Hayes (24). The wins also pushed Fownes’ remarkable career total to 1,195 victories.
Vincent Ho, a former apprentice under Fownes, made a statement with his treble, which included Jolly Companion, marking his best night of the season so far. His season tally now stands at 18, placing him fourth behind Zac Purton (54 wins), Hugh Bowman (25), and Luke Ferraris (19).
“I’m glad tonight that I had good horses and the draws helped as well,” Ho said after guiding Hong Kong International Sale graduate Perfect General (119lb) to victory in the Class 3 Connaught Handicap (1200m). “It’s been a while since my last treble, but I missed this feeling.”
Ho had earlier piloted Love Together (119lb) to triumph in the Class 3 Chater Handicap (1000m), a win that also secured a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million. The Capitalist gelding, formerly known as Mednyi in Australia, powered clear under Ho’s patient ride to complete the distance in 56.58 seconds. “He’s a decent horse,” Ho said. “Everything came together today—the run, the cover, and the positioning. He’s a nice horse.”
Ho added Jolly Companion (121lb) to his tally in the second section of the Class 4 Jackson Handicap (1200m). Trainer Man noted the horse had shown promise earlier in the season but had been slightly unlucky in recent outings. “It was a good ride by Vincent tonight,” Man said.
Man also celebrated a double, thanks to Celtic Times (121lb), who secured his second win over the same course and distance in the Class 4 Club Handicap (1650m) under Jerry Chau. “I’m very happy with two winners tonight and the season so far,” Man added.
Chau himself notched a double when Stormi (120lb) stormed home to take the Class 4 Hong Kong Club Challenge Cup Handicap (1650m) for Cody Mo. “It’s been a brilliant night,” Chau said. “Stormi has waited a long time to win—16 starts—but the cheekpieces helped him focus and settle.”
Other notable performances included Amazing Kid (123lb) giving John Size his sixth winner in four meetings with a strong finish in the first section of the Class 4 Jackson Handicap, and Beauty Missile (128lb) breaking his maiden status at his 37th start for Brett Crawford and Hugh Bowman in the Class 5 Murray Handicap (1800m). Crawford described the win as a “gutsy performance” and a confidence boost for the horse.
Further highlights saw Straight To Glory (126lb) deliver his first win for Michael Chang and Derek Leung, while Solid Win (118lb) gave trainer Ricky Yiu his inaugural Happy Valley success in the Class 3 Des Voeux Handicap (1650m) under Matthew Poon.
Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on 11 January, promising another week of thrilling contests for trainers, jockeys, and racing fans alike.
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